A competitive package of development incentives may be available to qualified business and industries considering a Cowley County location including. These incentives could include some of the following:

1. Economic Development Exemption – New and expanding businesses that constructed a purchase new real property are eligible for up to 10 year abatement with capital investment and net growth.
2. Industrial Revenue Bond financing of up to 100% of the cost of land, building and equipment
3. Property tax abatement for up to 10 years as allowed by state statute
4. Exemption of sales tax for the purchase of personal property, construction materials and labor
5. State funded, flexible job training programs
6. No inventory tax
7. Constitutional right to work state

Contact Us for more information on what we can do to make your move or expansion happen.

Kansas Department of Commerce Programs

Cowley First can assist your business with the full menu of programs available through the Kansas Department of Commerce including guiding you through the application process for these grants, tax credits, and low interest loan programs. The following list includes some of the primary programs that may interest you or your business:

Business Development

High Performance Incentive Program (HPIP)

Program Details

The High Performance Incentive Program provides tax incentives to employers that pay above-average wages and have a strong commitment to skills development for their workers. This program recognizes the need for Kansas companies to remain competitive and encourages capital investment in facilities, technology and continued employee training and education. A substantial investment tax credit for new capital investment in Kansas and a related sales tax exemption are the primary benefits of this program.

Benefits

HPIP offers employers four potential benefits:

A 10 percent income tax credit for eligible capital investment that exceeds $50,000 ($1M in five metro counties) at a company’s facility, with a carry-forward that can be used in any of the next 16 years in which the qualified facility re-qualifies for HPIP.
A sales tax exemption to use in conjunction with the company’s eligible capital investment at its qualified facility.
A training tax credit of up to $50,000.
Priority consideration for access to other business assistance programs.
Qualification are based on wages paid and training.

Read the full HPIP Overview here.
 

Kansas Industrial Training (KIT)

Purpose

The KIT program may be used to assist firms involved in both pre-employment and on-the-job training. Pre-employment training may be used to allow the company and prospective employees an opportunity to evaluate one another before making employment commitments.

Prospective employees are given the knowledge and specific skills necessary for job entry. On-the-job training is conducted after hiring. Trainees may receive instruction on the company’s own production equipment on the plant floor or on similar machinery in a classroom setting.

Eligible Expenditures

Examples of eligible expenditures include instructor salaries, curriculum planning and development, travel, materials, supplies, textbooks, minor training equipment and certain training facility costs.

To be eligible, a company must add at least one net new position at county median wage. Contact us to get current wage requirement.

Related Documents

Kansas Industrial Training / Retraining Guidelines

Kansas Industrial Retraining (KIR)

Purpose

The Kansas Industrial Retraining program is a job retention tool that helps employees of restructuring companies who are likely to be displaced because of obsolete or inadequate job skills and knowledge.

Eligible industries include basic enterprises that are restructuring operations through incorporation of new technology, diversification of production or the development and implementation of new production activities. At least one current employee must be trained to qualify for assistance.

Eligible Expenditures

Examples of eligible expenditures include instructor salaries, curriculum development, travel, materials, supplies, textbooks, minor training equipment and some facility costs. To be eligible, a company must retrain at least one existing position at county median wage. Contact us to get current wage requirement.

Related Documents

Kansas Industrial Retraining / Training Guidelines

Promoting Employment Across Kansas (PEAK) Program

Overview

The creation of the Promoting Employment Across Kansas (PEAK) Act, K.S.A. 74-50,210 through 74-50,216, was passed by the 2009 Kansas Legislature. The 2010 and 2011 Legislative Sessions passed subsequent changes to the Act to broaden the eligibility criteria to increase the companies that can apply. PEAK is intended to encourage economic development in Kansas by incenting companies to relocate, locate or expand business operations and jobs in Kansas. The Secretary of Commerce has discretion to approve applications of qualified companies and determine the benefit period. During the benefit period, participating PEAK companies may retain 95 percent (95%) of the payroll withholding tax of PEAK-Eligible employees/jobs that pay at or above the county median wage where the operations and jobs will be located. Depending on the number of PEAK jobs/employees to be hired in Kansas and their wage levels, the Secretary can approve benefit periods for up to 10 years.

PEAK requires the qualified company to commit to creating five new jobs in non-metropolitan counties or ten (10) new jobs in the metropolitan counties of Shawnee, Douglas, Wyandotte, Johnson, Leavenworth and Sedgwick over a two-year period. The qualified company must also pay wages to the PEAK jobs/employees, that when aggregated, meet or exceed the county median wage or North American Industry Classification System (NAICS) average wage for their industry. Qualified applicants include for-profit companies in eligible NAICS codes and not-for-profit headquarters facilities. Such companies must make available to its full-time employees “adequate” health insurance coverage (see Definitions) and be paying at least 50% of the premium.

Applications are accepted throughout the year and must be received prior to hiring PEAK jobs/ employees in Kansas.

Local Programs

Established in 2007 through Kansas Entrepreneurship Tax Credits awarded to Cowley First by the Kansas Center for Entrepreneurship (dba NetWork Kansas).

Funds may be used as seed capital for a new business startup or the expansion or restructuring of an existing business. Businesses may request up to $45,000 from the Cowley County E-Community Loan Program. In addition to the Cowley County E-Community Loan Program funds, each business will also be required to obtain approval for a 40% matching loan from another NetWork Kansas eligible partner or other lender as a requirement of NetWork Kansas and the Kansas Center for Entrepreneurship

Community Development

The Community Development Block Grant Program allows Commerce to distribute federal funds to Kansas cities and counties looking to improve their community. To receive funds, a project must meet at least one of the following federally mandated criteria:

The project benefits low- and moderate-income individuals
The project removes or prevents slum or blight condition
The project eliminates an urgent need created by a disaster when local funds are unavailable