Incentives
Perks of Doing Business in Edinburg
From state to local incentives, there are plenty of programs available in Edinburg to help your business get a head start.
Doing business in Edinburg has its perks.
Texas is widely recognized as the most business-friendly state, and there are many different types of incentives available to businesses seeking to start or expand their operations in Edinburg. With a combination of city, county, and state incentives to take advantage of, there is no better option to locate your business in South Texas.
The EDC is a Type A Economic Development Corporation. The Type A eligible projects that the EDC can support are included in this link.
Eligibility
Incentive requests are considered for projects (business startup, relocation, or expansion) on a case-by-case basis. Eligibility criteria include:
The project must be located in Edinburg’s city limits. Please verify here.
An intake form must be submitted before a project is started.
Applicants must certify that they are equal opportunity employers and agree that they shall not discriminate in hiring and employment because of race, color, national origin, religion, sex, age, disability, or marital status and that they shall comply with all federal, state and local equal opportunity policies and laws to insure non-discrimination.
Investment Priorities
Creating quality jobs: full-time, with benefits, paying $15 per hour or more.
(Living Wage Calculation for Hidalgo County, Texas)
Growing the commercial tax base (100% residential projects are generally not considered).
Achieving a net positive return on investment for the City and taxpayers.
Application Process
1. Review the eligibility criteria and verify your project is eligible to apply. Complete and submit this intake form the first week of the month to ensure ample time for staff to review. Meet with economic development staff to answer questions and provide any additional data as needed.
2. Review the project with City Attorney for legal opinion.
3. Staff will work with projects that meet eligibility criteria. Staff will provide feedback on projects that do not meet eligibility criteria.
4. An objective third-party (currently UTRGV under a technical assistance contract) will complete a fiscal impact analysis of the proposed project.
5. Staff will work with projects to develop an incentive agreement.
6. Present the proposed project at an EDC board meeting. EDC board meetings are held the last Tuesday of every month. The agenda packet will include the incentive application, agreement, and fiscal impact analysis.
7. If approved by the EDC Board, deliver the same presentation at an Edinburg City Council meeting. If approved, execute the agreement, and then work with staff to create a project profile on the City’s Dashboard, where the application, compliance documentation, and payment information will be posted.
Local Incentives
Edinburg Economic Development Corporation has different incentives for applicable businesses looking to relocate.
1.) Job Grants – These grants include permanent full-time, veteran/special needs, employer-sponsor training, and internship opportunities.
2.) Tax Refunds – Applicants may request refunds of property and sales taxes paid to the City, based on job creation and capital investment.
3.) Infrastructure – The City and the EDC may consider investing in infrastructure or other improvements on behalf of a project if the investments would improve the competitiveness of the impacted area overall in terms of attracting future development or result in other benefits to the community.
4.) Other – e.g. Purchase of property, state incentives, job training
County Incentives
Hidalgo County’s Tax Reimbursement Grant is available to qualifying companies. Based on employment numbers, businesses may be able to receive a property tax reimbursement.
State Incentives
The state of Texas offers a growing list of incentives for new businesses. From tax exemptions to enterprise zones and funding, here is a snapshot of the incentives that Texas businesses can apply for.
- Freeport Tax Exemption: The Freeport Tax Exemption exempts certain types of tangible personal property from taxation. The property must: be acquired in or imported into Texas to be forwarded out of state; be detained in Texas for assembling, storing, manufacturing, processing, or fabricating purposes by the person who acquired it; be transported out of the state within 175 days after the date it was acquired. Find more information and the application form here.
- Enterprise Zone Program: The Texas Enterprise Zone Program is an economic development partnership between local communities and the state to promote job creation and private investment to assist areas of the state. Projects designated as such may qualify for state sales and use tax refunds, as well as franchise tax reductions.
- Texas Enterprise Fund: The Texas Enterprise Fund awards “deal-closing” grants to businesses considering a new project in Texas during the site selection phase. The fund is granted to companies whose projects would provide significant contribution to the community through capital investment and employment opportunities.