Strategic Business Investment Division

Program Origin:
The Ohio Job Ready Sites (JRS) Program, authorized by Ohio’s voters under Issue 1 in 2005, was created to bolster the State’s inventory of available facility locations served by utility and transportation infrastructure.  Sites improved under the program are kept at-the-ready for future business prospects seeking locations for new or expanded operations. 

Program Concept:
The State will sell $150 million in bonds during a seven-year period to fund the availability of JRS Program grant awards.  Each grant is capped at $5 million and may be used to offset costs traditionally incurred in industrial and commercial site development, from acquisition of real property to utility upgrades to construction build-out of speculative facilities.
Funds are directed strategically to achieve two equally important objectives: (1) to create sites filling gaps in Ohio’s current site inventory and (2) to foster unique, catalytic re-investments in developed areas of the State.  As such, JRS Program funds are available each year to a limited number of sites that offer Ohio’s best opportunities for future large-scale development and/or re-use. 

Obtaining Funds:
Grants are awarded to applicants through both a competitive application processand via direct application to the Director of the Ohio Department of Development (ODOD). 

Under the competitive application process, an applicant submits materials describing site ownership, layout, and the proposed plan for improvements.  Application are first evaluated by the State’s District Public Works Integrating Committees (DPWIC).  The DPWICs then forward the application to ODOD for review.  ODOD convenes a review committee of agency staff, subject matter experts, and site selection/engineering consultants to evaluate each application and conduct site visits, selecting those projects best positioned to acheive the program's goals.

The Director’s discretionary allocation process makes funds available to improvesites for speedy development by identified large-scale end users which intend to occupy the properties.  During the Second Funding Round (FY08&09), discretionary projects were directed through the competitive application process.

Program’s First Funding Round (FY06&07):

A team comprised of ODOD staff and professionals from The Austin Company, a Cleveland-based nationally recognized site selection and engineering firm, reviewed a total of 63 qualified applications (52 competitive and 11 discretionary applications) submitted for the program’s first funding round.  After a comprehensive review and scoring process during the period September to December 2006, the team identified twenty projects for funding assistance, awarding a total $60 million at an average $3 million grant per project.  Funded projects included those proposing to create sites of 200+ acres, with rail service, for large-scale manufacturing; 1,000+ acres for so-called “mega” manufacturing for use by steel mills, auto assembly plants and similar large end users; and research and development and “smart” office parks each comprised of at least 150,000 sq ft. of commercial space.

Round 1 (FY06&07) Materials 

- Guidelines (pdf)
- JRS Application Scoring Sheet (DPWIC) (pdf)
- JRS Application Scoring Sheet (ODOD) (pdf)
- 2006/2007 Approved Projects - List (pdf) 

Program's Second Funding Round (FY08&09) (In-Progress):

New to the program's review process, ODOD offered a pre-application for completion by eligible entities seeking feedback from the Ohio Department of Development (ODOD) as to the relative strengths and merits of potential JRS projects.  Pre-applications were submitted to ODOD directly for review.  ODOD provided feedback to 88 pre-applicants.

A 25-member review committee comprised of ODOD staff and professionals andsubject matter experts outside of the agency, as well as The Austin Company, reviewed a total of 54 qualified competitive applications (no distriction between competitive and discretionary applications was made this round) for Round 2.  Application review occurred between May 15 and September 12, 2008.

ODOD is making its final consideration on applications and plans to make awards mid-November.  $48.5 million in JRS funds are availble for this round.Program's Third Funding Round (FY10):ODOD hopes to begin this funding round late fall 2009.  $15 million in JRS fundsare available for this round.