Incentives

The Entrepreneurship and Innovation Incentive Program assists entrepreneurs and innovators in high-skill fields in growing their business, creating jobs and maintaining their presence in the county. Businesses may receive assistance with business license fees and permitting and construction. They may also be able to apply for cash grants from the Paulding Innovation Grant Fund.

Qualifications:

• Must be an existing business in the county
• Must have participated in a business incubator program; be a spin-off technology associated with Kennesaw State University, the Georgia Highlands College, Chattahoochee Technical College or other university; or have graduated from an entrepreneurial training program
• The applicant must agree to remain in the county for the three years after the expiration of the mandatory incentives agreement

The Small Business and New Start Incentive Program provides assistance for small businesses to grow in the county. Business may receive access to market data and growth resources, coordination with governmental agencies, liaison with workforce training and assistance with permitting and construction.

Qualifications:

• Must be an existing business that has been in continuous operations in the county for at least one year
• Must be up to date on all state, local taxes, business license, and e-verified

The Business Retention Incentive Program provides assistance for keeping businesses in the county and maintaining jobs. Business may receive access to market data and growth resources, coordination with governmental agencies, liaison with workforce training, flexible payment of water and sewer system development fees, and assistance with permitting, construction and transportation infrastructure.

Qualifications:

• Must be an existing business that has been in continuous operations in the county for at least two years
• Must agree to remain in the county for the three years after the expiration of the mandatory incentives agreement
• Must have at least 20 employees
• Must be part of one of the following business clusters as determined by North American Industrial Classification System (NAICS):

1. 1. Information technology, software, and e-commerce
   2. Professional and business services
   3. Wholesale trade or Advanced Logistics
   4. Healthcare services
   5. Research and development
   6. Life sciences
   7. Travel and tourism

The Targeted Industry Incentive Program provides assistance to businesses for relocating or expanding their business in Paulding County. Businesses may receive assistance with transportation infrastructure and a fee reduction for plan reviews, business licenses, building permits, and flexible payment of water and sewer system development fees.

Qualifications: 

• Must meet two of the following criteria:
  • Add at least 25 new jobs
  • Pay an average salary at least 1.25 times the county average for that industry as determined by the state department of labor in the employment and wages annual report
  • Have an estimated fiscal impact with a net present value of at least $250,000 to the county during the incentive period
• Must be part of one of the following growth clusters or core clusters as determined by North American Industrial Classification System (NAICS)/Standard Industrial Classification codes:
  1. Aerospace and/or advanced equipment manufacturing
  2. Information technology, software, and/or e-commerce
  3. Professional and business services
  4. Wholesale trade or Advanced Logistics
  5. Healthcare services
  6. Research and development
  7. Life sciences

The Special Economic Impact Incentive Program provides assistance to businesses for relocating or expanding their business in Paulding County. Businesses may receive assistance with transportation infrastructure and a fee reduction for plan reviews, business licenses, building permits, and flexible payment of water and sewer system development fees.

Qualifications:

• Must meet two of the following criteria:
  • Add at least 100 new jobs
  • Pay an average salary at least 1.25 times the county average for that industry as determined by the state department of labor in the employment and wages annual report
  • Invests $20,000,000 or more in the county
• Must be part of one of the following:
  • Headquarters (corporate, divisional, and/or regional)
  • Financial, insurance, and professional services (local)
  • Transportation/distribution (logistics)
  • Manufacturing
  • Emerging technologies/industries

An investment tax credit makes it more affordable to expand and improve your facilities, upgrades or expansions. Investment tax credits can be used to offset up to 50% of a company’s Georgia corporate income tax liability. If the earned credit exceeds that limit, then the unused credit can be carried forward for up to 10 years and applied to future years’ tax liability. In Paulding County, there is an available 1% Investment Tax Credit. Businesses that are eligible for an Investment Tax Credit are also eligible for a Port Tax Credit (see more below.)

Qualifications:

• Must have operated a manufacturing or telecommunications facility for at least three years in Georgia

The Job Tax Credit gives new and expanding companies an annual credit for every new job created. The credit can be in effect for up to five years, so that as you grow, you can offset your corporate tax liability. In Paulding County, there is a $1,250 job tax credit. Businesses that are eligible for an Job Tax Credit are also eligible for a Port Tax Credit (see more below.)

Qualifications:

• Must be in a specific industry sector, such as manufacturing, distribution or data processing
• Must create and maintain a minimum 25 new jobs

If you qualify for the Job Tax Credit or Investment Tax Credit, you’re also eligible for the Port Tax Credit Bonus. This bonus gives companies that increase imports or exports through a Georgia port by 10% an additional $1,250.

Creating high-paying jobs could give you a higher tax credit. High-paying jobs are classified as at least 10% above the average wage in Paulding County. Each new job may earn a credit ranging from $2,500 to $5,000 per year, for five years.

Qualifications

• Must create at least 50 high-paying jobs in a 24-month period

The Research and Development Tax Credit applies to all kinds of innovation and can include activity in the following industries: manufacturing, telecommunications, broadcasting, warehousing and distribution, research and development, processing, and tourism. The value of the tax credit is 10% of the qualified R&D investment (including cost of materials and staff time) minus a base amount.

Employers who purchase or build qualified childcare facilities are eligible to receive Georgia income tax credits equal to 100% of the cost of construction. The credit is spread over 10 years—10% each year.  Employers who provide or sponsor childcare for employees are eligible for a credit against Georgia income tax equal to 75% of the employer’s direct costs. All childcare credits can be used against 50% of the taxpayer’s income tax liability in a given year.

For the past two years, FTZ #26 (Atlanta) has been ranked as one of the two Top Free Trade Zones in the U.S. and Canada. The FTZ program streamlines importing and exporting, and allows qualified companies to defer, decrease, or eliminate duties on materials imported from overseas that are used in products assembled in Georgia.

Film, television and digital entertainment tax credits of up to 30% create significant cost savings. Georgia’s Entertainment Industry Investment Act provides a 20% tax credit for companies that spend $500,000 or more on production and post-production in Georgia, either in a single production or on multiple projects. The state grants an additional 10% tax credit if the finished project includes a promotional logo provided by the state. If a company has little or no Georgia tax liability, it can transfer or sell its tax credits.

Paulding County has 100% exemption on Freeport Categories 1, 2 and 3. This means that the industries will not be charged inventory tax on raw materials and goods in process, finished goods held by the original manufacturer, and finished goods held by distributors, wholesalers, and manufacturers destined for out-of-state shipment.

The Mega Project Tax Credit may be available for companies that employ at least 1,800 net new employees, and either invest a minimum of $450 million or have a minimum annual payroll of $150 million. These qualifying companies may claim a $5,250 per job, per year tax credit for the first five years of each net new job position.

Retraining tax credits mitigate the cost of retraining existing employees so that companies can realize the full value of eligible new technology investments. Businesses can receive a tax credit of 50% of their direct training expenses, including costs of instructors and teaching materials, employee wages during retraining, and reasonable travel expenses. They may also receive with up to $500 credit per full-time employee, per training program. The annual maximum of the credit amounts to $1,250 per employee.

Qualifications:

• Must file a Georgia income tax return
• Training programs must be designed to enhance quality and productivity or teach certain software technologies and be approved by the Technical College System of Georgia

The oldest American program of its kind, Georgia’s Quick Start Program helps companies maintain a competitive advantage with free, customized workforce training. Its training has updated the skill sets of more than 1 million employees in 6,500 projects. Using classrooms, mobile labs or onsite, Quick Start finds the right solutions with job-specific training with the most current techniques and media.