City of Del Rio press release
Del Rio, Texas – The City of Del Rio has been awarded the Rural Business Development Grant from the United States Department of Agriculture to fund furnishings and equipment for the future business incubator, the Downtown Depot Refinery, that will be located at 100 West Ogden Street in Del Rio.
The $25,000 grant was matched by the Economic Development Corporation for a total of $50,000 for startup costs for the business incubator.
The downtown business incubator will support the development of start-up businesses by providing them with consultative and administrative support services. This business incubator will assist with financial and management support for entrepreneurs looking to save on operating costs. In addition to financial and management support, incubators provide
networking opportunities with other business owners who utilize the space.
The Downtown Depot Refinery (D2 Refinery) will provide office spaces, shared facilities, internet connections, laptop computers and printers for users. The D2 Refinery will also offer small business educational programs and mentorship from successful community business owners.
The City of Del Rio Economic Development department is committed to assisting new and current businesses prosper. This incubator will assist in creating long-lasting jobs for Del Rio. As these startups mature, they create long-lasting jobs for new graduates, experienced mid career personnel and even veteran executives. This ultimately will drive economic growth and benefit the Del Rio community.
City of Del Rio Grant Writer, Elsa Reyes and Economic Development Director, Ori Fernandez teamed up to pursue the grant and kickstart this initiative. “It was important for us to utilize an existing building downtown to promote the revitalization of our historic Main Street, in addition to selecting the most cost-effective location for this project,” stated Fernandez.
“I am very grateful to the DREDC Board and the City Council for their continuous support in helping to promote economic development initiatives that will have long-lasting, positive impacts on our wonderful community.”
“We are proud that the U.S. Department of Agriculture accepted this grant application for the
City of Del Rio. My role as a grant writer for the City has allowed me the opportunity to work
with different departments to learn their needs and goals. With those findings, I look for any
grant opportunities for the City to apply for and work closely with each department to ensure
we are successful. This grant will hold a special place for me, being that the incubator will be
located in the historical train depot, a department I have been proud to oversee for 16 years,”
stated Reyes.
