Support Environmental Institute of Houston (EIH)

The Environmental Institute of Houston receives partial funding by the Texas Legislature, but research projects and educational programs also rely on funding primarily through grants, contracts, and donations from agencies, corporations, foundations, and individuals. Your support will help EIH advance understanding of the environment through interdisciplinary research, education, and outreach.

Research and Technical Outreach

You can help support EIH today by making a contribution that will have an impact on the environmental research, technical training, and student-based support that EIH provides. There are many ways to contribute to EIH's research efforts. Prospective donors have the ability to specify and target how their donations will be used. For example, EIH offers two adoption programs that directly fund our diamond-backed terrapin and bottlenose dolphin research projects.

Adopt-a-Terrapin
When you symbolically adopt a terrapin, you help fund important research on this unique Texas species and its habitat. Through the program, you will get to name a terrapin and receive a certificate of adoption with a photo. Adopt a terrapin for yourself or to give as a gift. 

Adopt-a-Dolphin
You can help the dolphins of Galveston Bay! EIH has partnered with Galveston Bay Foundation to establish the Galveston Bay Dolphin Research Program, which monitors the dolphin population, researches their health, ecology and behavior, and studies the impact of human-dolphin interactions. You can support this program by donating to symbolically adopt or name a dolphin, and you'll be updated throughout the year on your dolphin buddy! Learn more at galvbay.org/support-us/adopt-a-dolphin/.

Other examples of research needs include

• Support of UHCL graduate student research assistantships;
• Undergraduate internships;
• Ongoing maintenance of our created research wetlands on campus and creation of future experimental wetlands;
• Lab and building funds;
• Purchase of laboratory and field equipment including boats for outdoor classroom and research uses; and
• Environmental and fish and wildlife research programs including colonial waterbird ecology, sport and commercial fisheries, oyster reef ecology, shark ecology, larval fish and zooplankton, environmental flows, invasive species, and water quality and contaminants.

For more information on how you can help EIH through your tax deductible donation as an individual or corporation, please contact us at eih@uhcl.edu, 281-283-3950.

Environmental Education

EIH offers programs for adults and children that are designed to encourage individuals to connect with nature, increase access to the environment, and provide education for both personal and environmental health. EIH's environmental education offerings include teacher training workshops, master naturalist workshops, summer camps, scout activities, and family events on the UHCL campus. EIH also serves as the headquarters for the Texas Envirothon, a statewide academic competition for high school students. For information on how to make a tax deductible donation to the EE program, contact Wendy Reistle at reistle@uhcl.edu or 281-283-3045.

School Habitats
EIH provides three- or six-hour in-service workshops using the WaterSmart Demonstration School Habitat Lab as a model for teachers interested in building or utilizing their own school habitat. Donations to the School Habitat program go toward workshop materials for teachers including school habitat curriculum guides, native plants for school habitats, and instructional DVDs covering school habitats. Learn more at www.eih.uhcl.edu/education/habitats.

Summer Nature Camps
Our Nature Camps are designed to allow first through eight graders the opportunity to explore and learn about the environment in a fun way. EIH provides many opportunities for outdoor exploration, wildlife observation, and fun! Activities include fishing, geocaching, archery and much more. When you sponsor or donate to EIH's camp program, you help cover the costs of materials and supplies and allow EIH to offer camp scholarships to local, underserved populations of students. Learn more at www.eih.uhcl.edu/education/summer-camps.

In order to help Texas high school students enhance their understanding of environmental issues and learn what it means to work as a team, we are dependent upon the generosity of private and corporate support. To that end, we have created the Texas Envirothon Partners Program, a formal structure for recognition of annual giving by companies who support the Texas Envirothon. Members will be recognized in a variety of ways. Learn more at www.eih.uhcl.edu/texas-envirothon/sponsors.