Expand a

Business

While advantages like lower costs open more options and opportunities for successful expansions, collaboration is also key in helping your enterprise grow here in Harlingen.

The Harlingen EDC works as a team—our CEO, COO and Business Retention & Expansion Manager working together—to provide guidance and comprehensive service, to help strategize, analyze and realize the best path for growth. Whether it’s finding the right space, equipment, financing or workforce, we’re ready to connect you with services and other partnerships to help you succeed.

That includes:

Groundbreaking event, shovels digging

Financial resources that open more possibilities

When it comes to business expansions, Harlingen puts money where your needs are, with loans, incentives and more. Harlingen partners with PeopleFund, a non-profit lender and certified Community Development Financial Institution to offer a revolving loan program providing $2 million in loan capital designated for qualified companies. We also offer impactful incentives like the city’s Equip Harlingen, a small business matching grant program providing up to $3,000 for new equipment needed for expansion. Our Community Recruitment program, designed to promote retail activity, provides financial assistance based on the type of commercial entity.

timely, targeted & affordable
Workforce support

Supervisor and worker at a metal shop

Other powerful partnerships come into play as you upskill your existing team or recruit and train new hires. Collaborative support from Texas State Technical College (TSTC), the local Workforce Solutions office and the Harlingen EDC can help you build your team you with:

  • Skills acquisition designed and delivered to your particular needs. Train your expansion team at TSTC’s state-of-the-art facilities or online, in a for-credit program or a non-credit program focusing on specific needed skills.

  • A collaborative approach to funding. TSTC, working in conjunction with Workforce Solutions and the Texas Workforce Commission, can make funding available for qualified projects through programs such as:

    • The Texas Skills Development Fund, which provides grants up to $2,000 per full-time employee to meet customized training needs.

    • The Skills for Small Business grant (for qualified businesses with fewer than 100 employees), which provides training funds of $1,800 per new employee and $900 per incumbent employee. (Managers and business owners may also be eligible.)

Post-expansion, the Harlingen EDC team is ready to promote and market your success through strategically chosen channels and media. From idea to completed expansion, we’re ready to help expedite your expansion and open more doors for your business growth. Let’s talk!

Find a site for expansion

distribution center aerial

Let the Harlingen EDC help you find your ideal site. With access to a robust commercial real estate database and an extensive list of commercial real estate brokers, the Harlingen EDC can help you find the ideal location for your business.