Job Development Investment Grant — High-Yield Project

JDIG High-Yield Project

Funds strategic North Carolina expansion projects with large employment and capital commitments.

Eligibility · United States · US-NC

The Job Development Investment Grant (JDIG) High-Yield Project tier is administered by the North Carolina Economic Investment Committee (EIC), a five-member body comprising the Secretary of Commerce, Secretary of Revenue, State Budget Director, and one appointee from each chamber of the General Assembly. It is a performance-based, discretionary incentive program that reimburses a company for a percentage of withholding taxes generated by net new jobs created in North Carolina. Applications are reviewed on a rolling basis with no fixed cycle deadline, and each award is individually negotiated and approved by the EIC under the authority of N.C. Gen. Stat. § 143B-437.50.

To qualify for the High-Yield Project tier, a company must commit to creating at least 1,750 net new jobs and investing a minimum of $500 million in capital in North Carolina — both thresholds are mandatory. Reimbursement reaches up to 90% of the annual withholding-tax allocation generated by those jobs, paid in arrears over a grant term of up to 20 years, with an initial base performance period of up to 5 years. County tier designations affect the split: Tier 1 (the 40 most economically distressed counties) directs 100% of the grant to the company, Tier 2 sites retain 90% for the company with 10% deposited into the Industrial Development Fund Utility Account, and Tier 3 sites direct 75% to the company and 25% to the Utility Account. New employees must receive employer-provided health insurance covering at least 50% of premiums.

Eligibility is limited to for-profit companies in a competitive site-selection situation; nonprofits, universities, and individuals cannot apply. Annual verification by the NC Department of Commerce and Department of Revenue is required throughout the grant term, and payments are disbursed only after job counts, wage levels, and capital investment are confirmed. Companies that miss performance targets risk losing future payments. The High-Yield tier fits large manufacturing, semiconductor, energy, biotech, transport, and aerospace projects looking to choose North Carolina over competing states for a major facility expansion or greenfield build.