IT’S A BIG DEAL
BIG LIFT is a grant program for exterior improvements to locally owned Brownsville small businesses, reimbursing 80% of approved project costs up to $30,000. Eligible work includes façades, signage, lighting, landscaping, parking lot resurfacing, murals, and more. To qualify, your business must be locally owned, within city limits, open 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 now. If your district comes later, fill out the interest form and we will let you know when your window opens.
BTX’s FAVORITE BIZ COURSE
¿Tienes una idea de negocio, o uno que quieres hacer crecer? La eBridge Business Academy te puede ayudar a desarrollarla.
La eBridge Business Academy (conocida en Brownsville como “el Kauffman” y antes Blueprint Business Program) es un programa de emprendimiento gratuito y bilingüe, basado en el plan de estudios Kauffman FastTrac, en colaboración con el UTRGV Entrepreneurship & Commercialization Center. En siete semanas, trabajarás conceptos de negocio, descubrimiento de clientes y preparación para el lanzamiento.
Próximas fechas del programa:
16 de junio al 28 de julio de 2026 (inglés y español)
15 de julio al 26 de agosto de 2026 (inglés y español)
4 de agosto al 15 de septiembre de 2026 (inglés y español)
Si alguna vez tomaste un café en Warbler, compraste un libro en Búho Bookstore, pediste un sándwich en Main Street Deli o te refrescaste con una paleta de La Pale, ya conoces a un egresado de la Academy. 👀 Inscríbete en un próximo grupo.
Got an idea for a business, or one you want to grow? The eBridge Business Academy can help you build it out.
eBridge Business Academy (known around Brownsville as “the Kauffman,” formerly the Blueprint Business Program) is a free, bilingual entrepreneurship program based on the Kauffman FastTrac curriculum, in collaboration with the UTRGV Entrepreneurship & Commercialization Center. Over seven weeks, you’ll work through business concepts, customer discovery, and launch prep.
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.
WARBLER x EBRIDGE FUND
That 100-year-old building at 540 E. Monroe used to be Layton’s Grocer & Arms. Today it is Warbler Coffee Co., a specialty café founder Omar Garza built by restoring the space rather than gutting it. Financing a historic rehab was the hard part, and that is where the eBridge Fund came in, covering key buildout costs.
Here is what makes the eBridge Fund different. It is a revolving loan fund, so every dollar a business pays back gets loaned right back out to the next local entrepreneur. Warbler’s loan today becomes someone else’s storefront tomorrow, and the same pool of money keeps working across Brownsville. 🦜
Garza’s advice for anyone eyeing a loan: have a proof of concept first. Start small, build your brand, focus on your clientele, and the expansion takes care of itself.
If you cannot secure a traditional loan or you want better rates, the eBridge Fund offers accessible financing for Brownsville entrepreneurs and small businesses.
PLAY FOR ALL
Our latest Community Spotlight visits Down By the Border’s Adapted Sports League, where children of all abilities get a place to play, build confidence, and be part of a team. Across six sports events, kids worked on their physical skills, made friends, and got to experience the joy of playing alongside their peers. Parents have seen the difference carry over into their children’s social confidence and overall well-being.
The league runs with support from a BCIC Quality of Life Grant and the City of Brownsville Recreation Department, which helped cover equipment and facility access so more families could take part.
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