FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Press contact:
Amy Stansbury
Stansbury Public Relations
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PFLUGERVILLE COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT CORP. PARTNERS WITH BiGAUSTIN TO PROVIDE LOCAL BUSINESSES FUNDING, RESOURCES, SUPPORT
BiGPFLUGERVILLE program launches with an entrepreneurship skills day camp
at Hawaiian Falls Pflugerville for high school students in July.
BiGAUSTIN’s Stephanie Douglass w/Amy Madison of Pflugerville CDC
PFLUGERVILLE, Texas (May 20, 2015)—The Pflugerville Community Development Corporation (PCDC) today announced
a new partnership with nonprofit organization BiGAUSTIN. BiG, which stands for Business Investment Growth, provides entrepreneurial education, customized business counseling and flexible loans to Central Texas businesses. Under the partnership, a program called BiGPFLUGERVILLE was formed to provide additional resources and support to Pflugerville entrepreneurs and businesses.
As part of the program, BiGPFLUGERVILLE has already planned a free youth camp called BIGSTEP Pflugerville Youth Entrepreneur Camp July 20-24 at Hawaiian Falls Pflugerville.
PCDC Assistant Executive Director Amy Madison said BiGPFLUGERVILLE is part of the economic development corporation’s business retention and expansion program.
“The PCDC’s capability to support local entrepreneurs and businesses grows exponentially with BiGPFLUGERVILLE because they are able to provide so many of the services we cannot—whether it be due to resources, or laws and restrictions that come from our designation as a 4B corporation,” Madison said.
The PCDC signed a Memorandum of Understanding with BiG this month.
The partnership between the PCDC and BiG is designed to stimulate job creation in businesses bringing new money into the city through consulting, education and lending.
BIGPFLUGERVILLE will focus on new jobs training with a goal of diversifying the city’s economy. The program supports the cost of training new employees at business startup companies, as well as the expansion of existing firms by using a unique financing mechanism.
“BiGAUSTIN has witnessed the exceptional growth in our neighboring community of Pflugerville, which boasts one of the most diverse populations in Texas,” said BiGAUSTIN Executive Director Stacy Dukes-Rhone. “It was the right time for us to build a strategic partnership with PCDC, whose vision and goals are the same as BiG—to provide the resources and support that businesses in our community need to grow and flourish.”
BiG plans to eventually add a satellite office in Pflugerville to support the BiGPFLUGERVILLE program. A timeline and location for the location is to be determined.
Summer camp for teens
BiGAUSTIN hosted an entrepreneurship skills camp for teens last summer in Austin, and a large percentage of the students who attended were from Pflugerville ISD.
“With such significant interest from Pflugerville students, we wanted to respond and bring the training to their community,” Dukes-Rhone said. “We are eager to meet them where the live and hope to work to provide more fuel to the spark of interest and ideas these students have. The venue and the training will be exceptional and an experience to remember.”
BIGSTEP Pflugerville Youth Entrepreneur Camp is a five-day camp for high school students (ages 14 to 18.) Campers will learn basic business skills while also enjoying fun and engaging experiences. The camp will culminate with a business plan competition.
To register for the BiG Startup for Teens in Entrepreneurship summer camp, click here: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/bigstep-pflugerville-big-startup-for-teens-in-entrepreneurship-tickets-16844675879 or call Stephanie Douglass at BiG at 512-928-8010.
About BiGAUSTIN
BiGAUSTIN is a local 501(c)3 nonprofit organization that assists small businesses to successfully grow by providing comprehensive education for entrepreneurs, customized business consulting services, and flexible micro-loans to underserved small businesses in Central Texas.
BiGAUSTIN was the first micro-lending organization in Austin. BiG opened its doors serving fewer than five clients. Since then, BiG has helped thousands of businesses turn their dreams into reality. Thanks to our strong financial supporters, BiG continues to pursue its vision to be the best source for entrepreneurs to start, grow and fund their business operations. As of 2014 BiG has provided more than 8 million in loans, consulted with 20,000-plus individuals, and produced more than 8,ooo jobs. For more information, visit www.bigaustin.org.
About the Pflugerville Community Development Corporation
The Pflugerville Community Development Corporation promotes Pflugerville as a desirable place for new businesses to operate. The organization also supports existing businesses by helping to address their needs. PCDC can provide funding for use as an incentive to businesses to begin doing business in Pflugerville. PCDC funds, which are 4B money generated from a half-cent of the city’s sales tax revenue, can also be used to construct needed infrastructure such as roads, utilities and drainage projects. Located 16 miles northeast of Austin and just south of Round Rock, Pflugerville is well-situated in Central Texas. New state highways 45 and 130 and Interstate Highway 35 all offer direct access to other nearby cities and the region’s main airport. For more information, visit www.pfdevelopment.com.
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