The Jobs Ohio Inclusion Grant

The Jobs Ohio Inclusion Grant (JOIG) was developed to provide additional financial support for qualified projects in designated distressed communities and/or for businesses owned by underrepresented populations across the state. The program recognizes that distressed communities may benefit from investments and job creation on a smaller scale than communities that experience higher levels of corporate investment on a regular basis. Additionally, this program recognizes that businesses owned by underrepresented populations may face additional challenges in growing their businesses. Grant decisions are based on several project factors, including but not limited to company location, company ownership, jobs created and/or retained, and project fixed asset investment. Support is intended for small to medium-sized companies. Your project could be eligible if you meet at least one of the following two requirements: 1. At least 51% of the business is owned, managed and controlled by an underrepresented population as defined by JobsOhio. Underrepresented populations includes consideration of geographic location, race, ethnicity, gender, veterans, and disabled. Racial or ethnic makeup includes African American, Hispanic, Alaska Natives and Pacific Islanders. Women-owned, Veteran-owned and Disabled-owned business must be either certified as such or otherwise be able to verify. 2. The project is located in a distressed community as defined by the Economic Innovation Group, Distressed Communities zip code Index map. Use the below zip code look-up tool to find out, and if your zip code isn’t listed, reach out to your JobsOhio Network partner to check.