Ebrochure Georgetown_Flyer View Doc | Page 23

23 Workforce Development The Texas Workforce Commission, in conjunction with the Governor’s Office of Economic Development and Tourism, provides access to a team of highly skilled professional who provide technical assistance, at no charge, to help streamline the development of projects and proposals. Governor's University Research Initiative The Governor’s University Research Initiative grant program (GURI) has a goal to bring the best and brightest researchers in the world to the State of Texas. This program is a matching grant program to assist eligible institutions of higher education in recruiting distinguished researchers. Product Development & Small Business Incubator Fund The Product Development and Small Business Incubator Fund (PDSBI) is a revolving loan program financed through original bond issuances. The primary objective of the program is to aid in the development, production and commercialization of new or improved products and to foster and stimulate small business in the State of Texas. Foreign Trade Zone A Foreign Trade Zone (FTZ) is an area within the U.S. designated by the federal government as outside of U.S. Customs territory. FTZs encourage investment in the U.S. and the creation of local jobs by allowing U.S. businesses to operate with equivalent customs treatment to business conducted off- shore, allowing businesses to reduce customs duties and fees and achieve benefits for the import and export of goods. The Foreign Trade Zone of Central Texas, Inc., is the grantee of FTZ 183. Texas Enterprise Fund The 78th Texas Legislature established the Texas Enterprise Fund to provide financial resources to help strengthen the state’s economy. Projects that are considering one Texas site in competition with other out-of-state sites and can demonstrate significant projected job creation and capital investment. Texas Enterprize Zone Program The Texas Enterprise Zone Program is an economic development tool for local communities to partner with the State to promote job creation and capital investment in economically distressed areas of the state.