GOED Announces Enhanced Features to the Rural Economic Development Incentive Grant (REDI)

Pete CodellaNews

The Utah Governor’s Office of Economic Development (GOED), following direction from the 2019 Utah legislative session, recently announced enhanced features to the REDI program.

The Rural Economic Development Incentive (REDI) grant, administered by GOED’s Office of Rural Development, gives a post-performance grant of $4,000 to $6,000 to local and urban businesses for creating new, high-paying jobs in Beaver, Box Elder, Carbon, Daggett, Duchesne, Emery, Garfield, Grand, Iron, Juab, Kane, Millard, Morgan, Piute, Rich, San Juan, Sanpete, Sevier, Uintah, Wasatch and Wayne counties.

The revised REDI program has significant positive changes, including:

  • Raising the incentive cap of $25,000 (per business) total per fiscal year to $250,000
  • Lowering the required wage from 125 percent to 110 percent of the county’s average wage
  • Adding Box Elder, Iron and Uintah counties to the list of eligible locations
  • Allowing businesses to potentially obtain the grant after six months of full-time employment
  • Can be used concurrently with other GOED incentives

The REDI grant incentivizes businesses on the Wasatch Front or elsewhere to hire remote online employees, set up a satellite hub/office space, or locate a facility in rural Utah. Businesses other than construction, retail, staffing or public utility industries are eligible to apply.

“Last year, this program incentivized businesses to potentially create 120 quality jobs in our rural counties, a significant number relative to new jobs on the Wasatch Front,” said Linda Gillmor, director of the Office of Rural Development and associate managing director for Urban and Rural Services at GOED. “With the newly revised REDI grant program, we anticipate even greater job growth, meeting the needs of both rural and urban Utah.”

Businesses must apply and receive approval through GOED in advance of job creation.

For additional information about the REDI program, and other rural programs, visit the Office of Rural Development’s website.