Pennsylvania has all the elements in place to give businesses and their employees the tools they need to succeed in today's fast-paced, increasingly competitive economy. The Greater Wilkes-Barre Chamber of Business & Industry understands that incentives play a vital role in helping a company make a decision about our area.

There are numerous federal, state and local grants, loans and training programs available.  Our staff is knowledgeable, experienced and ready to assist your company. 

We should also note that our County Commissioners recently created new incentive programs that are not available anywhere else in the state – giving the Greater Wilkes-Barre area a competitive advantage.

Let us be your one-stop-shop – call us at 1-800-331-0912 to get started.

Click here to read more about Luzerne County Incentives

The following is a list of the programs most commonly used in Pennsylvania by growing businesses.

Job Creation Tax Credits (JCTC)
This state program offers employers a $1,000 tax credit per full-time job, per year. A business may claim credits only after a job has been created. Jobs must be created within three years from the start date and all tax credits must be claimed within five years from receipt of the tax credit certificate.

To be counted as new full-time employees under the JCTC program, new employees must earn an average hourly rate of at least 150% of the federal minimum wage, excluding benefits. Click here for more information.

Keystone Opportunity Zones (KOZ)
Eligible businesses that move into a KOZ are exempt from paying a variety of state and local taxes including local real estate taxes and gross receipts taxes, as well as Pennsylvania's capital stock and franchise tax and corporate net income tax, through 2010. To search for KOZ properties, click here.

Local Economic Revitalization Tax Assistance Act (LERTA)
The LERTA program allows local municipalities, school districts, and counties to offer up to a 100% tax abatement on improvements to property for up to 10 years. Terms vary by location. For more information, contact the local economic development organization serving the particular county you are interested in.

Opportunity Grant Program (OGP)
This Pennsylvania Department of Community and Economic Development (DCED) program provides outright grants to employers that create a substantial number of new jobs. Grant funds can be used for a variety of standard business expenses including job training, construction, the purchase of machinery and equipment and working capital.

A company that receives an Opportunity Grant Program award must meet certain job creation requirements within three years. The company's new hires must receive a base pay of at least 150% ($7.73/hr.) of the federal minimum wage, excluding benefits, in order to be counted towards the employment requirement. Click here for more information.

Customized Job Training (CJT)
This state grant program reimburses Pennsylvania employers for specialized job training for existing or newly hired employees. CJT funds can be used for consumable materials and supplies, approved contracted services, instructional costs, and relevant travel costs for instructors. Click here for more information.

Workforce & Economic Development Network of PA (WEDnetPA)
A Guaranteed Free Training Program offered by Pennsylvania to strengthen an already healthy and supportive business environment by rewarding in-state businesses that show solid growth and out-of-state companies that decide to relocate to Pennsylvania. Qualified companies receive free job training. For more information on WEDnetPA, click here.

Workforce Investment Act of 1998 (Title 1, Subtitle B)
A federal program that provides job training to eligible individuals. Through an On-the-Job-Training (OJT) component, companies can be reimbursed for up to 50% of wages paid to eligible trainees during the training period. The amount of time included in the training period varies with the difficulty of the job, which is usually determined through the assessment of skill levels found in the Dictionary of Occupational Titles. Program eligible employees include, but are not limited to, those who are economically disadvantaged and those who have been dislocated due to a plant closing or mass lay-off. Click here for more information.

For more information on workforce development programs, visit www.newpa.com.

Pennsylvania Economic Development Financing Authority (PEDFA) - Tax-Exempt Bond Program

Pennsylvania Economic Development Financing Authority (PEDFA) -Taxable Bond Program

Tax-exempt and taxable bonds, both in pooled transactions and as stand-alone transactions, can be used to finance land, building, equipment, working capital and refinancing. PEDFA can finance up to 100% of eligible project costs, provided the borrower obtains a letter of credit from a local bank equal to the amount of the bond. Interest rates for tax-free loans are substantially lower than U.S.prime and are weekly variable. One full-time job must be created or retained for every $50,000 borrowed.
Click here for more Tax-Exempt Bond information.
Click here for more Taxable Bond information.

PennsylvaniaIndustrial Development Authority (PIDA)
Low-interest loan financing through Industrial Development Corporations for land and building acquisition, construction and renovation, resulting in the creation or retention of jobs. PIDA rates can be as low as 3% interest and are fixed for the entire term of the loan, which can not exceed 15 years. PIDA will finance up to 40% of the total real estate project cost (up to 50% in certain circumstances) with a maximum loan amount of $2,000,000. PIDA will lend up to$2,250,000 to companies located in certain distressed communities or special development zones. A company that benefits from a PIDA loan must create and/or retain one full-time job for every $35,000 borrowed. Eligible companies include manufacturers, distributors, most other industrial companies and certain large office companies. Retail and most commercial businesses are ineligible. Click here for more information.

Machinery and Equipment Loan Fund (MELF)
Low-interest loan financing to acquire and install new or used machinery and equipment or to upgrade existing machinery and equipment. Maximum MELF loan is $500,000, or 50% of the total eligible project cost, whichever is less. MELF term generally ranges from three to seven years. Interest rate is fixed for the entire term and can be as low as 3%. Borrower must create or retain one full-time job for every $25,000 borrowed. Click here for more information.

Small Business First (SBF)
Funding for small businesses, including: low-interest loan financing for land and building acquisition and construction; machinery and equipment purchases and working capital. Maximum loan amount is $200,000. Program will fund up to 50% of total eligible project cost. Interest rate is fixed for the entire term, typically at 3%. Terms are as follows: real estate up to 15 years, machinery & equipment up to seven years, working capital up to three years. One full-time job must be created or retained for every $25,000 borrowed. Click here for more information.