Financing Programs - Business Retention and Relocation Assistance Grant (BRRAG)
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IF YOU ARE: A business relocating operations within New Jersey and retaining jobs.

YOU CAN APPLY FOR: Grants of corporate business tax credits through the Business Retention and Relocation Assistance Grant (BRRAG) program.

IN THE AMOUNT OF: Up to $1,500 per job retained, payable as a tax credit against a company's corporate tax liability.

BENEFITS: The BRRAG program helps companies preserve jobs, expand operations, and reinvest in the State of New Jersey.

PROGRAM DETAILS: In order to qualify for consideration for BRRAG, a company must:

  • Relocate a minimum of 50 retained full-time jobs from one or more locations within New Jersey to a new business location or locations in the State, or substantially rehabilitate its existing facility enough to require all employees to temporarily vacate the premises and the issuance of a new Certificate of Occupancy.  New business location means the premises that the business has either purchased or built or for which the business has entered into a purchase agreement or a written lease for a period of no less than eight years from the date of relocation.
    • Recipients must maintain the relocated full-time jobs for a 5 year commitment duration; 95% of the relocated jobs must be maintained for the first 2 years and 90% of relocated jobs must be maintained for years 3,4, and 5.
    • Offer its employees healthcare benefits
    • Eligible jobs must be subject to New Jersey income tax withholdings (Pennsylvania residents are not eligible)
  • Demonstrate that the grant is a "material factor" in moving the relocation project forward in New Jersey
    • For companies relocating less than 1,500 employees, applicants must not have signed a lease, entered into a purchase contract, or otherwise committed to a site in New Jersey that will host the relocation project prior to receiving EDA Board Approval
    • For companies relocating 1,500 or more employees from outside a designated urban center to one or more new locations within a designated urban center, the "material factor" does not apply if application is received within six months of the company signing its lease or purchase agreement
  • Enter into any construction contracts associated with the project using "prevailing wage" labor rates and affirmative action requirements
  • Have operated continuously in New Jersey in whole or in part, in its current form or as a predecessor entity, for at least 10 years
    • Point-of-purchase retail facilities are excluded, as are warehouse facilities that supply a point-of-purchase retail facility exclusively.  For projects that consist of both point-of-purchase retail and non-retail facilities, the non-retail portion shall be eligible.  Catalog distribution facilities and considered eligible.


Please note: applicants can designate different companies to receive the tax credit; however, the recipients must be part of the applicant's "controlled group" approved by the EDA.  Controlled group is defined pursuant to section 1563 of the Federal Internal Revenue Code of 1986, 26 U.S.C.A. § 1563.


BRRAG recipients with unused amounts of BRRAG tax credits may sell the unused portion under the BRRAG Tax Credit Certificate Transfer Program.  For more information on the BRRAG Tax Credit Certificate Transfer Program, click here. 

FEES*:

  • Application fee for relocation of 500 or more employees: $1,000
  • Application fee for relocation of 50-499 employees: $750

Division of Taxation Tax Clearance Certificate Application Processing Fee: $75 for standard processing; $200 for expedited processing (response within three business days) 



*All fees are non-refundable.