Thank you for your interest in Haskell, Texas. Applications for incentive or assistance from the DCOH must be approved by both the DCOH Board of Directors and, in some cases, the Haskell City Council.  All incentives or assistance must be contractually tied to certain performance criteria on the part of the requesting entity under Texas law. Before a project may be considered and awarded any funds, the following application must be completed and submitted to the DCOH office.

Please contact the DCOH at (940) 864-3424 for more information about our financial incentive program.

Download Application

The Development Corporation of Haskell is a Type A board with some Type B powers under Texas law and has authority to assist with the following areas:

• manufacturing and industrial facilities, recycling facilities, distribution centers, and small warehouse facilities;
• research and development facilities, regional or national corporate headquarters facilities, primary job training facilities operated by higher education institutions, job training classes, telephone call centers and career centers not located within a junior college taxing district;
• certain infrastructure improvements that promote or develop new or expanded business enterprises; aviation facilities;
• commuter rail, light rail or commuter bus operations;
• maintenance and operating costs associated with projects.

Quality of life improvements related to land, buildings, equipment, facilities, targeted infrastructure and improvements for:
• professional and amateur sports and athletic facilities, tourism and entertainment facilities, convention facilities and public parks;
• related store, restaurant, concession, parking and transportation facilities; related street, water and sewer facilities; and
• affordable housing.

Download Storefront Development Program Application

Helpful Links

Additional Business Resources

State of Texas Governor’s Small Business Resource Portal – Resources for starting a small business in Texas.
SCORE Business Templates – Business Plans, Financials, Marketing documents and more.
Abilene’s Small Business Development Center at Texas Tech – They will help you with a comprehensive business plan free of charge.
The U.S. Small Business Administration – They have loans available for starting or expanding a business.
West Central Texas Council of Governments – They have a Revolving Loan Fund through the USDA for approved small and emerging rural businesses in their region.

Local Banks
• First Bank Texas
• First State Bank
• Haskell National Bank
• Vista Bank

Opportunity Zones

Haskell has several opportunity zones to help incentivize your project. See interactive map here or search by our track number 48207950300.

Qualified Opportunity Zones were created by the 2017 Tax Cuts and Jobs Act. These zones are designed to spur economic development and job creation in distressed communities throughout the country and U.S. possessions by providing tax benefits to investors who invest eligible capital into these communities. Taxpayers may defer tax on eligible capital gains by making an appropriate investment in a Qualified Opportunity Fund and meeting other requirements.

More information can be found here: https://gov.texas.gov/business/page/opportunity-zones

Click here to see opportunity zones

State Incentives

The following list identifies many of the economic development incentives potentially available. In addition to the local incentives, the Development Corporation of Haskell can assist businesses in gaining the maximum benefit from state, federal, and other government entities incentives programs.

Texas Enterprise Fund
The Texas Enterprise Fund (TEF) is the largest “deal-closing” fund of its kind in the nation. The fund is a cash grant used as a financial incentive tool for projects that offer significant projected job creation and capital investment and where a single Texas site is competing with another viable out-of-state option. Since its inception in 2004, the TEF has awarded over 100 grants totaling more than $500 million across a wide variety of industries and projects. Projects that meet the fund criteria may apply for this incentive in addition to local incentives provided by the city.

Texas Enterprise Zone Program
The Texas Enterprise Zone Program is an economic development tool for local communities to partner with the State of Texas to promote job creation and capital investment in economically distressed areas of the state. Designated projects are eligible to apply for state sales and use tax refunds on qualified expenditures. The level and amount of refund is related to the capital investment and jobs created or retained at the qualified business site.

Manufacturing Exemptions
Manufacturing Exemptions provide state sales and use tax exemptions to taxpayers who manufacture, fabricate or process tangible property for sale. The exemption generally applies to tangible personal property that becomes an ingredient or component of an item manufactured for sale, as well as taxable services performed on a manufactured product to make it more marketable.

Freeport Exemptions
A Freeport exemption is a property tax exemption. Freeport property includes goods detained in Texas for 175 days or less before they are transported out of Texas. The exemption applies to goods, wares, ores and merchandise other than oil, gas and petroleum products (defined as liquid and gaseous materials immediately derived from refining petroleum or natural gas) and to aircraft or repair parts used by a certified air carrier. Goods must be in Texas for assembling, storing, manufacturing, repair, maintenance, processing or fabricating purposes. Currently, businesses located in the Abilene Independent School District may utilize this exemption.

Data Center Incentive
Texas is ideally positioned for data center operations. The state is centrally located and has access to talented, experienced high tech workers. A data center exemption applies to state sales and use tax on certain items necessary and essential to the operation of a qualified data center. The exemption is for state sales tax only. Local sales taxes are due on purchases of these qualifying items.

Workforce Development Incentives

Skills Development Fund
The Skills Development Fund is Texas’ premier job-training program providing local customized training opportunities for Texas businesses and workers to increase skill levels and wages of the Texas workforce. The Texas Workforce Commission administers funding for the program. Success is achieved through collaboration among businesses, public community and technical colleges, Workforce Development Boards and economic development partners.

Self Sufficiency Fund
The Self Sufficiency program provides grants to community and technical colleges and community-based organizations to implement customized job training programs in cooperation with employers, to help low-income individuals and those receiving public assistance achieve self-sufficiency and independence.