Citizens' Environmental Coalition
Connecting our environmental community
Programs and results
What we aim to solve
The greater-Houston region is one of the largest and fastest-growing metropolitan areas in the country and is powered by one of the most extensive petroleum-refining and petrochemical sectors in the world. While it is home to incredibly diverse ecosystems and an environmental community that has made noteworthy achievements, Houston faces a multitude of environmental issues from water conservation, to air pollution, to environmental justice. It is imperative that Houston’s unique environmental resources be protected and preserved and that the work of the environmental community is uplifted and promoted to all. CEC seeks to bring the environmental community together to work collaboratively towards a greener and more sustainable region for all.
Our programs
What are the organization's current programs, how do they measure success, and who do the programs serve?
Weekly Environmental E-Newsletter
This newsletter is emailed to nearly 6,000 subscribers each week. It contains member group announcements, opportunities for public comment, green jobs, local environmental headlines, and the most comprehensive calendar of environmental events in the region.
Resource Sharing
CEC shares a number of resources not only through the newsletter, but online and through social media.
CEC's website (cechouston.org) is frequently one of the first websites that newcomers find when seeking information about environmental opportunities in Houston. It links to a number of resources, including the Greater Houston Environment page - a website containing environmental education resources. CEC's website is also is home for the Environmental Resource Guide - a directory of CEC's member organizations, local government resources, and environmental hotlines. When the first guide was published in 1987, it included information about 32 member organizations. Now, it typically contains information for 150 organizations, and the number is increasing.
Greater Houston Environmental Summit
The CEC holds an annual meeting each year to exchange ideas and discuss topics which affect our environmental community.
In 2012, this became an environmental summit with plenary and break-out sessions meant to foster education, dialogue, and communication on environmental issues in the Houston/Gulf Coast Region.
Earth Day Houston
In partnership with Discovery Green Conservancy, CEC hosts the premier celebration of Earth Day in the Houston region, with over 100 exhibitors, activities, acoustic music, earth talks, a foodie farmers market, and a goal of zero waste. Attendees are challenged to take action to protect and improve our environment and quality of life.
Where we work
Awards
Affiliations & memberships
Earth Share of Texas 1998
External reviews
Photos
Our results
How does this organization measure their results? It's a hard question but an important one.
Number of people on the organization's email list
This metric is no longer tracked.Totals By Year
Related Program
Weekly Environmental E-Newsletter
Type of Metric
Output - describing our activities and reach
Direction of Success
Increasing
Our Sustainable Development Goals
Learn more about Sustainable Development Goals.
Goals & Strategy
Learn about the organization's key goals, strategies, capabilities, and progress.
Charting impact
Four powerful questions that require reflection about what really matters - results.
What is the organization aiming to accomplish?
CEC's goal is improved access to environmental work in the Houston Region, resulting in greater awareness of environmental issues and greater participation in local environmental efforts, advocacy, and events. As a result, these activities will lead to a larger, more connected, better informed, and more diverse environmental community.
What are the organization's key strategies for making this happen?
CEC is proud to represent a diverse alliance of approximately 150 member organizations and individuals – a group which includes nonprofit organizations, governmental bodies, concerned community members, activists, and more – and is the only local organization that seeks to connect the entire environmental community within the Greater Houston Area. This aim of “connecting” seeks not only to connect environmental organizations, businesses, and the public to local environmental issues and opportunities to get involved, but also connecting environmental professionals and organizations to each other to ensure that work is collaborative and efficient. As an umbrella organization for environmental organizations in the Greater Houston Area, CEC is in the ideal position to provide valuable connections for all, encourage knowledge and resource sharing, and contribute to partnerships and initiatives. To this aim, CEC works to distribute environmental resources, host signature community events, conduct research on environmental legislative issues, and contribute to or host multiple engagement and enrichment programs each year.
Among CEC’s signature programs are the Earth Day Houston celebration, the Green Films Program, the Greater Houston Environmental Summit, and the highly regarded weekly e-newsletter. Hosted in partnership with the Discovery Green Conservancy, Earth Day Houston is a free community celebration of the natural world. It also serves as a networking opportunity to highlight organizations, corporations, and individuals who promote wellness, advocacy, and awareness around the environment. The event is held in Discovery Green in downtown Houston and is the largest Earth Day celebration in the area. The CEC weekly e-newsletter reaches nearly 6,000 subscribers and includes a comprehensive list of resources, including all environmental events and green jobs across the region. In the 20 years since the newsletter initiative started, the CEC has curated thousands of resources for Houston-Area environmentalists and, to date, this remains the only environmental resources guide of its kind in the area.
