Since 2002, the Brownsville Community Improvement Corporation (BCIC) has invested in “quality of life” projects in accordance with the Texas Development Corporation Act of 1979. BCIC is not only a primary source of quality of life investments but also engages in other economic development projects in accordance with state statute with the added benefit of additional administrative requirements to ensure transparency and accountability. The Board and staff are committed to ensuring that the resources entrusted to us are invested wisely and within the confines of the law governing economic development organizations in Texas. Our philosophy as your economic development organization is to invest in Brownsville’s human capital to ensure our people succeed in education, entrepreneurship, business development, and have a great quality of life.

As 2020 draws to a close, BCIC is happy to release its first ever annual report to showcase some of the highlights of this year. BCIC’s response to the COVID-19 pandemic was swift, robust and impactful. We quickly shifted gears to respond immediately to the needs of our business community in partnership with the City of Brownsville, Brownsville Chamber of Commerce, UTRGV, the U.S. Small Business Administration, elected officials and community lenders. As a result of our quick action and targeted response, Brownsville was the only community in South Texas to receive an injection of $10 million directly into the economy. Additionally, BCIC successfully implemented programs to spark innovation during the upcoming economic recovery which will position Brownsville to recover more quickly than other cities across the nation.

The Board and staff are confident we are on a path to success, and we invite you to join us on this journey. I encourage you to reach out to us via email, phone or in person at our office to provide feedback and share ideas as we work together to ensure BCIC responds to the needs of our community. We are your economic development organization, and we are at your service.

Sincerely,

Josh Mejia, Executive Director

The Brownsville Community Improvement Corporation (BCIC) initiatives, endeavors, programs, and incentives revolve around the human capital that’s within our community. These investments include business and retail development, entrepreneurship equity, ecosystem building, and job creation projects that define the economic development role we serve for our community.

The Downtown Brownsville Business Improvement and Growth (BIG) Programs are grants offered by the BCIC, in partnership with the City of Brownsville and Main Street Brownsville. Our goal is to provide financial support to commercial property owners and tenants to make quality exterior and interior improvements to their commercial buildings and attract private investment into historic downtown Brownsville.

There is no clear path to entrepreneurship, but at BCIC we’re trying to change that. StartUp Texas is a BCIC sponsored seed fund that invests in Texas-based seed and early stage companies. Qualified candidates of the eBridge Center will have a chance to compete for a share of $100,000 through our program. Our goal is to foster scalable business in our region and provide entrepreneurs in our area the chance to access capital and commercialize their products or services. Brownsville was founded by entrepreneurs, and we wish to continue and foster the same spirit in our community.

Since its inception in Fall of 2019, the StartUp Texas Program by the BCIC has evolved tremendously. What began as a seed fund program for entrepreneurs hoping to scale in Brownsville, evolved almost overnight into an expansion of COVID-19 Relief Aid in the form of grants and forgivable loans. Today, the StartUp Texas Program encompasses the Pitch Summit, the Brownsville CARES Grant, the Emergency/Bridge Loan, and the (Re)Open for Business Forgivable Loan. All programs are administered and funded through the BCIC.