Incentives
Tax breaks, loans and grants for businesses in Chemung County, and what has actually been awarded here. Programs change: confirm with the agency before you count on one. STEG (607-733-6513) can walk you through the local options.
Programs
- Chemung County IDA
- Property tax (PILOT), sales tax and mortgage recording tax breaks for qualifying projects; every current project is listed on our tax breaks page. The IDA also offers low-interest loans in the City of Elmira and the Village of Horseheads: up to 40% of project cost at prime minus 2%. source
- REDEC gap financing
- Loans of $10,000–$100,000 at prime minus 1% (listed by STEG). source
- Opportunity Zones
- Three Chemung census tracts are federal Opportunity Zones until Dec 31, 2026: tracts 6, 7 (downtown Elmira) and 10. A new map takes effect Jan 1, 2027; New York’s nominations weren’t final in October 2026, and the new rules use a stricter income test. source
- Downtown Elmira grants
- Matching façade grants up to $2,000 (co-funded by the City) and sign and awning grants up to $500, through Elmira Downtown Development. source
- County Microenterprise Grant
- $10,000–$25,000 grants run by Alternatives Credit Union with federal CDBG money, for businesses owned by or hiring people with low or moderate incomes, outside the City of Elmira. Offered in 2025; check whether a 2026 round is open. source
- Empire State Development
- State grants and tax credits (Excelsior jobs credits, capital grants and others), usually through the regional council; the awards ESD reports for Chemung projects are listed below. data
- History: the Downtown Revitalization Initiative
- Elmira won $10 million in the state’s first round (2016–17), which paid for nine downtown projects including West Water St, the Lake St bridge, the Centertown garage and Clemens Square. That round is finished. source
Opportunity Zones (through 2026)
Outlines from HUD’s Opportunity Zone map. These tracts change on Jan 1, 2027; any address report says whether a spot is in one today.
County IDA tax breaks
49 projects have tax breaks from the Chemung County IDA, with 2,405 jobs reported. See every project, its tax breaks and jobs →
State awards to Chemung projects (Empire State Development)
75 awards totaling $25.9 million, as ESD reports them.
| Recipient and project | Program | Amount | Start | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| I.D. Booth I.D. Booth Capital Expansion Capital |
Regional Council Capital Fund | $195,328 | 2026 | Active |
| Chemung County Performing Arts, Inc. d/b/a Clemens Center Clemens Center - Alive Downtowns! 2025-26 Working Capital |
Local Assistance | $120,600 | 2025 | Active |
| Village of Elmira Heights Village of Elmira Heights Microenterprise Assistance Program |
CDBG | $300,000 | 2025 | Active |
| Chemung County Performing Arts, Inc. d/b/a Clemens Center Clemens Center-Alive Downtowns 2024-25 Working Capital |
Local Assistance | $120,600 | 2024 | Closed |
| Tioga County Industrial Development Agency Tioga County -Raymond Hadley Water Capacity Working Capital |
Urban and Community Development Program | $23,650 | 2024 | Active |
| Southern Tier Central Regional Planning and Development Board Brownfield Redevelopment Profiles Working Capital |
Urban and Community Development Program | $50,000 | 2024 | Active |
| City of Elmira City of Elmira- Reynolds Way RESTORE NY VII |
Restore New York Communities Initiative | $750,000 | 2024 | Closed |
| Corning Incorporated Corning Incorporated (Big Flats) Excelsior |
Excelsior Jobs Program | $1.8 million | 2024 | Terminated |
| Stamped Fittings Stamped Fittings Capital |
Regional Council Capital Fund | $1 million | 2024 | Active |
| Chemung Supply Chemung Supply Corporation Expansion Capital |
Regional Council Capital Fund | $87,583 | 2024 | Active |
| Chemung County Chemung County Microenterprise Assistance Program |
CDBG | $300,000 | 2023 | Active |
| Chemung County Performing Arts, Inc. d/b/a Clemens Center Clemens Center-Alive Downtowns 2023-24 Working Capital |
