Fayette County Enterprise Zone
The Fayette County Enterprise Zone (FCEZ) is an officially designated economic development zone under the Pennsylvania Department of Community and Economic Development’s Enterprise Zone Program. The program supports revitalization in distressed, deteriorated, or blighted industrial and manufacturing areas by encouraging private investment, redevelopment, and job creation.
DCED has formally approved Fayette County’s Enterprise Zone Boundary Extension, and the expanded zone is now fully in effect countywide.
Why invest in the FCEZ?
- Lower redevelopment costs
- Access to state incentives to reduce project risk
- Strong countywide support from Fayette Commissioners and Fay-Penn
- Enhanced infrastructure along major corridors
- Designed to attract new businesses, expansion projects, and job creation
For more information or assistance, contact:
Lori Scott – Fay-Penn Economic Development Council: loris@faypenn.org
Mark Rafail – Fayette County Economic Development Office: mrafail@fayettepa.org
Key Incentives For Businesses
- Credit Amount: Up to 25% of the amount invested in eligible projects.
- Cap: Maximum of $500,000 in total tax credits per project.
- Carry-Forward: Unused credits can be carried forward for up to 5 years or transferred/sold.
- Applies to building rehabilitation, land improvements, acquisition, engineering, architecture, and related development
- Projects must create full-time, family-sustaining jobs for low-income residents in the zone
- Preferential review for various DCED assistance programs
- Priority consideration for state government contracts
- Priority access for Act II funding
- Priority consideration for a State Liquor License
- Planning and guidance for technical assistance from DCED
- Access to subject-matter experts in redevelopment, planning, workforce, and financing
- Networking with other Pennsylvania enterprise zones
Eligibility Guidelines
To qualify for the credits, your project must meet the following criteria:
- Location: The investment must fall within a portion of a distressed community officially designated as an Enterprise Zone.
- Job Creation: Employment or retraining opportunities must be created for Low-income individuals living within the designated zones. Jobs must be full-time, exceed the state minimum wage, offer a family-sustainable wage, and include benefits.
- Eligible Activities: Includes building and land improvements, engineering, architecture, and acquisition in addition to rehabilitation.
Participating Communities
- Bullskin
- Connellsville
- Dunbar
- Franklin
- Georges
- German
- Henry Clay
- Luzerene
- Masontown
- Menellan
- North Union
- Perry
- Perryopolis
- Point Marion
- Redstone
- Smithfield
- South Union
- Uniontown
- Tyrone
- Wharton
MVA Enterprise Zones in Fayette include Belle Vernon and Brownsville.
Pre-Application Process
All businesses, developers, and property owners seeking participation in the Fayette County Enterprise Zone must submit a pre-application before beginning the formal application process.
The pre-application is required to allow an initial review of your project, determine preliminary eligibility, determine the project eligibility year, and identify potential incentives or resources that may support your investment.
Submission of a pre-application is the first required step and does not guarantee approval. Only projects that receive pre-application approval may proceed to the formal application stage, with DCED.
The FCEZ Pre-Application form is linked below.
After Pre-Application Approval
If your pre-application has been approved, you will be contacted with instructions for completing the full application.
Applicants may be required to submit additional documentation, including project plans, financial information, site details, and supporting materials necessary for final review and approval.
