Incentives

Michigan's Great Southwest is very proud of our many accomplishments over the past several years. Some of them include:
  • Creation of 2,025 new jobs.
  • 2,100 more people are working in our area compared to five years ago.
  • Received over $5.2 million in grant funds for projects in the past two years.
  • The community has seen a total of $17 million in grant funds over the past five years.
  • Assisted in $106 million of new investment in our community.
  • Demolished more than $1.85 million in blighted properties in the area.
Those are just a few of this community's accomplishments. However, the accomplishment we are most proud of is our ability to attract new businesses in an aggressive timeframe. Our community can have your company operational in less than six months.

There are many...well, great reasons to live in Michigan's Great Southwest. Here are a few more to keep in mind when it comes to relocating your business to our region:

Relocation Assistance
Cornerstone Alliance, located in Benton Harbor, MI, provides assistance to relocating companies, from initial inquiry to full employment. Their staff will provide hiring assistance by collecting resumes, assisting in the production of job fairs, and working with area employment agencies to facilitate hiring for new and existing companies.

Cornerstone Alliance can also act as an area-wide resource for:
  • Community presentations and tours
  • Initial interface with company employees
  • Partner employment assistance
  • Residential real estate brokers/tours
  • Special mortgage and banking programs
  • Child care
  • Elder Care
  • Cultural acclimation
  • Any other need you may have...
Contact Wendy Dant Chesser for more information about business relocation assistance, at 269-925-6100.

Additionally, there are outstanding community and state incentives to make your location here an easy decision, such as the following:

Renaissance Zones
Renaissance Zones are the State of Michigan's plan to spur economic development of targeted areas. Our region has four Renaissance Zones. Businesses and residents located in these areas will be exempt from state and local taxes for up to 10 years. These taxes will be phased back in during the last three years in 25% increments.

State taxes will be waived for businesses and residents in the zone including the single business tax, personal income tax, and the 6-mill state education tax. Local taxes which will be waived include real and personal property taxes on operating mills, local income tax, and the utility users tax.

TRAINING INCENTIVES
  • Local: The local community will provide the needed funds to develop an apprentice program with area schools. This will include staffing, program design, and start-up funds.

  • State: The state of Michigan administers a $350 million grant from the federal government that assists businesses with job training.
JOB TRAINING
Michigan offers a coordinated job training system using federal, state, and local resources to provide a highly productive and trained workforce. Grants to training institutions can provide funding for activities that increase worker productivity and company profitability, and provide transferable skills to employees which enhances the ability of educational institutions to meet the needs of industry. Free recruitment, screening and testing services are available for new employers expanding in Michigan through the Michigan Employment Security Commission's Job Service.

INFRASTRUCTURE DEVELOPMENT ASSISTANCE
The state of Michigan, through various state and federal programs, can provide public infrastructure assistance to communities for activities that range from road construction, to wastewater treatment, to rail access, to industrial sites. These programs are administered by the Michigan Edconomic Development Corporation (MEDC) and the Department of Transportation. Grants generally cover 50%-90% of public infrastructure development costs and up to 50% of eligible rail costs.
Financing Assistance. Taxable Industrial Development Bonds can be used for financing large business projects in excess of $10 million. The interest rate savings are approximately 50% under conventional long-term rates because only state and local income taxes are exempted. Advantages are found in longer terms (20 years or more), alternative source of capital compared to commercial banking, and better interest rates.

Utility Incentives. The MEDC works with all utility companies in Michigan to make sure that manufacturers receive the rates that are appropriate for their processes and usage level. Individual utility companies may provide incentives for manufacturers locating in their service area.

Other Incentives. The MEDC provides permit coordination through a "one-stop shopping" process that allows a company to learn what permits will be required, how to apply for them, and what their expectations can be for timelines for granting of these permits. Through the Michigan Business Ombudsman Office, companies can access experts in the areas of workers compensation cost control, unemployment insurance law interpretations, and other state regulatory programs.

Federal Incentives. The Federal Work Opportunity Tax Credit program provides a per worker tax credit of $2,100 to employers who hire employees from one of seven targeted groups, including:
  • Aid to Families with Dependent Children recipients.
  • Veterans who are members of AFDC or food stamp families.
  • Low income ex-offenders hired less than a year after serving time for a felony.
  • Youths age 18 to 24 who live in an empowerment zone of the community.
  • Summer employees (age 16 or 17) who live in a zone.
  • Handicapped persons.
  • Youths age 18 to 24 on aid.
This assistance is available to help offset the cost of additional training which might be necessary for eligible employees.
For further information regarding the incentives available in Michigan's Great Southwest, please contact Wendy Dant Chesser at (269) 925-6100.
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For more information
Cornerstone Alliance
P.O. Box 428, Benton Harbor, MI 49022
tel: (269) 925-6100
webmaster@michigansgreatsw.com