VEDA acts as a conduit issuer, thereby enabling eligible borrowers to access the tax-exempt market. Revenue bonds are generally appropriate for qualified projects in excess of $1 million; The maximum amount of tax-exempt bonds that can be issued for any project is $10 million.
Eligibility
- Manufacturers engaged in the production of tangible personal property;
- Total capital investment cannot exceed $20 million in the project municipality during the period including the three years prior to, and the three years following, the date of issue; and
- Federal tax code provisions must be complied with to assure eligibility for tax-exempt financing; please contact VEDA for more complete information.
Use of Proceeds
- Must be used for the acquisition of capital assets directly related to manufacturing, including:
- Land acquisition, up to 25% of bond proceeds;
- Construction of new manufacturing facility;
- Purchase of new equipment;
- Purchase of existing real property, provided that at least 15% of the bond amount will be spent for renovations within 24 months of the date of bond issuance; and
- Refinancing is not an eligible use of funds.
Bond Terms
- Payment terms and security requirements are negotiated between the borrower and the bond purchaser. The bonds are not guaranteed by the State of Vermont or VEDA; therefore, marketability of the bonds is based on the creditworthiness of the user company; and
- The bonds may be sold through a public offering or privately placed with financial institutions (usually banks) or other institutional investors.
Fees
- Issuance fees are:
- 0.625% of the bond face amount;
- 0.25% for refunding issues; and
- Borrower is also responsible for bond and issuer counsel fees incurred in connection with the issuance of a bond.
Application Process
- All applications must be considered by the VEDA Board for approval. This is a two-step process:
- Preliminary approval (Inducement) must be obtained before any significant project expenditures are made; and
- Final approval may be granted when applicant has received permits for the project and bond documents have been finalized.
- Applications may be downloaded or obtained at the VEDA office; and
- Applicants are advised to discuss their proposed project with VEDA staff prior to submitting the application.


