A Milestone for Mission’s Small Businesses – Texas Border Business

Report on the Ruby Red Ventures Program and its Contribution to Sustainable Development Goals

Executive Summary

The Mission Economic Development Corporation (EDC) has awarded $225,000 in grants to 15 local small businesses through its Ruby Red Ventures – Build Mission Fund. This initiative, now in its tenth year, directly supports several United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), primarily focusing on promoting sustained, inclusive, and sustainable economic growth, full and productive employment, and decent work for all (SDG 8). The program also contributes to building resilient infrastructure, promoting inclusive and sustainable industrialization, and fostering innovation (SDG 9), while making cities and human settlements inclusive, safe, resilient, and sustainable (SDG 11).

Program Overview and Alignment with SDG 8: Decent Work and Economic Growth

The Ruby Red Ventures program, established in 2013, is a strategic initiative by the Mission EDC designed to stimulate local economic activity in Mission, Texas. Its core objectives align directly with the targets of SDG 8.

• Fostering Entrepreneurship: The program reduces barriers for new and expanding businesses by providing business-planning courses, mentorship, and essential grant funding.
• Job Creation: A primary goal is the creation of local jobs, contributing to full and productive employment and reducing unemployment within the community.
• Economic Diversification: By supporting a wide range of industries, from print shops to beauty parlors and cappuccino bars, the program enhances local economic diversification and resilience.

Over the past decade, the program has awarded nearly one million dollars, consistently reinforcing the local economic base and supporting the development of small and medium-sized enterprises.

2025 Funding Cycle: Fostering Innovation and Sustainable Infrastructure (SDG 9)

The most recent funding cycle, culminating in a ceremony on November 20, 2025, allocated significant resources to enhance the capacity and infrastructure of local businesses, a key component of SDG 9.

1. Total Funding Awarded: $225,000
2. Number of Beneficiaries: 15 small businesses
3. Maximum Grant per Business: $15,000

The funds are designated for specific uses that promote sustainable industrialization and innovation:

• Equipment upgrades
• Facility renovations and improvements
• Inventory expansion
• Other long-term business development projects

These investments enable businesses to upgrade their technological capabilities and physical infrastructure, making them more competitive and sustainable.

Long-Term Impact on Sustainable Communities (SDG 11)

The sustained commitment of the Ruby Red Ventures program over ten years has had a measurable impact on creating a more sustainable and resilient community in Mission, in line with SDG 11.

• Strengthening the Local Economy: By supporting local entrepreneurs, the program helps retain capital and talent within the community, preventing economic leakage and brain drain.
• Enhancing Urban Spaces: Funding for façade improvements contributes to the aesthetic and functional quality of the city’s commercial areas.
• Building a Resilient Business Ecosystem: The program fosters a supportive environment for innovation, ensuring that Mission remains a hub for small business growth and local enterprise.

Partnerships for the Goals (SDG 17)

The success of the Ruby Red Ventures program is a testament to effective multi-stakeholder partnerships, a principle central to SDG 17. The initiative demonstrates a collaborative effort between various entities:

• Local Government and Economic Bodies: The Mission EDC, under the leadership of its board and CEO, spearheads the program.
• Public Officials: The involvement of the Mission Mayor and the office of U.S. Senator John Cornyn highlights governmental support for local economic development.
• Private Sector: The recognition of partners like PNC demonstrates the crucial role of corporate collaboration in funding and supporting community initiatives.

This collaborative framework is essential for mobilizing the financial and technical resources needed to achieve local sustainable development objectives.

Analysis of Sustainable Development Goals in the Article

1. Which SDGs are addressed or connected to the issues highlighted in the article?

• SDG 8: Decent Work and Economic Growth: The article’s central theme is the promotion of local economic growth by supporting small businesses. The Ruby Red Ventures program is explicitly designed to “support local entrepreneurs as they expand operations, create jobs, and contribute to Mission’s continued economic momentum.” This directly aligns with the goal of promoting sustained, inclusive, and sustainable economic growth, full and productive employment, and decent work for all.
• SDG 9: Industry, Innovation and Infrastructure: The program encourages innovation and upgrades within local businesses. The article states that the funding is used “for equipment, renovations, inventory, and other improvements,” and the program was created “to promote innovation.” This supports the goal of building resilient infrastructure, promoting inclusive and sustainable industrialization, and fostering innovation.
• SDG 11: Sustainable Cities and Communities: The initiative is a community-focused effort to strengthen the local economy of Mission, Texas. By providing resources to local entrepreneurs, the program helps “retain talent within the community” and reinforces “Mission’s identity as a growing hub for small businesses and local innovation.” This contributes to making the city more inclusive, safe, resilient, and sustainable.
• SDG 17: Partnerships for the Goals: The article mentions the involvement of a private sector partner in this economic development initiative. The text notes that “Mission EDC also recognized PNC for its continued support and partnership,” which exemplifies the public-private partnerships needed to achieve sustainable development goals.

2. What specific targets under those SDGs can be identified based on the article’s content?

• Target 8.3: “Promote development-oriented policies that support productive activities, decent job creation, entrepreneurship, creativity and innovation, and encourage the formalization and growth of micro-, small- and medium-sized enterprises, including through access to financial services.” The Ruby Red Ventures program is a direct implementation of this target. It is a development-oriented policy by the Mission EDC that supports entrepreneurship and innovation through financial services (grants), business-planning courses, and mentorship, with the stated goals of job creation and business expansion for small enterprises.
• Target 9.3: “Increase the access of small-scale industrial and other enterprises… to financial services, including affordable credit, and their integration into value chains and markets.” The article highlights that the program awarded “$225,000 to 15 small businesses” and has provided “close to a million dollars in grants” over a decade. This demonstrates a clear effort to increase the access of small enterprises to financial services (grant funding) to help them upgrade equipment and expand their operations.
• Target 11.a: “Support positive economic, social and environmental links between urban, peri-urban and rural areas by strengthening national and regional development planning.” The Mission EDC’s program is a form of local development planning aimed at strengthening the city’s economic foundation. By investing in local businesses, the program supports positive economic links within the community, fostering a self-sustaining local economy.
• Target 17.17: “Encourage and promote effective public, public-private and civil society partnerships, building on the experience and resourcing strategies of partnerships.” The article’s mention of the partnership between Mission EDC (a public corporation) and PNC (a private financial institution) is a direct example of a public-private partnership working to achieve local economic development goals.

3. Are there any indicators mentioned or implied in the article that can be used to measure progress towards the identified targets?

• Total value of financial support provided: The article provides specific figures that can be used as indicators. It states that Mission EDC awarded “$225,000” in the current funding cycle and “close to a million dollars in grants” over the past decade. This directly measures the financial resources allocated to support small businesses (relevant to Targets 8.3 and 9.3).
• Number of businesses supported: The article mentions that “15 small businesses” received funding in this cycle and “dozens of Mission businesses” have been supported over the last ten years. This serves as an indicator for the reach and scale of the program in promoting entrepreneurship (relevant to Targets 8.3 and 9.3).
• Job creation: The article repeatedly states that a primary goal and outcome of the program is “job creation.” While it does not provide a specific number of jobs created, this is a key implied indicator for measuring the program’s impact on local employment and economic growth (relevant to Target 8.3).
• Number of public-private partnerships: The specific mention of the partnership with PNC implies that the number of such collaborations can be used as an indicator to measure progress towards Target 17.17.

4. Summary Table of SDGs, Targets, and Indicators

Source: texasborderbusiness.com