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Area Development

South Dakota Direct Financial Incentives

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

Q1 2014
Industrial Development Bonds:
Municipalities, counties, state government, and sanitary districts issue industrial development bonds to finance manufacturing; industrial; water and air pollution-control; and certain health, research, commercial, educational, and recreational services.

Customized training:
The state's main funding source for training is the Workforce Development Program. Through matching grants, this program funds training and educational resources so that South Dakota employers will be provided with a well-trained and skilled work force.

The program supports two types of training: new employee skill training for jobs created at a new or expanding business, and current employee training that upgrades the skills of the existing workforce and provides an increase in wages as the result of the training.

The program is designed as a 50/50 match-funding source. Every Workforce Development dollar must be matched with private sector contributions - either financial or in-kind.

Internship Assistance:
Internship assistance is available through the Dakota Seeds program. The program can provide matching grants for wages paid to interns and assistantships and will cover up to one-half of the wages for new positions. There is a maximum of $2,000 for undergraduate students, $8,000 for master's degree students, and $10,000 for PhD students allowed.

The program will fund up to five positions annually and the positions must meet a critical workforce need or help the company grow. The company must create a new position for the internship or assistantship and must pay a minimum hourly wage of $9.00. The grant is paid on a reimbursement basis.

Other Programs
South Dakota WORKS:
The South Dakota WORKS program offers business/commercial loans to businesses needing working capital. Eligible uses of these loans include start-up costs, working capital, payroll, and construction needs on new buildings.

Eligible borrowers for South Dakota WORKS loans include businesses seeking new financing and certified development financial institutions (CDFIs). Any borrower must meet US Treasury guidelines. A company may have only one WORKS loan at a time.

The loans are for one to three years. The maximum for a loan is $1 million and the minimum is $20,000. The structure of a loan would entail a bank/private lender providing 80 percent of the financing and the WORKS loan 20 percent. The WORKS loan would take a second position on collateral behind the participating bank or private lender.

REDI Fund Program:
The REDI (Revolving Economic Development and Initiative) Fund is designed to help promote job growth in South Dakota. This low-interest loan fund is available to startup firms and businesses that are expanding or relocating.

This fund provides permanent financing for the purchase of land and associated site improvements, construction, acquisition, renovations of buildings and equipment. It also can be used to help cover fees, services and other costs associated with construction.

The REDI Fund works by providing up to 45 percent of the total project costs. Companies should secure matching funds and be able to provide a 10 percent minimum equity contribution before applying to the Board of Economic Development for a REDI Fund loan.

Interest rates have remained at three percent since the program's inception, and loans are amortized up to 20 years on a building and 10 years on equipment, with a balloon payment due after five years.

Economic Development Finance Authority (EDFA):
Another financing option available in South Dakota is the Pooled Bond Program, available through the state's Economic Development Finance Authority (EDFA). This loan program, designed for more capital-intensive projects, provides small businesses access to the public bond market through the issuance of tax exempt and/or taxable bonds. The program can fund projects individually or pool them to help lower the cost of the bond issuance. One of the biggest advantages of this program is that borrowers are guaranteed a long-term fixed interest rate.

Another benefit is the EDFA's A+ rating by Standard & Poor's. By maintaining an A+ rating, EDFA is able to offer a lower interest rate to the borrower.

This program is open to for-profit manufacturing businesses. The bonds can be used for three main purposes: construction; storage, distribution or manufacturing of products; or the purchase of new machinery and equipment used in an industrial process. Tax-exempt bonds can fund projects with less than $20 million in capital expenditures. We also offer taxable bonds that do not limit the capital expenditures. The maximum issuance amount on any project is $10 million.

SBA 504 Program
The SBA 504 loan program is another attractive and effective financing tool. This is available to for-profit businesses. This program, which offers long-term, fixed-rate financing, is available for fixed asset purchases only. That could include land, buildings, new construction and equipment with a useful life of 10 or more years.

The SBA 504 recognizes the financial risk of startup businesses and single purpose facilities and is willing to participate in these ventures, although they do require more equity.

Another benefit of this program is that the participating lender receives the first lien on the fixed assets.

APEX Loan Program:
The APEX Loan Program is designed to assist companies in communities with a population of 25,000 or less.

The program is open to for-profit businesses and some non-profit businesses. The money can be used to purchase land, purchase equipment or buy or renovate a building.

The program may provide up to 75 percent of the total project costs, but not more than $250,000 and requires 10 percent minimum equity contribution. The loans are amortized over the useful life of the assets and have a three percent interest rate with a balloon payment at six years.

MicroLOAN Program:
This program was designed to help small businesses grow and help rural communities remain viable. It is the first GOED financing program that offers businesses access to working capital and it is subordinated debt.

Local banks must fund at least 50 percent of the project costs. The state may fund up to 50 percent of the project costs, but not more than $100,000. Total project costs may not exceed $500,000. Interest rate is three percent.

Reinvestment Payment Fund:
The Board of Economic Development may issue reinvestment payments to project owners, not to exceed the South Dakota sales and use tax paid on project costs, for new or expanded facilities with project costs in excess of $20,000,000 or for equipment upgrades with project costs in excess of $2,000,000.

SD Jobs Grant Program:
The South Dakota Jobs program provides grants to project owners for new or expanded facilities with project costs less than $20,000,000 or for equipment upgrades with project costs less than $2,000,000.

Local Infrastructure Improvement Grant Fund:
The Local Infrastructure Improvement Program may provide grants to assist in funding the construction or reconstruction of infrastructure for the purpose of serving economic development projects.

Economic Development Partnership Fund:
This program consists of matching grants to assist in funding equipment and training needs, new staff, or to elevate existing part-time staff, for the purpose of developing or expanding local and community economic development programs. Economic Development Partnership Grants may also be used to commence or replenish local revolving loan funds for the purpose of developing or expanding housing, community development, and economic development programs.

South Dakota State Contact:
Governor's Office of Economic Development
711 E. Wells Avenue
Pierre, SD 57501-3369
(605) 773-3301
www.sdreadytowork.com/incentives-taxes

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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