BROWNSVILLE, Texas • Dec. 16, 2025 – The Brownsville Community Improvement Corporation (BCIC) has been selected to receive UTRGV’s Community Partner Recognition Award for the 2024-2025 academic year. The recognition is connected to UTRGV’s Carnegie Community Engagement Reclassification work and highlights partners whose collaboration supports community engagement across the Rio Grande Valley.
UTRGV selected 13 organizations across the region for the 2024-2025 Community Partner Recognition Award. In Brownsville, the honorees include BCIC, GPZ (Gladys Porter Zoo), and Proyecto Juan Diego.
BCIC’s recognition reflects its long-running partnership with The University of Texas Rio Grande Valley (UTRGV) Entrepreneurship and Commercialization Center (ECC). Together, BCIC and UTRGV ECC operate the eBridge Center for Business and Commercialization and deliver entrepreneurship programs that serve founders and small businesses throughout the Rio Grande Valley.
The partnership’s work has also earned national recognition through multiple competitive awards. In 2024, UTRGV ECC received a University Economic Development Association (UEDA) Award of Excellence in the Engaged University category recognizing the eBridge Center for Business and Commercialization in partnership with BCIC. University of Texas at Rio Grande Valley In 2025, UTRGV was named UEDA Category Leader in the Innovation category for RGV Startup Week.
Through the BCIC and UTRGV ECC partnership at eBridge, programs and initiatives include:
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Business Incubation Program
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Open Space coworking at eBridge
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SoftLanding Global Pad
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Blueprint Business Program (Kauffman FastTrac)
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1 Million Cups
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The Failure Institute
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StartUp Texas (AdvanceUp Accelerator curriculum)
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RGV Startup Week
UTRGV’s Community Partner Recognition Award adds to a documented track record of national awards for the partnership and underscores the ongoing work being delivered through eBridge in Brownsville and across the Rio Grande Valley.
BCIC has also earned International Economic Development Council (IEDC) Excellence Awards recognizing work delivered through its partnership with UTRGV ECC. In 2024, the partnership’s RGV Startup Week work received two IEDC Gold Awards: Special Event and Postsecondary Education Partnership. In 2023, BCIC and UTRGV ECC received an IEDC Gold Award for Partnerships with Educational Institutions tied to the eBridge Center for Business and Commercialization. The eBridge Center project was also recognized in 2022 with an IEDC Bronze Award for Entrepreneurship.
About the Brownsville Community Improvement Corporation (BCIC)
The Brownsville Community Improvement Corporation (BCIC) is a Type B economic development organization funded by a 1/4 cent sales tax on every taxable dollar spent within Brownsville city limits. BCIC’s mission is to enhance quality of life through innovative and equitable economic development initiatives, ensuring that every investment contributes to a more vibrant, inclusive, and prosperous Brownsville. To bring that vision to life, BCIC invests in revitalizing public spaces by enhancing parks, supporting health and wellness programming, and creating welcoming environments for residents and visitors. It leads downtown redevelopment through restoration projects and business recruitment that breathe new life into Brownsville’s urban core. At the same time, BCIC supports entrepreneurship and small business growth through financial tools, mentorship, and targeted resources. These efforts are reinforced by cross-sector partnerships that drive workforce development, promote economic empowerment, and expand access to high-wage job opportunities. For more information, visit www.brownsvillecic.com.
For media inquiries, please contact Nelson Amaro, Director of Marketing & Communications, at namaro@brownsvillecic.com.