The EDGE program is designed to offer a special tax incentive to encourage companies to locate or expand operations in Illinois when there is active consideration of a competing location in another State. The program can provide tax credits to qualifying companies, equal to the amount of state income taxes withheld from the salaries of employees in the newly created jobs. The non- refundable credits can be used against corporate income taxes to be paid over a period not to exceed 10 years.  To qualify a company must provide documentation that attests to the fact of competition among a competing state, and agree to make an investment of at least $5 million in capital improvements and create a minimum of 25 new full time jobs in Illinois.  For a company with 100 or fewer employees, the company must agree to make a capital investment of $1million and create at least 5 new full time jobs in Illinois.

The HIB program is designed to encourage large-scale economic development activities, by providing tax incentives (similar to those offered within an enterprise zone) to companies that propose to make a substantial capital investment in operations and will create or retain above average number of jobs. Businesses may qualify for: investment tax credits, a state sales tax exemption on building materials, an exemption from state sales tax on utilities, a state sales tax exemption on purchases of personal property used or consumed in the manufacturing process or in the operation of a pollution control facility. The project must involve a minimum of $12 million investment causing the creation of 500 full-time jobs or an investment of $30 million causing the retention of 1500 full-time jobs. The investment must take place at a designated location in Illinois outside of an Enterprise Zone.  The program has been expanded to include qualified new electric generating facility, production operations at a new coal mine or, a new or upgraded transmission facility that supports the creation of 150 Illinois coal-mining jobs, or a newly constructed gasification facility as a "Coal/Energy High Impact Businesses". In 2009, the program was further expanded to include wind energy facilities. The designation as a Wind Energy/High Impact Business is contingent on the business constructing a new electric generation facility or expanding an existing wind power facility.  “New wind power facility” means a newly constructed electric generation facility, or a newly constructed expansion of an existing electric generation facility, placed in service on or after July 1, 2009, that generates electricity using wind energy devices.  “New wind energy device” means any device, with a nameplate capacity of at least 0.5 megawatts, that is used in the process of converting kinetic energy from the wind to generate electricity.

The Illinois New Markets Development Program provides supplemental funding for investment entities that have been approved for the Federal New Markets Tax Credit (NMTC) program. This program will support small and developing businesses by making capital funds more easily available and will make Illinois more attractive to possible investors.

The NMTC program provides state and federal tax credits to investors that make investments into approved funds, which will make investments in eligible projects located in low income census tracks throughout Illinois.

The program provides non-refundable tax credits to investors in qualifying Community Development Entities (CDE’s) worth 39% of the equity investment made into the CDE over a 7 year credit allowance period.

The purpose of the River Edge Redevelopment Program is to revive and redevelop environmentally challenged properties adjacent to rivers in Illinois.

The River Edge Redevelopment Zone Act authorizes DCEO to designate zones in three cities – Aurora, East St. Louis and Rockford.