North Carolina Job Development Investment Grant (JDIG)
North Carolina Department of Commerce
25–75% of new-hire withholding
NC's flagship negotiated jobs grant
North Carolina's flagship competitive jobs incentive — a performance-based cash grant paid directly to qualifying companies that create new jobs in NC. The grant equals a percentage (25–75%) of state income taxes withheld from the wages of qualifying new employees, paid annually over up to 12 years. Awards are discretionary and negotiated; the state evaluates job quality, capital investment, county tier, and competition from other states.
- Funding type
- Grant
- Level
- State
- Amount range
- $0
- Realistic amount
- A company creating 200 jobs averaging $55,000/year in a Tier 1 county can receive ~$750,000–$900,000/year in JDIG paymen…
- Deadline
- Rolling — no formal cycle. Applications submitted through NC Commerce Business Services Division as projects are under active site selection.
- Status
- active
- States
- NC
- Payment model
- milestone
Who qualifies
- Company must create a minimum number of net new full-time jobs with health benefits (minimum varies by county tier and project size — typically 10+ jobs for Tier 1–2, 20+ for Tier 3)
- New jobs must pay wages at or above the county median private-sector wage (verified annually)
- Company must demonstrate that JDIG is a 'but for' factor in the location/expansion decision — the state must compete against another state or country
- Project must involve new or expanding operations, not transfers of existing NC jobs
- Company must execute a grant agreement with NC Commerce within approximately 12 months of approval
- Annual compliance reporting required for each year of the grant term; jobs and wages verified by NC DOR data
- 10% of grant is redirected to the Utility Account (for public infrastructure investment) unless 10%+ of qualifying jobs are in Tier 1–2 counties
Hard requirements
- Must be incorporated
What it covers
Eligible expenses
- JDIG is a cash grant — no restriction on how recipients use the payment
- Grant is sized based on withholding taxes from qualifying new employee wages
- Proceeds may be used for operational costs, facility investment, equipment, or working capital
Ineligible expenses
- Existing NC employees do not count — only net new positions qualify
- Part-time, contract, or temporary workers do not count as qualifying jobs
- Jobs transferred from another NC location do not qualify as net new
- Retail, healthcare, and certain service industries are historically not awarded JDIG (discretionary — NC Commerce evaluates each case)
How to apply
-
1
Engage NC Commerce early — before any public announcement
Contact the NC Commerce Business Services Division during active site selection. JDIG approval must precede ground-breaking, major equipment purchases, or public announcements. The state evaluates competition (is another state or country genuinely competing?) and project quality.
~16 hrs
-
2
Submit JDIG application with project financial model
Provide projected job counts, average wages by job type, capital investment plan, county location, and competing location analysis. NC Commerce models the withholding return to size the grant offer. Application is not public.
~16 hrs
-
3
NC Commerce presents award recommendation to Governor / EDF Committee
Larger or complex awards require review by the Economic Investment Committee (EIC). The Governor has authority to approve JDIG awards. NC Commerce negotiates the grant percentage and term (up to 12 years).
~16 hrs
-
4
Execute grant agreement
Company signs the JDIG grant agreement establishing job commitments, wage floors, benefit period, and accountability provisions. Agreement must be executed before project begins.
~16 hrs
-
5
Create jobs and file annual compliance report
NC DOR verifies withholding from new employees annually. NC Commerce pays the annual grant installment (minus 10% Utility Account set-aside if applicable). Payments continue for the agreed grant term as long as job commitments are maintained.
~16 hrs
JDIG is a relationship-driven program — call NC Commerce before any public announcement. The 'but for' test is real: if you can't credibly show another state is competing, the award won't happen.
Deadline & timing
Projects must apply before breaking ground or announcing a decision — JDIG cannot be approved retroactively. No published annual deadline; awards are negotiated on a deal-by-deal basis throughout the year.
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Last reviewed 2026. GrantCompass is an independent funding-discovery tool and is not affiliated with any government agency. Always confirm details on the official program page.