IT’S A BIG DEAL
Our biggest community development announcement of the year is here. BIG LIFT is officially open, and it takes everything that worked downtown and extends it across the entire city.
BIG LIFT is a citywide grant program for exterior improvements to locally owned Brownsville small businesses. It reimburses 80% of approved project costs up to $30,000, with the applicant covering the remaining 20%. Eligible work includes façade improvements, signage, lighting, landscaping, parking lot resurfacing, murals, and more. To qualify, your business must be locally owned, located within Brownsville city limits, open for at least two years, and have fewer than 20 employees.
The program rolls out one district at a time, so check your application window:
District 1: June 1 to July 10, 2026
District 2: September 1 to October 9, 2026
District 3: December 1, 2026 to January 15, 2027
District 4: March 1 to April 19, 2027
District 1 is open today, June 1, 2026. If your district comes later, fill out the interest form and we will let you know when your window opens.
Spanish version coming this week.
Apply now • District 1
Learn More • Districts 2, 3, and 4
READ ALL ABOUT IT
If you have not flipped through it yet, our FY 2024 and FY 2025 Annual Report is worth a read. Over those two years, BCIC awarded $2,617,421 in business financing across the Startup Texas, BIG Grants, eBridge Fund, and Recovery Fund programs.
Here is the part that keeps working after the check is cashed. One of those programs, the eBridge Fund, is a revolving loan fund, which means every dollar a business pays back gets loaned right back out to the next local entrepreneur. The same pool of money has already financed 19 businesses and leveraged close to $1.8 million in private investment, and it keeps recycling.
That is one number out of many. The full report covers $14.36M invested in quality of life projects, $33.6M in private investment leveraged downtown, 320+ businesses and entrepreneurs assisted, and the founders, parks, and partnerships behind every figure.
Stick around for the crossword on the back!
Explore eBridge Fund
Read the Annual Report
BTX’S FAVORITE BIZ COURSE
Graduation season has hit the eBridge Center! Our latest eBridge Business Academy cohort just wrapped seven weeks of business concept work, customer discovery, and launch prep.
The Academy (commonly known around Brownsville as “the Kauffman,” and formerly known as the Blueprint Business Program) is a free, bilingual entrepreneurship program based on the Kauffman FastTrac curriculum we provide in collaboration with the UTRGV Entrepreneurship & Commercialization Center.
Upcoming program dates:
June 16 to July 28, 2026 (English & Spanish)
July 15 to August 26, 2026 (English & Spanish)
August 4 to September 15, 2026 (English & Spanish)
If you’ve ever grabbed a coffee at Warbler, picked up a book at Búho Bookstore, ordered a sandwich at Main Street Deli, or cooled off with a La Pale bar, you’ve already met an Academy graduate! Apply for an upcoming cohort.
MORE FROM BCIC
BCIC’s 5-Year Roadmap is Live
Our BCIC 2025-2029 Strategic Plan is based on your input about what Brownsville needs most: quality of life upgrades, business support, downtown revival, and opportunities that keep talent home. View it here.
Downtown Business Grants
Revitalize downtown Brownsville! If you’re a property owner or tenant, the BIG Program offers matching grants to support your commercial renovations. Make a difference in the heart of our city: brownsvillecic.com/big
Business Financing
Access funding designed for Brownsville entrepreneurs and small businesses. The eBridge Fund provides accessible financing options for those unable to secure traditional loans or seeking better rates. Get started here: fund.ebridgecenter.org