Rural Employment Development Incentive (REDI)

REDI — Q4 1–15)

Supports private employers in rural Utah creating high-wage jobs through per-position cash incentives.

The Rural Employment Development Incentive (REDI) Q4 2026 application window is scheduled for November 1–15, 2026 and is the final quarterly window of the calendar year. REDI is administered by the Utah Governor's Office of Economic Opportunity and reimburses private employers $6,000 for each new qualifying full-time position created in rural Utah, up to a maximum of $250,000 per business per year across all four quarterly windows. All program terms — award rate, eligibility conditions, pre-approval requirement, and location qualifications — are uniform across all four 2026 windows. Businesses that have already received REDI awards in Q1 through Q3 of 2026 must track their cumulative total against the $250,000 annual ceiling before applying in Q4.

New positions must be full-time, maintained for at least 12 consecutive months, and pay at least 100% of the county's average wage. Qualifying locations are rural Utah counties; cities and towns of 10,000 or fewer residents in Weber, Davis, and Utah counties; and Washington County locations outside St. George. Remote work arrangements, satellite offices, and on-site positions in qualifying counties all count. Positions in construction, retail, staffing, and public utilities are ineligible. Only private for-profit businesses may apply; nonprofits, government agencies, universities, and individuals are excluded.

Employers planning Q4 REDI applications should contact GOEO to initiate the pre-approval process well before November 1, since the pre-approval must be in hand before any qualifying positions are created. Retroactive applications are rejected regardless of how well the positions otherwise qualify. Because the November window closes on November 15 and positions must be sustained for 12 consecutive months, the reimbursement for Q4-approved hires will not be paid until late 2027 at the earliest; businesses should factor this lag into workforce planning budgets. The Q4 window is the last opportunity in 2026 for employers that missed earlier windows to begin earning REDI grants on new rural hires.