California Business Incentive Finder
Answer a few questions to see which GO-Biz, FTB, CDTFA and IBank business incentive programs you could qualify for, and which widely advertised programs are closed or unfunded.
California runs more than a dozen business incentive programs through GO-Biz, the Franchise Tax Board, CDTFA, CAEATFA, ETP and IBank. Three that are still widely mentioned are gone: the small-business set-aside in California Competes was eliminated, the California Competes Grant Program is unfunded, and the New Employment Credit doesn't cover 2026 hires. This tool checks your situation against the programs that are open now.
Answer these questions once to see your likely matches.
California Business Incentive Finder
Your Likely Business Incentives
How this is calculated
This tool compares your answers with each program's eligibility requirements. It can't predict an award, because most GO-Biz incentives are discretionary or competitive. The California Competes Tax Credit is open to businesses of any size or industry, with up to $820M allocated across three FY2026-27 rounds and scored on job creation and investment. The old 25% small-business set-aside was eliminated in 2018.
Sales tax and training programs
The Manufacturing & R&D Partial Sales Tax Exemption knocks 3.9375 percentage points off sales tax on qualifying equipment with no application (self-certified at purchase), while the CAEATFA exclusion is a full exclusion reserved for new/expanded manufacturing facilities and requires Board approval. The R&D credit runs 15% of qualified research expenses under the regular method.
ETP reimburses $11-$28/hour of training costs, paid only after employees complete training and stay 90+ days. Financing questions route you to IBank's loan guarantee (up to 80% of a loan) and CalCAP's loan-loss-reserve program.
Programs that are not live
The tool also flags two programs that are not open: the New Employment Credit (ended for hires after 2025) and the California Competes Grant Program (unfunded since FY2023-24).
Frequently Asked Questions
Is the California Competes Tax Credit still reserving 25% for small businesses?
No. The small-business set-aside was eliminated in 2018. Before then, 25% of the annual pool was reserved for businesses with under $2 million in gross receipts. Small businesses now compete for the same pool as everyone else under the program's 14 scoring factors.
Is the California Competes Grant Program currently accepting applications?
No. This cash-grant companion to the tax credit was proposed for funding in the 2024-25 and 2025-26 state budgets but was left out of both enacted budgets. At our last check there was no open solicitation. The most recent one was for fiscal year 2023-24.
Can I still get a tax credit for hiring new employees in California?
The New Employment Credit applies only to qualifying hires made before January 1, 2026. A hire in 2026 or later earns no credit under current law. If you hire someone who is experiencing homelessness now, or was within the prior 180 days, the separate Homeless Hiring Tax Credit is still available.
What's the difference between the manufacturing sales tax exemption and the CAEATFA exclusion?
The CDTFA manufacturing/R&D partial exemption needs no application. You give the retailer an exemption certificate when you buy qualifying equipment. The CAEATFA sales & use tax exclusion is larger, a full exclusion where CDTFA's is partial, but it requires an application and discretionary Board approval. It is meant for new or expanded advanced manufacturing facilities, not routine equipment purchases.
What if none of these programs fit my business?
Check GO-Biz's own California Business Incentives List, which tracks roughly 60 state programs across every agency, or use CalGOLD to find permits and smaller local/regional incentives specific to your city and industry.
This tool provides an educational estimate only and is not affiliated with GO-Biz, FTB, CDTFA, CAEATFA, ETP, or IBank. Program funding, application windows and eligibility rules change with each state budget. Confirm current status and deadlines with the administering agency before applying or making a business decision.