Whatever size your business, whatever industry, whatever development stage, the state of Delaware may have an incentive or tax credit that can help you secure new capital or keep more revenue. Learn more below about the state’s various programs to grow the state’s economy through helping companies, like yours, succeed.

Incentive Programs

EDGE Grants provide matching grants to young Delaware small businesses through on-going rounds of a competitive selection process. STEM-based companies can receive up to $100,000 for eligible expenses, and other businesses can get up to $50,000.

Delaware’s State Small Business Credit Initiative-Funded Programs (SSBCI) is aimed at providing access to capital for small and early-stage businesses, particularly those in underserved areas.  The Division will work with financial lending partners to distribute SSBCI funds through four programs – two of which support loans: Delaware Loan Participation Program and the  Delaware Capital Access Program (DCAP), and two which support start up and early stage businesses: The Accelerator and Seed Capital Program and the Early-Stage Venture Capital Program.

Workforce Training Grant is a matching program that funds specialized training for companies of up to $100,000 per project. View the program Fact Sheet here, and the Grant Application here.  Want to see how the grants are scored? View the evaluation rubric and scoring sheet here.

Delaware Strategic Fund is the Division’s primary funding source to support business retention and expansion through grants and low-interest loans to projects that grow the state’s economy in a significant way. Learn more about program requirements here in the Strategic Fund Fact Sheet.  *All Strategic Fund requests must go before the State’s Council on Development Finance (CDF). DSB serves as the fund disbursement and monitoring arm of CDF. 

• New – The Delaware Agricultural Financing Program (DAFP) – A Delaware Department of Agriculture program designed to increase the viability of Delaware’s agricultural industry by broadening lending opportunities across the agricultural sector. Equipment loans will be available for supporting activities including production, processing, packaging, aggregation, and distribution for both small and large-scale operations. View the Fact Sheet here. To view the program webpage visit: de.gov/dafp.  Contact the Delaware Dept. of Ag at DAFP@delaware.gov for the application and to confirm your project qualifies for the program.
• The Modernization Investment Support Initiative (MISI) – To provide grant funds to qualified businesses that face regional, national, or global competitive forces that could disrupt or negatively affect local operations (employment and activity) unless investments are made that can update or ‘modernize’ the Delaware location.  View the Fact Sheet here.*
• The Delaware Technical Innovation Program (DTIP) offers transition grants for companies that have completed Phase I and applied for Phase II of the federal Small Business Innovation Research or Small Business Technology Transfer programs as they work to bring new products to market. Learn more in this Fact Sheet. *
• Graduated Lab Space Funding – The Delaware Graduated Lab Space Incentive Program is designed to support existing companies and attract new companies requiring lab space. View the Fact Sheet to learn more about the program and minimum qualifications.
• Tax-Exempt Bond Financing allows the Division to act as the conduit issuer on bond for tax-exempt, non-profit organizations. (click the link to access current TEFRA notices) *
• Brownfield Assistance Program offers matching grants to property owners and developers to encourage redevelopment of environmentally stressed sites.*

*Applications for these programs must go before the Council on Development Finance.

Transportation Infrastructure Investment Fund (TIIF) grants are available to new or expanding job-generating businesses in the state to help offset their transportation improvement costs. Grant funds are disbursed as reimbursement for completed transportation infrastructure work. 

Click here for more information on applying for an incentive.

Tax Credits

The Division of Revenue administers tax credits related to economic development (list below). Click here to contact Revenue for more information and here to apply for a credit.

• New Business Facility Tax Credit
• New Economy Jobs Tax Credit
• Research and Development Tax Credit
• Green Industries/Brownfield Tax Credit
• Land and Historic Resource Conservation Tax Credit
• Historic Preservation Tax Credit
• Neighborhood Assistance Tax Credit
• Business Finder’s Fee Tax Credit
• Vocational Rehabilitation Hiring Tax Credit