Utah Governor's Office of Economic Opportunity

Backs Utah Governor's Office of Economic Opportunity through matching grants, cluster programs, and rural innovation initiatives.

Utah Governor's Office of Economic Opportunity (Go Utah / GOEO) is Utah's state economic-development agency under the Office of the Governor. It was established in 1986, moved into the governor's office in 2005, and was renamed in 2021. The office manages more than $240 million in state and federal funding with nearly 100 staff, and its mandate is to cultivate economic prosperity for all Utahns.

Its portfolio covers business incentives, federal opportunity zones, rural development, international trade, tourism and film, and industry targeting. Cash grant routes include the Economic Assistance Grant, Rural County Grant, Rural Communities Opportunity Grant, and Rural Employment Development Incentive, with maximum awards from $200,000 to $250,000. It also administers tax incentives such as EDTIF / REDTIF and the Enterprise Zone Tax Credit, while Utah Small Business Credit Initiative activity sits on the loan-participation side.

The office positions those tools around five targeted industries: advanced manufacturing, aerospace and defense, financial services, life sciences and healthcare, and software and IT. That mix makes GOEO a broad entry point for companies that need state-backed capital or tax support, but the right application path depends on whether the project needs a grant, a credit, or credit-enhanced financing. Its operating style is pragmatic and program-specific, with incentives tied to rural jobs, investment, and location decisions.