Miscellaneous Community and Local Development Projects | $120,600 | 2023 | Closed |
| Pilate Production Services Jesus Christ Superstar - 2023 Tour |
Music and Theatrical Production Tax Credit Program | $186,619 | 2023 | Closed |
| Erica Ellis | New York State Seed Funding Grant Program | $5,000 | 2023 | Closed |
| SharkeyDesigns SharkeyDesigns LLC |
New York State Seed Funding Grant Program | $14,218 | 2023 | Closed |
| Tyler Stewart TYLER STEWART |
New York State Seed Funding Grant Program | $24,159 | 2022 | Closed |
| Arnot Ogden Medical Center Arnot Ogden Medical Center Capital |
Upstate Revitalization Initiative | $1.5 million | 2022 | Active |
| Wildcat Enterprise WILDCAT ENTERPRISE LLC |
New York State Seed Funding Grant Program | $5,000 | 2022 | Closed |
| Thai Asian Horseheads THAI ASIAN HORSEHEADS INC |
New York State Seed Funding Grant Program | $25,000 | 2022 | Closed |
| Vivloz Holding Vivloz Holding LLC |
NYS Covid-19 Pandemic Small Business Recovery Grant Program | $50,000 | 2022 | Closed |
| Lins of HHS Lins of HHS INC |
New York State Seed Funding Grant Program | $25,000 | 2022 | Closed |
| Bee in Bonnet BEE IN BONNET INC |
NYS Covid-19 Pandemic Small Business Recovery Grant Program | $5,000 | 2022 | Closed |
| Charlies Cafe & Bakery CHARLIES CAFE & BAKERY INC |
NYS Covid-19 Pandemic Small Business Recovery Grant Program | $21,862 | 2022 | Closed |
| Craft Farm Craft Farm LLC |
NYS Covid-19 Pandemic Small Business Recovery Grant Program | $5,000 | 2022 | Closed |
| Jam Sport & Fitness Jam Sport & Fitness Inc |
NYS Covid-19 Pandemic Small Business Recovery Grant Program | $50,000 | 2022 | Closed |
| Corning Incorporated Corning Incorporated Big Flats |
Upstate Revitalization Initiative | $6 million | 2022 | Terminated |
| Broad Street Pub Broad Street Pub, LLC |
NYS Covid-19 Pandemic Small Business Recovery Grant Program | $33,688 | 2022 | Closed |
| Elmira Gymnastics Club & Fitness Center Elmira Gymnastics Club & Fitness Center Inc |
NYS Covid-19 Pandemic Small Business Recovery Grant Program | $50,000 | 2022 | Closed |
| Horseheads Lodging Group Horseheads Lodging Group LLC |
NYS Covid-19 Pandemic Small Business Recovery Grant Program | $50,000 | 2022 | Closed |
| No Limit Partners No Limit Partners - 200 East Church Street Revitalization Capital |
Regional Council Capital Fund | $61,000 | 2022 | Active |
| Dorer Transportation Consulting Dorer Transportation Consulting Inc. |
NYS Covid-19 Pandemic Small Business Recovery Grant Program | $11,391 | 2022 | Closed |
| ivan brooks | NYS Covid-19 Pandemic Small Business Recovery Grant Program | $18,098 | 2022 | Closed |
| Noelia Springston | NYS Covid-19 Pandemic Small Business Recovery Grant Program | $5,000 | 2022 | Closed |
| LTS Technical Resources | NYS Covid-19 Pandemic Small Business Recovery Grant Program | $10,000 | 2022 | Closed |
| Terps Enterprises Terps Enterprises Inc. |
NYS Covid-19 Pandemic Small Business Recovery Grant Program | $50,000 | 2022 | Closed |
| Margeson Insurance Agency | NYS Covid-19 Pandemic Small Business Recovery Grant Program | $49,507 | 2022 | Closed |
| Crystal Gullo-Buzzetti | NYS Covid-19 Pandemic Small Business Recovery Grant Program | $10,000 | 2021 | Closed |
| Manjinder Singh MANJINDER SINGH |
NYS Covid-19 Pandemic Small Business Recovery Grant Program | $19,066 | 2021 | Closed |
| Kamran Shaikh | NYS Covid-19 Pandemic Small Business Recovery Grant Program | $30,069 | 2021 | Closed |
| Monahan Rentals Monahan Rentals Inc. |
NYS Covid-19 Pandemic Small Business Recovery Grant Program | $12,842 | 2021 | Closed |
| Elisa Tetreault Promotions | NYS Covid-19 Pandemic Small Business Recovery Grant Program | $10,000 | 2021 | Closed |
| Southport Dixie Lanes Southport Dixie Lanes Inc |
NYS Covid-19 Pandemic Small Business Recovery Grant Program | $23,869 | 2021 | Closed |
| Pine City Boarding Kennel | NYS Covid-19 Pandemic Small Business Recovery Grant Program | $10,000 | 2021 | Closed |
| C & B Mechanical C & B MECHANICAL LLC |
NYS Covid-19 Pandemic Small Business Recovery Grant Program | $50,000 | 2021 | Closed |
| Royal Hotel Group ROYAL HOTEL GROUP LLC |
