Launch BTX Grant Program

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Program Name: Launch BTX Grant Program (Launch BTX)

Program Goal/Overview: The mission of the Launch BTX Grant Program is to assist and support Brownsville, Texas, start-ups, or established businesses in the Aerospace, NewSpace, Urban Mobility and Technological industries through the research and development phases of their new or evolving products or product lines. Success comes from a collaboration with the Greater Brownsville Incentives Corporation (GBIC), business partners, and eligible grant applicants comprised of institutions of higher education.

About the Grant: The City of Brownsville, Texas, is quickly becoming a hub for companies with a mission to venture in or expand in the Aerospace, NewSpace, Urban Mobility and new Technological industries.

The Launch BTX Grant Program was allocated an initial Four Hundred and Fifty Thousand Dollars ($450,000) by the GBIC Board of Directors for Fiscal Year 2021-2022 to provide grants to institutions of higher education that are working in collaboration with targeted key industry companies that are already located, are in the process of locating, or expanding in the City of Brownsville, Texas (Cameron County). These institutions of higher education include Universities, Community Colleges, Technical Colleges, State Colleges, and High Schools that provide Career & Technical Education that are working in collaboration with Brownsville based companies, or companies that are in or in the process of locating or expanding to Brownsville, with assistance with the following: providing office or laboratory space, training by professors that are working in collaboration with specialized industry professionals, student research and internships, testing equipment, materials, and development in the launching of new or evolving products within the Aerospace, NewSpace, Urban Mobility and Technological industries.

How the Program Works: Launch BTX will provide grants to institutions of higher education to defray the costs associated with providing office and/or laboratory space, training by professors, student research, and internships/apprenticeships, testing equipment, and associated services that are meant to develop and launch new or evolving products. Projects must have the ability to evolve from concepts to viable designs, based on science, to commercialize products that can ultimately be scaled.

Eligibility: Start-ups, companies and businesses in the Aerospace, NewSpace, Urban Mobility and Technological industries must be developing or evolving a product or product line, be situated in Brownsville, or demonstrating relocation to Brownsville, Texas, and must meet the following criteria:

In order to qualify for the Launch BTX Grant Program, companies applying must provide a Certificate of Account Status from the Texas Comptroller’s Office and a Print-out of their Filing History Report on the Secretary of State’s Website.
Collaborate with an institutions of higher education located in Cameron County (Universities, Community Colleges, Technical Colleges, State Colleges, and High Schools providing Career & Technical Education), to aid with providing office or laboratory space, training by professors that are collaborating with specialized industry professional(s), provide student research, training and internships/apprenticeships, testing equipment, development, materials, in the launching of new or evolving products.
Disclose if any other local, state, or federal funds are being sought or awarded for the proposed plan/program. (This information will only be utilized to assist in finding other funding opportunities /sources for business partners where awarded funds, if any, can be leveraged.)
Provide a signed Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) or similar Agreement or Contract between the start-up, business or company and the applicant / institutions of higher education (University, Community College, Technical College, State College, and/or High School providing Career & Technical Education) outlining each entity’s role and responsibilities under the grant award.
Include an itemized budget that identifies the use of funding. For example, course descriptions if requesting training, equipment costs and/or material costs, etc.
Verify that the institution of higher education submits a complete application through the GBIC website portal.

Project Duration: BTX Launch will be in effect until program allocated funds are depleted.

Evaluation Considerations: All applications will be reviewed each month. The evaluation process will consist of:

An initial review of submitted application will be performed by GBIC staff members for completeness and compliance with technical specifications.

All compliant and complete applications will be evaluated and scored by an internal team of reviewers. Applications will be evaluated on specific criteria by reviewers using a standardized instrument based on the criteria below.

Grants will be scored and awarded based on the following general criteria:

Company and Project Information	10 points
Anticipated Outcomes of Project	30 points
Program/Services rendered by the institution of higher education	25 points
Reasonability of Budgeted Costs	20 points
Industry Sector Focus Area	10 points
Institution of higher education location in Brownsville	5 points
Total Possible Score	100 points

Application Process:

Evaluated applications that meet Eligibility and Evaluation Considerations will be presented to the Greater Brownsville Incentives Corporation (GBIC) Board of Directors for approval. Applicant will be notified and given the opportunity to provide additional information, if necessary. Institutions of higher education may be granted funds for more than one signed Memorandum of Understanding (MOU), contract or Agreement. If awarded funding for a Project for Fiscal Year 2022, the start-up, business, or company, are ineligible to reapply under that same Agreement, with the same Institution of higher education, until the next fiscal year. Projects that are not granted funds, may reapply if they meet Eligibility and Evaluation Considerations.

