Entrepreneur — Linda V. Alaniz began grant writing to fund her position with –what was then — UTB and later RHISD. Those skills paved the way for her own business, which has expanded to serve local clients, and a clientele outside of Texas. Now, Alaniz is setting her sights on all 50 states and across international borders. She’s seen standing in front of a facility her company is constructing to accommodate her growing ventures. (San Benito News/Ray Quiroga)
By RAY QUIROGA
publisher@sbnewspaper.com
Being the type of person she is, Rio Hondo’s Linda V. Alaniz arrived to the interview prepared with an answer to a specific question.
She’s sat with and has even written for the NEWS in the past, and in those prior interviews, which took place in the span of almost 30 years, she was asked the same question, which took the typically composed entrepreneur off guard each time it was asked: “Do you have any hobbies?”
In two separate interviews, she had no answer, but on this occasion, she reminded this reporter to ask that question. She was now prepared with an answer: “Fishing!” she exclaimed with a smile and a laugh. She said she also enjoys a nice trip to Las Vegas, now and then. But fishing, for this woman on the go, allows for an opportunity to relax, reflect, it and provides her with inner peace.
Reflecting back to the start of her entrepreneurial journey, the empresario understands why she had no answer to the question in the past – she was too busy raising two boys and cultivating a fledgling grant writing business to enjoy any hobbies.
“One thing that people tell me all the time is that I’m so lucky, and I’m like, ‘No.’ Anyone who’s in business has probably heard that many times over. They don’t know the nights, the weekends, and the holidays that I’ve given up because it takes a lot of that. While everybody was out celebrating during my younger days, I spent years going to night school,” Alaniz said.
In a sense, her situation isn’t much different these days. The venture that began as a way to fund her position with her employers at what was then the University of Texas – Brownsville [UTB], now UTRGV, and later the Rio Hondo Independent School District [RHISD], has grown and evolved exponentially to include multiple businesses, services, and facets to include the sale of Career and Technical Education (CTE) equipment, grant writing, compliance management, and even real estate.
Alaniz now staffs upwards of 25 employees, and her business has brought in some $655M in funds for her clients, over $40M last year alone, a number she’s already inching towards just five months into 2025.
Her businesses have expanded so much that she’s outgrown her current facilities on Ed Carey Rd. in Harlingen and is constructing a sprawling 11,000 sq. ft. edifice a short jount away on Whalen Rd., also in Harlingen.
Indeed, Alaniz has come far since her days in the late 90s-early aughts when she was working as a one-woman show from her home in Rio Hondo.
Her businesses include Educational Research Institute [ERI], Comprehensive Training Center [CTC], Platinum Consulting Services [PCS], Granting the Best Education [GBE], and various real estate companies.
PCS is a Texas-stationed company that offers various services throughout the nation and specializes in grants and technology equipment.
Along with grant writing, CTC offers professional development, evaluation services, technical assistance, and supplies and technology equipment.
ERI secures essential funding for educational institutions through expert grant writing. ERI’s professionals, many of whom have a background in education, specialize in delivering tailored proposals that address the unique needs of each client.
Operating in 22 states, ERI is committed to enhancing educational excellence and fostering community growth by helping schools and organizations access the resources necessary to achieve their goals and improve client and program outcomes.
As a dedicated grant-writing partner, ERI provides more than writing services, it also assists with the full pre-award application process, including guidelines review, proposal writing, vendor quotes, budget proposal preparation, and post-award compliance monitoring and reporting.
Knowing this, readers may wonder how Alaniz has time for hobbies. Well, a significant part to that answer, aside from her professional and capable staff, are her two sons, Lorenzo (Vice-President) and Alonzo (CFO), who have provided their mom time to enjoy the fruits of her labor and a bit of overall respite.
As far as her immediate goals are concerned, Alaniz hopes to continue expanding her company’s reach into all 50 states and beyond.
“I need to be challenged more. I’ve already done all of these types of (educational) grants. I’m looking at extremes,” Alaniz said, explaining that she’s branching out to writing grants for hospitals, infrastructure, and working on a grant for Hawaii.
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