NYS Covid-19 Pandemic Small Business Recovery Grant Program | $48,989 | 2021 | Closed |
| Northern State Auto NORTHERN STATE AUTO INC |
NYS Covid-19 Pandemic Small Business Recovery Grant Program | $33,815 | 2021 | Closed |
| Slbr SLBR INC |
NYS Covid-19 Pandemic Small Business Recovery Grant Program | $50,000 | 2021 | Closed |
| Bills Lawn Service | NYS Covid-19 Pandemic Small Business Recovery Grant Program | $5,000 | 2021 | Closed |
| The Grand Spectacle | NYS Covid-19 Pandemic Small Business Recovery Grant Program | $10,000 | 2021 | Closed |
| Taner Management TANER MANAGEMENT, LLC |
NYS Covid-19 Pandemic Small Business Recovery Grant Program | $46,322 | 2021 | Closed |
| Polly Smith-Blackwell | NYS Covid-19 Pandemic Small Business Recovery Grant Program | $7,857 | 2021 | Closed |
| Barn-Livin' Barn-Livin' LLC |
NYS Covid-19 Pandemic Small Business Recovery Grant Program | $11,570 | 2021 | Closed |
| Andrew Foster | NYS Covid-19 Pandemic Small Business Recovery Grant Program | $36,874 | 2021 | Closed |
| Joycrest Sports Joycrest Sports LLC |
NYS Covid-19 Pandemic Small Business Recovery Grant Program | $13,455 | 2021 | Closed |
| Si Chun Huang SI CHUN HUANG |
NYS Covid-19 Pandemic Small Business Recovery Grant Program | $29,760 | 2021 | Closed |
| Town of Big Flats Town of Big Flats Working Capital |
Urban and Community Development Program | $11,500 | 2021 | Closed |
| Ill Eagle Taphouse Ill Eagle Taphouse LLC |
COVID Capital Costs Tax Credit Program | $25,000 | 2021 | Closed |
| Buffalo Convenience Store BUFFALO CONVENIENCE STORE INC |
COVID Capital Costs Tax Credit Program | $7,693 | 2021 | Closed |
| Charlies Cafe & Bakery | COVID Capital Costs Tax Credit Program | $7,123 | 2021 | Closed |
| Fagan Engineers & Land Surveyor, PC | COVID Capital Costs Tax Credit Program | $5,671 | 2021 | Closed |
| Air-Flo Manufacturing Company Air-Flo Manufacturing Company Capital |
Regional Council Capital Fund | $475,000 | 2020 | Active |
| City of Elmira City of Elmira - Baldwin Street Mixed Use RESTORE NY V |
Restore New York Communities Initiative | $508,400 | 2020 | Closed |
| Town of Southport Town of Southport - Point Redevelopment RESTORE IV |
Restore New York Communities Initiative | $500,000 | 2020 | Closed |
| Chemung County Chemung County -- Census 2020 Complete Count Outreach Grant |
2020 Federal Census Outreach | $109,051 | 2020 | Active |
| Village of Elmira Heights Elmira Heights Downtown Corridor Redevelopment Working Capital |
Urban and Community Development Program | $40,000 | 2020 | Terminated |
| Lake Erie College of Osteopathic Medicine LECOM Capital |
Regional Council Capital Fund | $3 million | 2020 | Closed |
| Beecher Emission Solution Technologies Beecher Emission Solution Technologies Capital |
Regional Council Capital Fund | $800,000 | 2019 | Active |
| Southern Tier Central Regional Planning and Development Board Southern Tier Central Regional Planning and Development Board Working Capital |
Urban and Community Development Program | $76,250 | 2019 | Closed |
| Wayfair Wayfair Zenker Drive Capital |
Empire State Economic Development Fund | $3 million | 2019 | Terminated |
| Village of Elmira Heights Village of Elmira Heights - Pierce Landing RESTORE NY V |
Restore New York Communities Initiative | $875,000 | 2018 | Terminated |
| City of Elmira City of Elmira - Lake Street RESTORE IV |
Restore New York Communities Initiative | $500,000 | 2018 | Closed |
| Midwestern Pet Foods, Incorporated Midwestern Pet Foods Capital |
Regional Council Capital Fund | $152,000 | 2018 | Active |
| A Lovely Night Cinderella |
Music and Theatrical Production Tax Credit Program | $153,670 | 2018 | Closed |
| Haefele TV Haefele TV Phase 3 CAF Broadband Capital |
New NY Broadband Program | $1.3 million | 2018 | Closed |
| F.M. Howell F.M. Howell & Company Improvements Capital |
Regional Council Capital Fund | $800,000 | 2018 | Active |
Empire State Development’s incentive reports on data.ny.gov (dataset), updated monthly here. Amounts are what ESD awarded; disbursements can be less.