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Iowa Direct Financial Incentives

Iowa's economic development, finance and tax organizations provide a range of incentive programs to initiate new business and commercial investment.

Q1 2014
Loans, grants, and equity financing
High Quality Jobs Program Financial Assistance Program
Serves as the state’s premier funding source for projects that are focused on job creation or retention, value-added agriculture, and entrepreneurial efforts. The program uses loans, forgivable loans, tax credits, and tax exemptions to encourage businesses to locate, expand, or start-up in Iowa. This program, combined with Iowa's nationally recognized business climate, tax incentives, and proactive state government, makes Iowa a great place to do business.

Economic Development Set-Aside
Through the Economic Development Set-Aside (EDSA) Program, funds are provided to cities with a population of less than 50,000 and counties for loans or forgivable loans to businesses. Direct loans and forgivable loans are offered to those businesses that create or retain jobs and need public financial assistance to do so.

Demonstration Fund
Provides pre-seed capital awards of up to $150,000 to encourage prototype and concept development activities by small- and medium-sized Iowa companies in the advanced manufacturing, biosciences, and information technology industries. The fund is designed to encourage commercialization of innovation to foster competitive, profitable companies that create high paying jobs and wealth in Iowa.

Industrial development bonds
Cities and counties provide tax exempt financing to businesses for land, buildings, improvements, and equipment. Facilities financed by bonds are subject to property taxation. The arrangement between the issuing authority and the company may be a loan, lease, or installment sales contract.

Umbrella bonds
The Iowa Finance Authority's Economic Development Loan Program and Small Business Program assist in the development and expansion of manufacturers through the sale of tax-exempt bonds and notes, the proceeds of which can be loaned for the financing of qualified projects.

Customized business training
The Iowa New Jobs Training Program (260E) was developed to assist businesses that are creating new jobs. If the company is expanding Iowa operations or locating a new facility in the state, the New Jobs Training Program can provide flexible funding to meet the wide variety of training and employee development for new employees. The assistance available ranges from highly specialized educational programs to basic skills training for new positions. This program is administered through Iowa's Community College Network.

Iowa State Contact
Iowa Economic Development Authority
200 East Grand Avenue
Des Moines, IA 50309
(800) 245-4692

Incentive and tax information is provided to Area Development by each state's economic development or commerce agency for information purposes only and is subject to revision at any time by the state government. Please contact the state agency directly for full requirements and offerings.

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