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 educational institutions.
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 public education institutions 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 public institutions 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 eligible public educational institutions 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:
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Collaborate with an eligible public educational institution 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.
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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.)
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Provide a signed Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) or similar Agreement or Contract between the start-up, business or company and the applicant / Public Educational Institution (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.
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Include an itemized budget that identifies the use of funding. For example, course descriptions if requesting training, equipment costs and/or material costs, etc.
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Verify that the public educational institution 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:
Grants will be scored and awarded based on the following general criteria:
Company and Project Information
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10 points
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Anticipated Outcomes of Project
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30 points
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Program/Services rendered by Public Institution
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25 points
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Reasonability of Budgeted Costs
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20 points
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Industry Sector Focus Area
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10 points
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Public Institution location in Brownsville
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5 points
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Total Possible Score
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100 points
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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. Public Educational Institutions 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 Public Educational Institution, until the next fiscal year. Projects that are not granted funds, may reapply if they meet Eligibility and Evaluation Considerations.
How to Apply:
Other Project Considerations:
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.
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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.
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If the application is selected for funding, the education institution 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: [email protected]
Download The Application or click 'Next' below to begin to fill out the electronic application.