Supporting regional leaders in South Central Texas with efforts to safeguard communities and economies from heat, wildfire, and flooding.
Supporting regional leaders in South Central Texas with efforts to safeguard communities and economies from heat, wildfire, and flooding.
The South Central Texas Climate Resilient Communities Accelerator is a two‑year initiative designed to help cities, counties, businesses, and community organizations across the region move from planning to practice in reducing vulnerability to extreme heat, wildfire and grassfire, and flooding. Beginning in Fall 2025, the Accelerator launched in a corridor stretching from Williamson County to Bexar County, where rapid growth, land‑use pressures, and increasing water stress are intensifying climate impacts. Early engagement has included extensive scoping conversations and preparations for two full‑day convenings that will bring together approximately cross‑sector leaders to identify priorities and co‑develop actionable regional strategies.
This focus is urgently needed: parts of the region are projected to experience 30–60 more days over 100°F by mid‑century, and heat already poses the deadliest weather‑related risk in Texas. Wildfire risk has also grown markedly, with recent fires fueled by prolonged heat, drought, and vegetation stress, insurance costs continue to rise. At the same time, the Austin–San Antonio corridor remains one of the most flash‑flood‑prone regions in the nation, underscoring the need for coordinated, long‑term resilience solutions.
Blog | February 18, 2026 | South Central Texas Tackles Triple Threat of Heat, Wildfire, and Floods in Newly Launched Resilience Accelerator
This blog announces the South Central Texas Accelerator program’s selection of extreme heat, wildfire, and flooding as its focal hazards, chosen through extensive research and stakeholder input to guide the next two years of collaborative programming to build resilience.
Webinar| November 6, 2026 | Kickoff Webinar for the Accelerator in Texas
Watch our 30-minute kickoff webinar to learn how the Climate Resilient Communities Accelerator is beginning work in the South Central Texas region. We share an overview of the initiative, our plans for the first phase in Texas, and how local leaders and organizations can help shape a more resilient future.
The Accelerator is a multi-year regionally focused initiative that brings together local and Tribal governments, businesses, nonprofits, academics, and community leaders to safeguard communities and strengthen economic stability in the face of climate threats. The Accelerator is designed to follow the lead of the communities where it works. Between October 2025 and February 2026, the Accelerator Team will meet with organizations and leaders from communities across the Austin-San Antonio region to learn about priorities, existing efforts, and how the Accelerator can best support local needs and the region at large.
The Climate Resilient Communities Accelerator is a multi-year, regionally focused initiative that unites cross-sector leaders to strengthen climate, economic, and community resilience. The Accelerator is currently active in three regions:
The Accelerator aims to create a structured environment where regional stakeholders can share data, align existing efforts and resources, and design innovative solutions that protect residents and safeguard critical infrastructure. Each regional Accelerator cohort joins a growing network of resilient regions across the country; the national cohort will provide a platform for Accelerator participants to connect with resilience practitioners and resources, learn from other regions, and inform policy recommendations.
Learn more about the Accelerator here.
The South Central Texas Accelerator is currently in Year 1. In Year 2 (~September 2026-September 2027), the Accelerator will accelerate priority Key Action Areas that emerge in the Regional Action Roadmap and advance resilience policy through federal policy recommendations.
C2ES the launch of the third Accelerator program in the Austin-San Antonio region of Texas.
C2ES meets with over 80 regional leaders to understand priorities, existing efforts, and opportunities for the Accelerator to support the region.
C2ES hosts a kickoff webinar to introduce the Accelerator, answer questions, and gather early input from potential participants.
C2ES announces that the South Central Texas Accelerator will focus on three high-priority hazards: Extreme Heat, Wildfire and Grassfire, and Flooding.
The Accelerator meets for its first in-person convening: a full-day event—the Resilient Communities and Economies Roundtable—bringing together cross-sector leaders to identify resilience challenges and strategies.
The Accelerator meets for the second in-person convening—the Resources Connector Forum—to align partners and resources, and begin co-creating regional resilience action plans.
C2ES and the Accelerator cohort collaborate on a Regional Action Roadmap, outlining priority strategies for building resilience to heat, wildfire, and flooding, and defining next steps.
The Accelerator publishes the Regional Action Roadmap, which will help guide the focus area of the program in Year 2.
Region Lead: Kristen McConnell, Consultant to the Climate Resilient Communities Accelerator
If your organization, community, or business would like to learn more about the Accelerator, please contact Kristen McConnell at mcconnellk@c2es.org.