Podcast: Brownsville está creando una comunidad y cultura para los empresarios

Por Mario Muñoz • 24 de febrero de 2020

Brownsville, Texas - Brownsville, la corporación de mejora de la comunidad está buscando asociarse con organizaciones o corporaciones con fines de lucro y sin fines de lucro que buscan enfoques creativos para promover la prosperidad económica en la ciudad.

La Corporación de Desarrollo Económico de Tipo B ha iniciado su programa de subvenciones de impacto económico de 2020.

"Estamos buscando ayudar con los proyectos transformadores que mejoren la calidad de vida de nuestros residentes, al tiempo que mejora el bienestar económico de la comunidad", dijo Cori Peña, director de desarrollo comunitario en BCIC.

"Estamos buscando a los proyectos especial-privados públicos que puedan presentar enfoques no convencionales a los problemas, ser fundamental en la reurbanización de nuestro centro histórico, aumentar el turismo recreativo, o ayudar a estimular el desarrollo de pequeñas empresas mientras aumentan los ingresos por impuestos sobre las ventas y fomentando las oportunidades de inversión."

Cori said the Economic Impact Grant will ultimately replace the previously known BCIC “Capital Projects Grant.” Through this opportunity, she said, the BCIC will partner with organizations by supplementing up to $400,000 towards projects or initiatives that will enhance the economic well-being of the community, promote sustainable business development and employment opportunities, and attract public/private investments.

“We want to be smart about the growth of our City” Pena said. “We have been working in collaboration with the City of Brownsville on where our future growth and sustainability needs should be, and we welcome projects that meet our requirements in a way that promotes economic development opportunities.”

Pena spoke about the 2020 Economic Impact Grant Program at a recent economic development information forum hosted at by the Brownsville Chamber of Commerce and held at the Brownsville Event Center.

Pena said BCIC strives to fund endeavors that are distinctive and novel in their approach and encourages organizations to develop projects that have the potential for transformative impact to the community.

She said the the process includes a two-step application, which requires applicants to schedule a mandatory preliminary meeting before beginning the full application process.

At the chamber event Pena also spoke about eBridge, a 36,000 square foot building that will house programs by BCIC and other organizations to help entrepreneurs develop their businesses. It will include an incubator for startups. The Economic Development Administration believed in the project so much it awarded a $900,000 grant.

“We want to create a community, a culture for entrepreneurs,” Pena said.