Local Incentives, Programs and Opportunities

City of Melbourne Ad Valorem Tax Exemption Program — Up to 10 years of 100% property tax exemption on new investment resulting from a new business or expansion of an existing business.

Brevard County Ad Valorem Tax Exemption Program — Up to 10 years of 100% property tax exemption on new investment resulting from a new business or expansion of an existing business.

Grant Agreements — Considered on a case by case basis, usually in lieu of utilization of the tax exemption program and or for local match requirements to State of Florida economic development incentives.

Foreign Trade Zone FTZ 136 — Savings or deferrals on U.S. Customs’ duties on imported goods.

Historical Underutilized Business Zones (HUBZones) — Helps businesses in urban and rural communities gain preferential access to federal procurement opportunities.

Expedited Permitting — Assistance through the entire permitting process to facilitate all local permits related to the project.

Melbourne International Airport — Preferential land and building lease opportunities for manufacturing and commercial businesses.

State of Florida Incentives Utilized in the City of Melbourne

Florida offers bottom-line advantages for long term profitability for all types of businesses, from corporate headquarters to manufacturing plants to service firms. Florida offers incentives for:

Targeted Industry Incentives

Qualified Target Industry Tax Refund (QTI)

The Qualified Target Industry Tax Refund incentive is available for companies that create high wage jobs in targeted high value-added industries. This incentive includes refunds on corporate income, sales, ad valorem, intangible personal property, insurance premium, and certain other taxes. Pre-approved applicants who create jobs in Florida receive tax refunds of $3,000 per net new Florida full-time equivalent job created; $6,000 in an Enterprise Zone or Rural Community (county). For businesses paying 150 percent of the average annual wage, add $1,000 per job; for businesses paying 200 percent of the average annual salary, add $2,000 per job; businesses falling within a designated high impact sector or increasing exports of its goods through a seaport or airport in the state by at least 10 percent in value or tonnage in each year of receiving a QTI refund, add $2,000 per job; projects locating in a designated Brownfield area (Brownfield Bonus) can add $2,500 per job. The local community where the company locates contributes 20 percent of the total tax refund. There is a cap of $5 million per single qualified applicant in all years, and no more than 25 percent of the total refund approved may be taken in any single fiscal year. New or expanding businesses in selected targeted industries or corporate headquarters are eligible.

Qualified Defense and Space Contractor Tax Refund (QDSC)

Florida is committed to preserving and growing its high technology employment base by giving Florida defense, homeland security, and space business contractors a competitive edge in consolidating contracts or subcontracts, acquiring new contracts, or converting contracts to commercial production. Pre-approved applicants creating or retaining jobs in Florida may receive tax refunds of $3,000 per net new Florida full-time equivalent job created or retained; $6,000 in an Enterprise Zone or rural county. For businesses paying 150 percent of the average annual wage, add $1,000 per job; for businesses paying 200 percent of the average annual salary, add $2,000 per job.

Capital Investment Tax Credit (CITC)

The Capital Investment Tax Credit is used to attract and grow capital-intensive industries in Florida. It is an annual credit, provided for up to twenty years, against the corporate income tax. Eligible projects are those in designated high-impact portions of the following sectors: clean energy, biomedical technology, financial services, information technology, silicon technology, transportation equipment manufacturing, or be a corporate headquarters facility. Projects must also create a minimum of 100 jobs and invest at least $25 million in eligible capital costs. Eligible capital costs include all expenses incurred in the acquisition, construction, installation, and equipping of a project from the beginning of construction to the commencement of operations. The level of investment and the project's Florida corporate income tax liability for the 20 years following commencement of operations determines the amount of the annual credit.

High Impact Performance Incentive Grant (HIPI)

The High Impact Performance Incentive is a negotiated grant used to attract and grow major high impact facilities in Florida. Grants are provided to pre-approved applicants in certain high-impact sectors designated by the Florida Department of Economic Opportunity (DEO). In order to participate in the program, the project must: operate within designated high-impact portions of the following sectors-- clean energy, corporate headquarters, financial services, life sciences, semiconductors, and transportation equipment manufacturing; create at least 50 new full-time equivalent jobs (if a R&D facility, create at least 25 new full-time equivalent jobs) in Florida in a three-year period; and make a cumulative investment in the state of at least $50 million (if a R&D facility, make a cumulative investment of at least $25 million) in a three-year period. Once recommended by Enterprise Florida, Inc. (EFI) and approved by DEO, the high impact business is awarded 50 percent of the eligible grant upon commencement of operations and the balance of the awarded grant once full employment and capital investment goals are met.

Workforce Training Incentives

Quick Response Training Program (QRT)

Quick Response Training (QRT) – an employer-driven training program designed to assist new value-added businesses and provide existing Florida businesses the necessary training for expansion. A state educational facility – community college, area technical center, school district or university – is available to assist with application and program development or delivery. The educational facility will also serve as fiscal agent for the project. The company may use in-house training, outside vendor training programs or the local educational entity to provide training. Reimbursable training expenses include: instructors’/trainers’ wages, curriculum development, and textbooks/manuals. This program is customized, flexible, and responsive to individual company needs. To learn more about the QRT program, visit CareerSource Florida.

Incumbent Worker Training Program (IWT)

Incumbent Worker Training (IWT) – a program that provides training to currently employed workers to keep Florida’s workforce competitive in a global economy and to retain existing businesses. The program is available to all Florida businesses that have been in operation for at least one year prior to application and require skills upgrade training for existing employees. Priority is given to businesses in targeted industries, Enterprise Zones, HUB Zones, Inner City Distressed areas, Rural Counties and areas, and Brownfield areas. For additional information on the IWT program, visit CareerSource Brevard.

Infrastructure Incentives

Economic Development Transportation Fund

The Economic Development Transportation Fund, commonly referred to as the “Road Fund,” is an incentive tool designed to alleviate transportation problems that adversely impact a specific company’s location or expansion decision. The award amount is based on the number of new and retained jobs and the eligible transportation project costs, up to $3 million. The award is made to the local government on behalf of a specific business for public transportation improvements.