GROWTH Through Incentives
GO TOPEKA | Small Business Incentives
Growing the economic impact in Topeka is the priority of GO Topeka and it’s willing to put funds toward opportunities that increase prosperity, quality of jobs and quality of life for residents in Topeka and Shawnee County.
If you are a small business owner with a plan that shows your growth intentions and possibilities, yet is needing help to make that leap, one of your first stops should be to check out GO Topeka Small Business Incentive Programs.
There are several types of incentives that might help you:
Marketing Incentives
Construction & Renovation
Architecture & Design
Equipment
Professional Services or Consultancy Directly Related to Commercialization
Global Markets Matching Grant•Proof of Concept Matching Grant
SBIR Grant Writing Incentive
SBIR/STTR Matching Grant
The following snapshot summaries are intended to get you started. The QR code will send you directly to more information on the GO Topeka website.
Small Business Incentives Program
Autumn Deadlines:
Application Questionnaires Due: November 27, 2023
Supporting Materials Due: November 30, 2023
Applicant Notifications Sent Out By: December 20, 2023
PURPOSE: To incentivize businesses to develop high-quality marketing materials to grow their businesses and generate economic impact. Expenditures require pre-approval.
REIMBURSEMENT: Up to 50% of project costs.
THE FACTS:
Minimum/Maximum reimbursement: $1,000 - $2,000.
Examples of expenditures that may qualify, pending approval: signage, marketing materials for use at tradeshows, website development, professional graphic design services or professional photography for use in advertisements, and marketing for employee recruitment.
Non-eligible expenditure examples: business cards, office stationery, advertisements and political or religious marketing.
PURPOSE: To incentivize businesses to utilize resources for growing their companies through developing international customers for their goods or services and becoming more competitive in international markets with the results of importing dollars into the Topeka and Shawnee County economy.
REIMBURSEMENT: Expenditures require pre-approval.
THE FACTS:
Reimbursement or expenses offered: a 1:1 match to a Kansas International Trade Marketing Assistance Program (KITMAP), Kansas International Trade Show Assistance Program (KITSAP) or State Trade Expansion Program (STEP) grant from Kansas Department of Commerce.
Maximum incentive: $5,000.
Proof requirements: proof of KITMAP, KITSAP or STEP grant from Kansas Department of Commerce within last 12 months prior to application for the Global Markets Matching Grant.
Eligible expenses: align with KITMAP, KITSAP and STEP eligibility.
CONSTRUCTION AND RENOVATION INCENTIVE
PURPOSE: To incentivize construction and renovation projects that will enable businesses to start, expand, or modernize to meet growth objectives or long-term business sustainability.
REIMBURSEMENT: Qualifying expenses must be related to the business’s growth, startup or sustainability, generating economic impact, and become part of the business’s real property. Expenditures require pre-approval.
THE FACTS:
Reimbursement or expenses offered: up to 50% of project costs.
Maximum incentive: $7,500 for companies with 1-9 employees. $15,000 for companies with 10-100 FTE employees.
Examples of expenditures that may qualify, pending approval: electrical work, flooring, plumbing, sheetrock, painting, windows.
ARCHITECT AND DESIGN INCENTIVE
PURPOSE: To assist businesses that are working with the City of Topeka or Shawnee County to enable construction or renovation projects for business starts and expansions.
REIMBURSEMENT: Up to 50% of project cost.
THE FACTS:
Minimum/Maximum reimbursement: $1,000 - $2,000.
Proof requirements: Must provide documentation of work with the City or County on the project being applied for.
Eligible expenses: design and consulting fees from professional licensed architects or engineers.
Receipt of this incentive: contingent upon preapproval for a Construction & Renovation Incentive. Reimbursement requests for Architecture & Design Incentives can be submitted upon start of preapproved Construction & Renovation project.
PURPOSE: To incentivize businesses to invest in equipment to help start, expand or modernize production of goods or delivery of services. The incentive is to be used for equipment needed for the production of goods or delivery of services for the industry to which the business belongs and important for the growth, startup or sustainability of the business.
REIMBURSEMENT: Up to 50% of equipment cost.
THE FACTS:
Maximum incentive: $7,500 for companies with 1-9 employees. $15,000 for companies with 10-100 FTE employees.
Examples of expenditures that may qualify, pending approval: manufacturing equipment to expand production shifts or replacement of outdated equipment in order to improve business efficiencies.
PROFESSIONAL SERVICES OR CONSULTANCY
PURPOSE: To incentivize growth-oriented companies that are entering new markets or taking new products to market. Commercialization is the process of bringing new products or services to markets with the aim of achieving large-scale commercial success. Funds are not for general business operating expenses.
REIMBURSEMENT: Up to 50% of project cost.
THE FACTS:
Minimum/Maximum reimbursement: $1,000 - $2,500.
Examples of expenditures that may qualify, pending approval: cybersecurity certifications for federal government contracting, attorney fees for intellectual property protection, consultants assisting in working with regulatory agencies for product approval, CPA expenses for putting together a capitalization table for an investor prospectus, working with an export compliance specialist.
PURPOSE: To incentivize businesses to become competitive at pursing Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) grants and develop Topeka as a hub of innovation.
REIMBURSEMENT: For grant writing and/or grant writing training from a pre-approved SBIR specialist.
THE FACTS:
Minimum/Maximum reimbursement: $1,000 - $5,000.
