The Lancaster City Alliance recently recognized four city businesses that have been awarded more than $220,000 in 2022 Keystone Innovation Zone (KIZ) tax credits. The program is in place to encourage innovation and cultivate entrepreneurs in key industry sectors, including high technology, life sciences, business services and advanced materials/diversified manufacturing. Lancaster City Alliance is the state-designated coordinating agency for the KIZ tax credit program in Lancaster.

This year's awardees are Creative Coding Group Inc., $22,975; Pipedream Marketing Inc., $77,546.00; Triode Media Group, LTD, $21,307; and VIZpin Inc., $100,000, which is the award maximum.

The KIZ Program is administered by the Pennsylvania Department of Community & Economic Development, and Lancaster is one of 29 KIZ regions in Pennsylvania. It is an incentive program that provides tax credits to qualified small businesses in existence for fewer than eight years. For a map of the Lancaster City KIZ and to learn how businesses may qualify for the program, visit http://www.lancastercityalliance.org.

Lancaster City Alliance also manages the Building On Strength Economic Development Strategic Plan for the city and has worked to align the city's KIZ locations with the same areas identified in the Building On Strength Plan to encourage investment. This strategy aims to provide better coordination of services and maximize impact for the city and its growing entrepreneurial community.