Miami County’s leaders are committed to providing a balanced approach to economic development supported by cooperative planning. An emerging region, Miami County’s central location provides access to resources, transportation and workers.

Incentives and assistance programs are offered on the state, county and local levels. For assistance accessing these programs, please call the economic development office at (913) 294-4045 for support.

State
The Business Finance unit of the Kansas Department of Commerce offers a variety of programs including job creation tax credits, investment tax credits, sales tax project exemptions and revolving loans for local infrastructure.

Kansas Enterprise Zone, The Kansas Enterprise Zone Program provides potential Kansas sales tax exemption and Kansas income/privilege tax credits to some businesses creating new jobs in Kansas through major capital investment projects. The program provides a sales tax exemption for construction materials and certain equipment.

Property Tax Abatement Assistance, Assistance is provided to businesses and governmental entities applying for property tax abatement. Division staff liaisons with the Board of Tax Appeals, provides technical assistance on the application process, and runs a complimentary cost benefit analysis to ensure a BOTA response within 30 days.

Industrial Revenue Bonds, Industrial Revenue Bonds are federally tax-exempt bonds that can lower financing costs for qualifying projects.

Large project assistance

Kansas Economic Opportunity Initiatives Fund, These funds are provided by the State Legislature to address unique opportunities or emergencies that may have substantial impact on the Kansas economy. Examples include major expansion of a Kansas business, potential location of a major employer in Kansas, or the closing of a major federal or state institution.

Investments in Major Projects and Comprehensive Training, The IMPACT program is designed to respond to the training and capital requirements of major business expansions and locations in the state. New projects must create 100 jobs while an expanding firm must retain 250 jobs.

Infrastructure

Kansas Partnership Fund, The Partnership Fund program provides loans to Kansas cities or counties for infrastructure improvements directly related to specific business projects creating new jobs and capital investment.

Workforce Training

High Performance Incentive Program, This program provides tax incentives to eligible employers that pay above-average wages and are committed to skills development for their workers. Eligible companies may receive sales tax exemption and corporate income tax credit up to 10% of their investment as well as credit for training expenditures.

Incumbent Worker Training, This program provides grants to employers to assist with certain expenses associated with skills upgrade training for full-time employees of the company.

Kansas Industrial Retraining Program, The KIR job retention program provides grants to restructuring companies whose employees are likely to be displaced due to obsolete or inadequate job skills or knowledge. This program assists restructuring companies wanting to retrain their employees. At least one existing employee must be trained to qualify for assistance.

Kansas Industrial Training Program, The KIT program provides funds to help new and expanding companies train workers for new jobs. Primary firms receiving assistance are manufacturing, distribution and regional or national service firms adding five or more new jobs.

Registered Apprenticeship, The Registered Apprenticeship program is designed to provide employers with a skilled workforce while training existing workers in the latest technologies without loss of production time.

County
Tax Abatements, Miami County has adopted a formal policy regarding tax abatements granted within the county for projects outside of a city. Abatements may exempt a project from all, or a portion, of ad valorem taxes due on buildings, land and improvements. To qualify, companies must be involved in manufacturing, conducting research and development, or storing goods or commodities which are sold or traded in interstate commerce. Additions to, or expansions of, existing businesses qualify for the property tax exemption if new jobs are created as a result of such activity. Factors to be considered in awarding an abatement are: amount of capital investment, number of employees, amount of wage, and a cost benefit analysis.

Industrial Revenue Bonds, Up to 100% of a business' land, buildings, and equipment can be financed with IRBs provided the cost of bond insurance is covered by the project. IRBs may be issued for manufacturing facilities, facilities owned by 501(c) corporations and low-income multifamily housing projects. They are securities issued by the county to provide the funds for credit-worthy companies to purchase land, pay the cost of constructing and equipping new facilities or purchase, remodel, or expand existing facilities. A limited amount of other developmental and financing activities, such as engineering, architectural, legal, and bond underwriting, may also be financed from bond proceeds. When industrial revenue bonds are issued as financing for a particular facility or for personal property, the county holds legal title to the facility or personal property while the bonds are outstanding and the facility is exempt from property taxation for that period, up to 10 years. In lieu of tax payments are often required during this time period by the county.

MicroLoan Fund, Miami County has partnered with its surrounding counties and local lending institutions to create a microloan fund. These loans are available for real or personal property purchase, renovation projects and inventory expansion. Start-up businesses and expanding businesses are eligible. For more information about these programs please call the economic development office at (913) 294-4045.

Local
Four of the county’s five communities have formally adopted local incentive programs. To obtain the most recent information about their programs, contact your community of interest directly.