Kentucky Business Investment (KBI) Program

The Kentucky Business Investment program sits under the Kentucky Economic Development Finance Authority, a state agency in the Cabinet for Economic Development. It supports companies that are establishing or expanding operations in Kentucky, using income-tax credits and wage assessments rather than cash grants. The program is aimed at sectors such as manufacturing, agribusiness, headquarters operations, alternative fuel and renewable energy, coal processing, non-retail services and technology, and hospitals. Approved projects can claim up to 100% of corporate income tax liability and up to 4.5% of taxable wages, with credits available for as long as 15 years depending on location and project scale. Projects in enhanced incentive counties, or projects with more than $200 million in total investment, can seek enhanced treatment. The administrative fee is 0.50% of the authorized amount, capped at $50,000, and KEDFA reviews projects at its monthly last-Thursday meetings before the Kentucky Department of Revenue handles the filing side. KBI is best suited to companies with a concrete Kentucky expansion plan, a clear capital budget, and payroll growth that can be tied to a qualifying project. Applicants do best when the sector fit is obvious, the investment size justifies the incentive, and the company can show how the state support will anchor long-term operating activity. The program works as a relocation or expansion lever rather than as early-stage venture support, so the commercial case has to be grounded in jobs, investment, and durable in-state operations.

Each grant below is a distinct funding opportunity with its own eligibility, scope, and deliverables.