City of Toledo Expansion Incentive Program

The Toledo Expansion Incentive Program is a performance-based financial grant offered by the City of Toledo through its Department of Economic Development. Its primary objective is to attract and retain businesses in the city by offering a monetary incentive tied to the growth in municipal income tax revenue resulting from newly created or relocated jobs. Specifically, the program rewards companies for expanding payroll in Toledo, thereby generating higher municipal income tax revenue. The focus is on fostering job creation in targeted industries and ensuring that those jobs meet living wage standards, directly benefiting the local workforce and economy. Eligible applicants must be business entities that are either currently based in Toledo or are planning to establish operations within the city. A fundamental eligibility condition is the creation of at least ten new full-time W-2 positions within three years of the effective date of the executed incentive agreement. Additionally, applicants must demonstrate compliance with the City’s Living Wage policy and be in good standing with governmental authorities—meaning they must be current on all taxes, fees, utilities, and not have any outstanding code violations. To qualify for incentive payments, new employees must be hired or relocated to Toledo after the effective date of the executed grant agreement. These employees must not perform work for more than 20 days outside the designated project site and must earn a living wage as defined by the city. The amount of the grant is determined by the increase in municipal income tax revenue that exceeds predefined benchmarks. For existing companies, these benchmarks are calculated based on the average municipal income taxes paid to the City over the past three years. For businesses new to Toledo, the benchmark is set at zero, making them eligible for incentives on all qualifying payroll-based tax contributions. The application process is administered through ZoomGrants and requires submission of a complete application package. Required documentation includes a W-9, Tax Registration Form, Vendor Registration Form, Articles of Incorporation, and an affidavit allowing the City access to income tax data for payroll verification purposes. Incomplete applications may delay the review and approval process. Once submitted, the Department of Economic Development reviews the materials to determine eligibility. Approved applications are then presented to the City’s Incentive Advisory Committee (IAC), a group of independent citizens that provides oversight and submits recommendations to the Mayor for final approval. Upon approval, the applicant and the City of Toledo enter into a legally binding Toledo Expansion Incentive Grant Agreement. This document outlines the program terms, including job creation benchmarks and revenue expectations. Notably, any jobs created before the agreement’s execution date do not qualify for the incentive. Additionally, grantees are required to submit annual reports for the entire duration of the grant period to ensure compliance with the terms of the agreement. The application deadline for the current cycle is December 31, 2030. While the program includes a clear deadline, no recurring or rolling application structure is indicated. Applicants or interested parties seeking clarification or further information are encouraged to contact Cody Brown via email at [email protected]. This program stands as a structured and measurable economic development tool aimed at stimulating employment and economic growth within the Toledo area.

Incomplete applications will delay processing; all documents must be submitted through ZoomGrants.