Kasuga City Local Specialty Product Development Subsidy

(1) Overview: Kasuga City (a residential city in central Fukuoka metropolitan area) launches the Local Specialty Product Development Subsidy to revitalise the local economy, promote the city's appeal and brand power, and grow furusato-nozei (hometown-tax) donations by helping local businesses develop new specialty products. Candidates are selected through a competition: applicants submit a project proposal that is reviewed and scored by an external committee. (2) Eligible recipients: corporations, cooperatives, associations or individuals that (i) have or plan to set up a business location in Kasuga City and will develop a product that can become a local specialty, (ii) are or will register as a Kasuga Hometown-Donation Sponsor Company before starting the project, (iii) intend to supply the developed product as a furusato-nozei return gift for at least three years after the fiscal year of the grant decision, (iv) agree to periodic consultations with the city to reflect the city's intent, (v) have been in business for at least three years since founding, (vi) have no municipal-tax arrears, and (vii) are not religious corporations, political organisations, sex-related businesses or anti-social forces. (3) Eligible expenses and benefit content: Schedule 1 lists 13 expense categories — product planning & development (incl. preliminary research), raw materials, ingredient analysis & inspection, rent of land/buildings (only between grant decision and project completion), removal of facilities/equipment, facility refurbishment, machinery/equipment, trademark registration, supplies, communications & utilities, PR (excluding crowdfunding-related), design, and any other expense the Mayor approves. Costs already supported by other subsidies, costs incurred before the grant decision, and payments to national/local taxes & charges are excluded. Project completion period: from the grant decision date through 30 June 2027. (4) Subsidy rate, ceiling, schedule and application points: subsidy = (eligible expenses × 2/3, capped at JPY 30,000,000) + (donations raised via furusato-nozei portal crowdfunding × 1/2, capped at eligible expenses × 1/3). Crowdfunding is optional. Schedule: participation statement 1–17 Jul 2026; project proposal 1 Jul – 21 Aug 2026; questions accepted until 10 Jul; FAQ posted 15 Jul; first-round result notified 18 Sep; second-round (in-person) interview 28 Sep; final result 1 Oct 2026. Even when only one applicant applies, the proposal must score ≥ 60 % of the perfect 500-point scale to be selected. Contact: Kasuga City Secretariat & PR Section, 092-584-1111.