Incentives
Scottsdale Business Services and Incentives
The City of Scottsdale’s economic development team is committed to providing exceptional customer service to its business community. Some of the current services available to your business include:
Data and Research Support
The department maintains access to databases and research tools helpful to companies in operations and expansion decisions. This can include labor market data, property and commercial rate comparisons, GIS-based analysis, community demographics, development cost estimating and housing analysis to name a few.
Site/Property Location Assistance
Utilizing real estate database searches, combined with City insight regarding zoning, infrastructure, and general plan land use designations, we can assist you in finding the perfect location for your business within the time frame required. To perform your own search, use our free online tool at ScottsdaleSites.com which also includes local data layers such as transportation, schools, and amenities.
Size-Up Business Research Tool
‘Size-Up’ is a robust business analytics tool available for use at no cost at ChooseScottsdale.com/sizeup. If offers access to:
- Performance benchmarking: See how a specific business “sizes up” by comparing its point-by-point performance to all competitors in its industry
- Competitive assessment: Map where competitors, customers, and suppliers are located to determine where to better serve customers
- Best places to advertise: Identify areas with the highest revenue potential for an industry
- Demographic analysis: View an interactive map of demographic, labor and customer expenditure data
Relocated Employee Orientation Support
Have you relocated employees to your Scottsdale location, or have you recruited new ones from outside of Arizona? If so, we are here to help you support their integration into the community through welcome bags and materials to informational presentations about living in the desert southwest. We look forward to working with you to develop a custom assistance program.
Dedicated Project Manager
The team offers personal project management assistance to help companies developing in the city, whether it is with permitting and zoning of new or renovated facilities, applications for tax and licensing or in arranging consultations with our various departments.
Business Training programs
The department, in partnership with the Arizona State University Innovation Center and the Scottsdale Area Chamber of Commerce, hosts a number of presentations to assist your business, many of which are available via YouTube. Programming and services include startup training classes and on-site mentorship hours. Ongoing education and training programs for existing companies occur throughout the year.
Custom Workforce Training
Through its various partners including Arizona State University, the Maricopa Community Colleges District, Maricopa Corporate College and Scottsdale Community College the Scottsdale team can assist with ensuring your new and potential employees are up to the task. This assistance includes helping companies access tailored training programs, in some cases in obtaining funding to defer the costs.
Foreign Trade Zone (FTZ)
The City of Scottsdale will work with FTZ No. 75 to assist you in establishing a zone or sub-zone which provides up to a 72.9 percent reduction in state real and personal property taxes, as well as the traditional benefits of Foreign Trade Zone status. For information related to FTZ user benefits, sites, and a general brochure, visit Phoenix.gov/econdev/international/ftz.
State of Arizona Support and Incentive Programs
Applications are housed on the Arizona Commerce Authority online portal. The first step includes applying for a username and password well in advance of application availability. Next, companies may apply for a “Certificate of Qualification” starting on the first business day of the calendar year. As some funding programs are first-come, first-serve from a resource perspective, applying as soon as possible is encouraged.
If you do not see a program that meets your needs please contact a member of our staff, we are always available to assist you with any of your business needs.
Programs, services and resources offered through the Arizona Commerce Authority (ACA) include:
State Job Training Grant Program
The Arizona Job Training Program, as administered by the Arizona Commerce Authority (ACA), is a reimbursable grant program that supports the design and delivery of customized training plans. New jobs can be eligible for up to 75 percent of training expense re-imbursement.
Quality Jobs Tax Credit Program
The primary goal of the program, as administered by the Arizona Commerce Authority (ACA), is to encourage business investment and the creation of high-quality employment opportunities in the state. The program offers up to $9,000 of Arizona income or premium tax credits spread over a three-year period for each net new quality job ($3,000 per year). Requires the following investments per qualified positions:
- Taxpayer is required to invest at least $5,000,000 in capital expenditures, and create at least 25 net new qualified employment positions that pay 100 percent of the county median wage, or
- Taxpayer is required to invest at least $2,500,000 in capital expenditures, and create at least 25 net new qualified employment positions that pay 125 percent of the county median wage, or
- Taxpayer is required to invest at least $1,000,000 in capital expenditures, and create at least 25 net new qualified employment positions that pay 150 percent of the county median wage, or
- Taxpayer is required to invest at least $500,000 in capital expenditures and create at least 25 net new qualified employment positions that pay 200 percent of the county median wage.
Qualified Facility Program
The Qualified Facility Program, as administered by the Arizona Commerce Authority (ACA), offers a refundable income tax credit equal eligible companies making a capital investment to establish or expand a qualified facility. Subject to eligibility requirements, the program offers a refundable income tax credit equal to the lesser of: 10% of the qualifying capital in-vestment or $20,000 per net new job at the facility or $30 million per taxpayer per year. The tax credits will be authorized on a first-come, first-served basis, according to a priority placement number as-signed by the ACA at the time of pre-approval.
Arizona Innovation Accelerator Fund
This fund is an $18.2 million loan participation program dedicated to helping small businesses gain ac-cess to capital and to creating new jobs in Arizona. It offers $50,000-$2 million of funding per company, deferral of principal and interest payments, and interest rate reduction.
Arizona Innovation Challenge
The Arizona Innovation Challenge (AIC) awards the most money in the country for a technology challenge — $3 million — to the world’s most promising technology ventures. Awards range from $100,000 to $250,000 per company. Companies in Scottsdale have been highly successful in securing grant awards as a result of the challenge.
Angel Investment Tax Credit
The ACA may certify $2.5 million of new tax credits annually for qualified investments made in qualified small businesses. Applications for the Angel Investment Tax Credit must be filed within 90 days after the qualifying investment. The principal objective is to expand early stage investments in targeted businesses by eliminating Arizona capital gains tax liabilities associated with the disposition of investments in small businesses certified by the ACA. Visit AZCommerce.com for eligibility requirements.
Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) & Small Business Technology Transfer (STTR) Grant
The Arizona Commerce Authority offers training and technical assistance enabling high-growth potential technology firms to compete more effectively for federal SBIR/STTR Phase I and II awards and ultimately commercialize their innovations in Phase III. Visit sbir.gov for more details.
Research & Development Tax Credits
This tax credit program is designed for small business under 150 employees. Refunds are approved on a first-come, first-served basis, according to the date and time an application is filed with the Arizona Commerce Authority. Current R&D tax credit percentages are 24 percent of the first $2.5 million in qualifying expenses plus 15 percent of the qualifying expenses in excess of $2.5 million.
Sales Tax Exemption for Manufacturing
Arizona offers a sales tax exemption for various machinery or equipment.
REV AZ
Arizona’s Manufacturing Extension Partnership (MEP) center created through a partnership between the ACA and the National Institute of Technology and Standards (NIST). RevAZ offers customized operational and business solutions, concrete advice and training, and hands on assistance.
Arizona STEP Grant Program
AZSTEP assists Arizona small businesses to enter export markets for the first time or to expand into new markets. AZ STEP offers a number of services and tools to Arizona small businesses as they go global for the first time with their sales or enter new international markets.
Arizona Commerce Authority's Navigator
The ACA’s Navigator program will connect you - at no cost - with Arizona’s highly skilled and available workforce by creating a custom recruiting strategy.