Proof requirements: Reimbursements are given only after submission of an SBIR application or completion of SBIR grant writing training.
Eligibility review: Proposed SBIR applications will be reviewed by a special committee familiar with innovation technologies.
PURPOSE: To incentivize businesses to apply for Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) and Small Business Technology Transfer (STTR) grants and to help to develop Topeka as a hub of innovation.
REIMBURSEMENT: $25,000 matching grant to a Phase l or Phase ll SBIR or STTR grant to cover business expenses outside of those covered by the SBIR or STTR grant.
THE FACTS:
Eligibility: Applicants must demonstrate receipt of an SBIR or STTR Phase l or Phase ll grant within last 12 months prior to applying for SBIR/STTR Matching Grant.
PROOF OF CONCEPT MATCHING GRANT
PURPOSE: To incentivize research and development of innovative technologies with large scale commercial market potential by furthering the impact of qualified external funding and to help develop Topeka as a hub of innovation. Expenditures require pre-approval.
REIMBURSEMENT: A 1:1 match to qualifying external funding.
THE FACTS:
Minimum/Maximum reimbursement: $1,000 - $5,000.
•Proof Requirements: Qualifying match must be from within the last 12 months prior to applying for Proof of Concept. Matching Grant Owner’s equity, friends and family financing, and debt-based financing do not qualify as a match for this program. If the business is pre-venture, it must be advanced to the research and development stage.Examples of allowable matches: Kansas Innovation Technology Enterprise POC grant, POC grant funding through K-State Technology Development Institute, SBIR Phase 0 grant, prize money from an approved competition.
Examples of allowable uses: prototype development, beta testing, technical validation.
GO Topeka | Other Business Incentives
SUMMARY:
Choose Topeka is a talent pilot program that will offer up to $15,000 of matching incentives by partnering with employers to encourage talent to move to Topeka & Shawnee County. Choose Topeka was created with the intention of investing in employees to live and work in the Topeka & Shawnee County, so that we may foster an intentional community, and help promote positive population growth.
SUMMARY:
Land/Facility. Cash incentives for real property investments may be offered pending scope and size of the project. Incentive is paid upon proof of required investment.
Equipment. Cash incentives for equipment investments may be offered pending scope and size of the project. Incentive is paid upon proof of required investment.
Infrastructure. GO Topeka may offer to assist in infrastructure costs for necessary improvements such as extension of utility lines and road improvements required for development.
SUMMARY:
Training. GO Topeka may offer a training cash incentive as part of the incentive package.
Employment. Based on the scope of the project and the projected average annual salary of the jobs created, GO Topeka may offer an aggressive performance-based cash incentive per new job added payable over five years as earned.
City Of Topeka | Incentives
COMMUNITY IMPROVEMENT DISTRICTS (CID)
SUMMARY:
CIDs are created to promote, stimulate, and develop the general economic welfare and quality of life in the City of Topeka. A CID involves public financing of all or a portion of a project within the district that provides public benefit such as strengthening economic development and employment opportunities; enhancing tourism; upgrading older real estate through redevelopment or rehabilitation; or promoting sustainability. Currently active CIDs include: Holliday Square, Cross Winds, Cyrus Hotel, SE 29th St, Wheatfield Village, Wanamaker Hills, and Sherwood Crossing.
NEIGHBORHOOD REVITALIZATION PROGRAM
SUMMARY:
The COT Planning & Development Department administers the City’s Neighborhood Revitalization Plan (NRP), which provides tax rebates to property owners making improvements that raise the appraised value of residential property by 10% and of commercial property by 20%. The program is intended to promote the revitalization of the City’s Intensive Care/At Risk neighborhoods and Downtown by creating an incentive for the rehabilitation, conservation, and redevelopment of these areas.
TAX INCREMENT FUNDING DISTRICTS (TIF)
SUMMARY:
The City of Topeka has established four TIF districts College Hill, Sherwood Crossing, Wheatfield Village and the newly approved Downtown TIF district. TIFs are put in place to help drive economic development in significant areas across the city.
SUMMARY:
The Stages of Resource Targeting (SORT) program is lead by the City and provides resources to help the recipient neighborhood develop a comprehensive Neighborhood Plan that outlines the current conditions of the neighborhood, identifies goals for the future, create a future land use map, and includes neighborhood-specific elements (e.g., Infrastructure, housing, and other quality of life improvements). SORT funding allows for implementation of the priority infrastructure projects outlined in the Neighborhood Plan.
SUMMARY:
Code 109.6 allows the City Manager the option to waive fees for economic development projects up to 25%. This assistance is reviewed case by case and is pending on the scope and type of project that is being pursued.
SUMMARY:
Sewer and water infrastructure improvements may be extended within the Municipal Service Area (MSA), as funds are available through capital improvement funding. Sewer and water rates are charged accordingly based on monthly water consumption. Reductions may be provided up to as much as 25% (on the system fees) for projects promoting economic development, as determined by the City Council. The City storm water fee may be reduced by as much as 40% depending upon showing of storm water best management measures implemented by the property owner to retain 100% of runoff onsite.
RURAL HOUSING INCENTIVE DISTRICT
SUMMARY:
The City of Topeka is offering incentives for Rural Housing Incentive Districts that will serve to stimulate economic growth and development of a new residential housing developments in order to provide services, employment and tax revenues for the benefit of our community.