CEC’s outreach programs also include a wide variety of efforts and contributions, such as directing various environmental inquiries to the most appropriate local organizations, partnering with member organizations to host candidate forums focused on local environmental issues, participating in the planning for environmental education programs, or serving as a contributing member to regional planning initiatives and workgroups. Through all of CEC’s programs, resources, and events, opportunities are created to provide access to careers and advocacy opportunities that may not otherwise be available, to uplift organizations working in the trenches, to foster a sense of wonder and appreciation for our local natural resources, and to ensure that ongoing work is being done collaboratively and strategically.
What are the organization's capabilities for doing this?
With our network and reputation as cornerstones, the CEC has a firm foundation on which to expand. Incorporated in 1971, CEC has also gained a strong reputation over the past five decades for taking innovative approaches to environmental education. We carry out these efforts in collaboration with the Houston/Gulf Coast environmental community, including our member groups, as well as a corps of volunteers and student interns. The CEC takes a measured, positive approach to improving our region’s air, water, and greenspace, and, as result, has earned the respect of both environmentalists and government leaders throughout the area.
What have they accomplished so far and what's next?
CEC has grown substantially over the last 10 years and has an attendance base for events over 10,000, nearly 6,000 newsletter subscribers, thousands of social media followers, and nearly 150 member organizations.
How we listen
Seeking feedback from people served makes programs more responsive and effective. Here’s how this organization is listening.
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How is your organization using feedback from the people you serve?
To identify and remedy poor client service experiences, To identify bright spots and enhance positive service experiences, To make fundamental changes to our programs and/or operations, To inform the development of new programs/projects, To strengthen relationships with the people we serve
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Which of the following feedback practices does your organization routinely carry out?
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What challenges does the organization face when collecting feedback?
Financials
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Operations
The people, governance practices, and partners that make the organization tick.
Connect with nonprofit leaders
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- Analyze a variety of pre-calculated financial metrics
- Access beautifully interactive analysis and comparison tools
- Compare nonprofit financials to similar organizations
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Connect with nonprofit leaders
SubscribeBuild relationships with key people who manage and lead nonprofit organizations with GuideStar Pro. Try a low commitment monthly plan today.
- Analyze a variety of pre-calculated financial metrics
- Access beautifully interactive analysis and comparison tools
- Compare nonprofit financials to similar organizations
Want to see how you can enhance your nonprofit research and unlock more insights? Learn More about GuideStar Pro.
Citizens' Environmental Coalition
Board of directorsas of 10/25/2022
Mr. Steve Stelzer
City of Houston
Term: 2022 - 2023
Maurilio Flores Sanchez
Apex CAES
Oscar Gil
HP
Jessica Wilt-Navas
Central City Co-op
Karen Mann
Karen Mann Marketing Resources
Jesus Davila
Landing Advisors
James Cargas
New Energy LLC
Charlotte Cisneros
Galveston Bay Foundation
Nick Longo
Chevron
Board leadership practices
GuideStar worked with BoardSource, the national leader in nonprofit board leadership and governance, to create this section.
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Board orientation and education
Does the board conduct a formal orientation for new board members and require all board members to sign a written agreement regarding their roles, responsibilities, and expectations? Yes -
CEO oversight
Has the board conducted a formal, written assessment of the chief executive within the past year ? Yes -
Ethics and transparency
Have the board and senior staff reviewed the conflict-of-interest policy and completed and signed disclosure statements in the past year? Yes -
Board composition
Does the board ensure an inclusive board member recruitment process that results in diversity of thought and leadership? Yes -
Board performance
Has the board conducted a formal, written self-assessment of its performance within the past three years? Yes
Organizational demographics
Who works and leads organizations that serve our diverse communities? Candid partnered with CHANGE Philanthropy on this demographic section.
Leadership
The organization's leader identifies as:
Race & ethnicity
Gender identity
Transgender Identity
Sexual orientation
No data
Disability
No data