Business Incubation

Plaza Vigil Incubator

El Pájaro CDC is best known in Watsonville for the successful retail business incubator, Plaza Vigil. Opened in 1996, Plaza Vigil has 16 small retail spaces available to low-income, Pajaro Valley entrepreneurs. Applicants attend entrepreneurial training and submit a business plan. Once accepted to the program, El Pájaro CDC provides training, business consulting, administrative and marketing support.

Commercial Kitchen Incubator

The Commercial Kitchen Incubator is a shared‐use commercial kitchen launched in July 2013 to support local specialty food related businesses on the Central Coast. El Pájaro CDC provides access to a professionally equipped through its commercial kitchen, comprehensive technical assistance and access to markets.

Additional layers of incubation are being added for food entrepreneurs including a retail outlet in downtown Watsonville and a small batch co-packing line.

Childcare Business Program

For more than 20 years, El Pájaro CDC has been a microenterprise development partner at the Santa Cruz County Child Development Resource Center. El Pájaro CDC staff and consultants provide free workshops and specialized business consulting for family child care businesses.