Incentives
State Tax Incentives
Iowa offers a variety of avenues for financial assistance options to assist with relocations and expansions to locations within Iowa. Assistance is provided in the form of loans and/or forgivable loans, based in part on job creation, capital investment, the ability to meet certain wage standards, quality of employment, and economic benefits for the state and local community.
The High Quality Jobs Program (HQJ) is the state's premier financial assistance program designed to support innovation and job growth. Applications for this program are filed by cities, counties, or community colleges on behalf of eligible businesses.
Additional incentive programs available at the state level include Renewable Chemicals Production Tax Credit, New Jobs Tax Credit, and Research Activities Credit. Much more information on these programs and their criteria can be found at https://www.iowaeconomicdevelopment.com/Business
Local Tax Incentives
Carroll County and its communities have the ability to offer Tax Increment Financing (TIF) and tax abatement options within their jurisdiction. Decisions are made on a per-project basis and are determined by factors such as capital investment, job creation, and wage scale. Further information can be found by contacting a representative in the region.
Revolving Loan Funds
Local revolving loan funds are available to businesses making investments in the region through application at Region XII Council of Governments. The loans range from $5,000 to $300,000 and serve as gap financing for a project following commercial loans being sought. Applicants must contribute a minimum of 10% of the total project cost. There is a 1.5% application fee for this fund. Further program details, application documents, and contact information can be found at http://www.region12cog.org/business-loans/
Workforce Training Programs
IEDA invests in companies that are providing quality employment opportunities in Iowa. In collaboration with education institutions, a number of training programs are available including direct worker training, internships, and apprenticeships. A full list of training opportunities can be found at https://www.iowaeconomicdevelopment.com/business#Workforce
Business Resource teams at Des Moines Area Community College and Iowa State University work with businesses, industry, government agencies, and nonprofit organizations to help develop their employees by providing a broad spectrum of training and consulting services. These services can include best practices and custom consulting, organizational evolution, developing managers and supervisors, technical training, safety training, employee workplace skills, lean processes and continuous improvement, and waste management and control. Trainers and consultants can be found to customize training to address an organization’s needs. Training can be provided at the organization’s facility, one of the community college campuses in central Iowa, a third-party location, or online. Visit https://www.dmacc.edu/dbr/Pages/welcome.aspx for services offered through DMACC or Iowa State University’s CIRAS Program at http://www.ciras.iastate.edu/.