As the #1 state to do business by Forbes for the past three years, North Carolina has the top pro-business climate in the nation.
North Carolina’s targeted, performance-based incentive programs help companies that are locating and doing business in our state by lessening the tax burden and lowering overall costs to the company.
State Incentives
Discretionary Grant
The Job Development Investment Grant (JDIG) is a performance-based, discretionary incentive program that provides cash grants directly to new and expanding companies to help offset the cost of locating or expanding a facility in the state. The amount of the grant is based on a percentage of the personal income tax withholdings associated with the new jobs.
Discretionary Grant
The One North Carolina Fund (OneNC) is a discretionary cash-grant program that allows the Governor to respond quickly to competitive job-creation projects. The North Carolina Department of Commerce administers OneNC on behalf of the Governor. Awards are based on the number of jobs created, level of investment, location of the project, economic impact of the project and the importance of the project to the state and region.
North Carolina offers funds to help its communities build the necessary infrastructure to attract more businesses to their area.
- Infrastructure | State Rural Grants >
- Infrastructure | Federal CDBG Economic Development >
- Utility Account >
- GoldenLEAF Foundation Grants >
- Rail Industrial Access Program >
Building and site funds allow the state of North Carolina to help fund the demolition, reuse or expansion of existing buildings to upfit them for new projects.
These grants are designed to offset the cost of on-the-job training and often connect businesses with training resources that hone their employees’ skillsets, so they can better respond to industry needs. This training helps businesses compete and succeed while offering new opportunities for employees to advance.
To see a full list of tax exemptions, click here.
North Carolina offers sales and use tax exemptions for manufacturing machinery and equipment, electricity, fuel and natural gas for manufacturing facilities, raw material for manufacturing, and inventories.
For more information and to see additional North Carolina incentives, visit:
Incentives by County
County Tier System
North Carolina’s 100 counties each are assigned a tier designation. This tier system is incorporated into various state programs to encourage economic activity in the more rural areas of the state.