High-Impact Jobs Program (HIP)

The High-Impact Jobs Program is Louisiana Economic Development's successor to Quality Jobs, created by Act 372 of 2025. It is a reimbursable cash grant, not a tax credit, and it pays employers that create new Louisiana jobs at above-parish-average wage levels. The first grant payment is scheduled to begin on or after July 1, 2026. The base rates are 18% of qualifying wages for jobs at 125% of parish average wage, 22% for jobs at 150%, and 8% in distressed areas for jobs at 110% of parish or regional average. The program requires at least one new full-time at-will job, basic health benefits, Louisiana residency for the position, and genuinely new headcount; the individual wage used for the incentive tops out at $200,000, and the statute excludes gaming, retail, professional sports, auto leasing, telemarketing, solar farms, and some service sectors. Applications go directly to LED, then move through a fee, an expenditure-verification deposit, contract review, and payment on approval. The initial contract lasts three years with an optional two-year renewal, so the route works best for employers that can document wage quality, new hiring, and compliance from the start. Companies with a clear expansion plan and a dependable payroll case are the natural fit.

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