How to Apply:

Complete online application and upload required documents at the Greater Brownsville Incentives Corporation (GBIC) https://greaterbrownsville.com

Other Project Considerations:

All BTX Launch Grant Program applications must be submitted by an eligible Institution of higher education.
An Institution of higher education may apply for more than one Project.

Launch BTX is a competitive process, not all applicants will be awarded funding despite meeting criteria, or funding may be offered at a reduced amount.

Funds may be utilized for the purchase of equipment and/or supplies and materials necessary for training, researching, developing, and testing. In addition to, providing office and/or laboratory space, training by professors, student research and internships/apprenticeships and associated services that are meant to develop and launch new or evolving products.

If the application is selected for funding, the Institution of higher education will enter into a Performance Agreement with the Greater Brownsville Incentives Corporation in order to comply with Section 501.101 of the Act, allowing funding for equipment, facilities, expenditures, targeted infrastructure, and improvements that are for the creation or retention of primary jobs.

For questions, please contact:

Constanza Miner, EDFP

Business Development Director

Greater Brownsville Incentives Corporation

Phone: (956) 346-8116

Email: Cminer@greaterbrownsville.com

Download The Application or click 'Next' below to begin to fill out the electronic application.

Institution of higher education Information: Complete the following information requested.

Name(Required)

First Last

Address(Required)

Street Address Address Line 2 City State / Province / Region ZIP / Postal Code Country

Type of Institution of higher education (University, Community College, Technical College, State College or High School providing Career & Technical Education)(Required)

Contact Name:(Required)

Contact Email:(Required)

Contact Phone:(Required)

Company Address (Physical Location Required):(Required)

Street Address Address Line 2 City State / Province / Region ZIP / Postal Code Country

Company Information: Complete the information requested.

Company Name:(Required)

Contact Name:(Required)

First Last

Job Title:(Required)

Contact Email:(Required)

Contact Phone:(Required)

Company Address:(Required)

Street Address Address Line 2 City State / Province / Region ZIP / Postal Code Country

Total Number of Employees Company-wide:(Required)

Tax ID #:

4-Digit NAICS Code that Identifies Industry :(Required)

TWC Account Number:

Account # under which business partner reports employee wages to TWC Tax Department. Only applicable for companies with an existing TWC Account Number.

Type of Industry:(Required)

If other, please type the name of the industry:

Is Your Company Located in Brownsville?(Required)

If Not, Please Provide the Forecasted Timeline for Relocation or Expansion.

Total of New Jobs or Internships Created?(Required)

What is the Average Wage Per Employee?(Required)

Please provide a breakdown of company's total project investment:(Required)

Please provide monetary and non-monetary resources.

What is your funding request? (Maximum request granted per application $150,000)(Required)

Briefly explain in what areas the company will utilize the funds:(Required)

Briefly describe how funding will assist in achieving the company's goals:(Required)

Disclose if any other local, state or federal funds are being sought or awarded for the proposed plan/program.(Required)

This information will only be used to assist in finding other funding opportunities for business partners where awarded funds, if any, can be leveraged.

A) Type of Training: Please fill the information below, if applicable.

Project Description: Please provide a brief description of the training needs and high-level goals.

Submittal document shall not exceed 10 pages for the required information. A page is considered 8.5” x 11”, single-sided, 12-point font size (or larger), single-spaced and in portrait orientation.

Anticipated Start Date?

Anticipated End Date?

Total Number of Employees/Interns to be Trained

Name of Training Provider:

Number of Trainees:

Course Name(s):

Course Training Hours:

Cost per Trainee:

Trainee Information, if applicable: Please provide the following information.

The job title of each position for which training is being requested.
The number of employees/apprentice/Interns to receive training through the proposed project.
If applicable, the hourly wage range to be provided to the employee upon the successful completion of training, if applicable. (The minimum wage is the current minimum hourly wage that a trainee is paid, and the maximum wage is the highest hourly wage that a trainee can be paid). Only include hourly wages of those workers who will be participating in training, if applicable.

List the Job Title(s):

Number Of employees/apprentice/Interns in the Occupation Receiving Training:

Hourly Wage Range Minimum Wage (if Applicable):

Hourly Wage Range Maximum Wage (if Applicable):

Equipment and Supplies: List the type of equipment, supplies or material needed for the project and the estimated cost per item, if applicable:

Please items and costs per item.

SMART objectives: Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Realistic and Time-bound:

Technical milestone/challenge: Give details of the milestones below:

To the best of my knowledge and belief, by signing this application, I certify all information provided in this application is true and correct.

Name of Applicant (Institution of higher education):(Required)

Name of Authorized Representative:(Required)

Title of Authorized Representative:(Required)

Date:(Required)

Signature:

Company Name:

Full Name:

Title:

Date:

Signature:

Please upload any supporting documents you may have.

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Max. file size: 50 MB, Max. files: 10.

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