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Committee backs $1 million recommendation for EDIF growth-stage trust
Summary
The San Antonio Economic & Workforce Development Committee voted to recommend a $1,000,000 appropriation for the Economic Development Incentive Fund (EDIF) growth-stage trust for FY2026 and approved guideline changes including a $20/hour minimum for full-time positions and per-recipient caps.
Sara Paul, identified herself during the meeting as “Sara Paul, coordinadora de negocios avanzados del desarrollo, del departamento de desarrollo,” and presented the committee’s recommendation to fund the Economic Development Incentive Fund (EDIF) growth-stage trust with $1,000,000 for fiscal year 2026.
Paul said the EDIF program—authorized through Chapter 380 economic development policies—was built to catalyze research and innovation among San Antonio companies. “Estamos nosotros recomendando que el presupuesto tenga 1000000 de dólares,” she said, and reviewed pilot results that staff say included $450,000 distributed among nine trust recipients and additional awards to 11 recipients totaling $581,000 in a separate stream.
The presentation included proposed guideline revisions intended to better target assistance. Staff recommended lowering the employment-size threshold for eligibility to businesses with 100 employees or fewer, aligning the program’s minimum full-time wage with the program at $20 per hour, limiting awards to a maximum of $100,000 per recipient, and clarifying phase-two funding levels to better match typical federal Phase 2 awards.
Committee members asked for more detailed survey results and documentation of local hiring. In response, Paul said applicants will provide payroll documentation and promised to return to the committee in summer with recommended awardees. A council member asked for the results of an eight-response survey to be provided as a memorandum for members’ review.
After discussion and a call for the question, the committee made and seconded a motion to recommend the EDIF growth-stage trust for FY2026 with the $1,000,000 recommendation; the motion passed by voice vote.
The committee’s action is a recommendation to the full City Council; staff outlined a projected schedule in which the council would consider the item in August 2026 and, if approved, contract execution would be expected in September 2026.
