JobsOhio: Small Business Grant

The JobsOhio Small Business Grant provides essential financial support to qualified businesses in designated communities and those owned by eligible populations. With funding capped at $8 million annually, businesses can receive up to $50,000 to help them grow. This program focuses on small to medium-sized companies, especially those facing unique challenges, and aims to foster job creation and investment in areas that are often overlooked by larger corporate investments.

The JobsOhio Small Business Grant was developed to provide additional financial support for qualified projects in designated communities and/or for businesses owned by eligible populations across the state. The program recognizes that eligible communities may benefit from investments and job creation on a smaller scale than communities that experience higher levels of corporate investment on a regular basis. Additionally, this program recognizes that businesses owned by eligible populations may face additional challenges in growing their businesses.
Grant decisions are based on several project factors, including but not limited to company location, company ownership, jobs created and/or retained, and project fixed asset investment. Support is intended for small to medium-sized companies.
Funding
Available funding through the program will be capped at $8MM annually.
Projects may be eligible for up to $50,000 in funding support.

Eligibility

Qualified projects will be within JobsOhio target industries.
Only projects located in qualifying communities or businesses owned by an eligible population as defined by JobsOhio will be qualified to receive funds from this program.Eligible Populations includes:

• Minority-owned (African American, Hispanic, Asian-Pacific and Native American)
• Women-owned
• Veteran-owned
• Disability-owned

The business must either be certified by a recognized state or national organization or otherwise be able to verify that at least 51% of the business is owned by the eligible population. Special consideration will be given to businesses with majority ownership in one or more of the eligible populations, even if that majority does not reach 51%. Special consideration will also be given to businesses that have a 50%-50% ownership, with one owner meeting the eligible population requirement.
Qualifying Communities include areas indexed at 50 or above on the Economic Innovation Group, Distressed Communities zip code Index map, or have a zip code in an area considered eligible by the JobsOhio Vibrant Communities Grant Program.
Certain zip codes may not meet DCI’s thresholds for statistically viable scoring. For those zip codes, eligibility will be determined based on the distress score of surrounding scored zip codes.
Eligibility data is updated annually by the Economic Innovation Group.The JOSBG may target fixed asset investment, equipment, infrastructure, and training investment. Eligible costs include but are not limited to the following areas:New building construction or expansion, purchase of the existing building, leasehold improvements, renovation.
Purchase of new machinery and equipment (M&E). Lease payments for qualified M&E maybe considered.
Moving and relocation costs of M&E related to the project including freight shipping furniture and fixtures, tooling etc.
Lease Payments for dedicated business real estate.
Construction of roads, bridges, traffic control devices, parking lots, and facilities; and utility infrastructure such as natural gas and electric.
Improvements to rail access.
Special consideration will be given to certain rolling stock items used solely for business use, including forklifts or similar equipment, however, the equipment must remain in Ohio throughout the term of the agreement.
Information Technology Hardware components, industry-specific software including subscription and one-time purchase costs, and software development.Eligible Costs for Software Development include: direct payroll expenses of Grantee, Contractors hired for product development (all Ohio-based contractors), required development infrastructure (development tools, equipment), website development costs (online demonstration, trial of platform) limited, should not be the majority of expenses and requires explanation from Grantee/ Borrower. Costs will NOT include general administrative costs associated with development costs (office costs, basic computer equipment, furniture fixtures, training), and employee benefits.”Utility improvements including electrical infrastructure, substation, redundant power, or gas lines.
Site Development: site preparation, delineation, wetland mitigation, demolition
Fees and material costs related to planning and feasibility studies
Revitalization Costs:Demolition
Environmental remediation including but not limited to removal of petroleum and other hazardous or toxic waste or cots associated with the completion of work by a Certified Professional
Removal and disposal of construction and universal waste
Environmental testing and lab feesLand: purchase of land and right of way
Trainer Wages, Trainee Wages, and approved vendor costs for job training of new or existing employees.Training in the following categories will be considered eligible:Information Technology
Equipment
MaterialsEligible Companies:Eligible companies for JobsOhio programs include companies engaged in JobsOhio’s target industry sectors or business functions and typically formed as C-corporations, sole proprietorships, limited liability companies, or S-corporations.JobsOhio programs may be awarded to public entities or non-profit corporations, such as community improvement corporations if JobsOhio determines the grant to be necessary for the project.
The first and primary preference of all JobsOhio programs is to have the company be the employer and recipient of funds. If the recipient of JobsOhio funds is not the company committing to the project metrics, JobsOhio will utilize a single multi-party agreement with all interested parties in the project.
In exceptional circumstances, the recipient of the funds will not be the employer. However, the recipient shall guarantee the metric commitments and will be deemed in default of the grant if the metric commitments are not met.
Entities that have caused or contributed to contamination at the project site are not eligible for revitalization-related funds.

Ineligibility

Bonds or other debt instruments issued by the company to finance completion of the site improvement project shall not be retired or otherwise serviced with grant funds.
Administrative costs (including salaries and travel expenses)
Rolling Stock (defined as anything that has to be registered with a government entity and/or travels on a public right of way)
Contributions and donations by the company to individuals or other organizations
Costs (fines, penalties, assessments) resulting from violation of or failure to comply with federal, state, and local laws and regulations
Food, drinks, and entertainment
Goods and services for personal use by the company officers, directors, board members, and/or employees.
Long-term housing and personal living expenses for officers, directors, board members and employees
Long-term housing and personal living expenses for officers, directors, board members, and employees
GED or College Degrees
Compliance and regulatory trainingIneligible companies include but are not limited to retail, residential, and/or multi-family uses, entertainment, and other population-driven businesses.

For-profit Ohio businesses with annual revenues between $100,000 and $25 million, operating in one of JobsOhio's 10 target industries with revenues primarily from B2B sales, and at least one year of operating history. Apply through your regional JobsOhio network partner.