Tax Increment Financing

What is Tax Increment Financing?

Tax Increment Financing (TIF) is a powerful economic development tool used to fund infrastructure and close financing gaps on projects that wouldn’t otherwise happen. It works by capturing the future increase in property tax revenue generated by a development and reinvesting it back into that project.

In practical terms: TIF helps make projects financially viable—whether that’s housing, redevelopment, or commercial growth—without raising taxes.

Diagram illustrating how Tax Increment Financing (TIF) captures increased property value over time.

Deep Knowledge of 2026 Legislative Changes

TIF isn’t static—and if you’re not keeping up, you’re doing it wrong.

I stay actively engaged with South Dakota’s evolving TIF statutes, including the 2026 legislative updates, which impact:

Eligibility criteria
Structuring and timelines
Allowable project costs
Compliance and approval processes

That means your project isn’t just submitted—it’s structured correctly from day one to withstand scrutiny from:

Planning Commission
City Council
Legal review

You can find the latest changes here: 2026 Legislative Changes for TIF

Am I qualified under the new law to prepare a TIF plan? YES

Tax Increment Financing Experience and Qualifications

Great Plains Development provides experienced support for communities, developers, and public entities using Tax Increment Financing as a tool to make viable development projects possible.

South Dakota’s updated TIF laws have created additional expectations for project plans, financial review, transparency, and demonstrated expertise. These changes make it more important than ever to work with someone who understands not only how TIF works, but how to structure a project so it can withstand public, financial, and governing body review.

I am a Certified Economic Development Finance Professional with GROW America, and have more than 20 years of economic development experience, including 16 years with the Watertown Development Company and regional experience with the First District Association of Local Governments.

I have personally prepared and filed 16 Tax Increment Financing districts in South Dakota, supporting projects involving:

Senior housing
Affordable and workforce housing
Redevelopment of underutilized properties
Commercial and retail development
Infrastructure-supported growth
Public-private development partnerships

Under South Dakota’s 2026 updated TIF requirements, independent third-party review may be completed by a registered municipal advisor, licensed CPA, or an independent third party with demonstrated experience in tax increment financing and municipal finance. My background includes direct, hands-on experience preparing TIF project plans, evaluating project feasibility, working with municipalities, coordinating with developers, and helping projects move through the public approval process.

This experience allows me to assist with:

TIF district evaluation
Project plan preparation
Financial feasibility review
Project cost analysis
Increment projections
Developer agreement support
Public process preparation
Planning Commission and City Council presentation support
Independent third-party review, when no conflict of interest exists

Whether preparing a TIF plan or reviewing a project independently, the focus is the same:

Make sure the numbers work, the structure is sound, the process is transparent, and the project is positioned to move forward.

Why This Matters For Your Project

Most TIF proposals fail for one of three reasons:

They’re poorly structured
They don’t meet statutory requirements
They lack a clear financial justification

I eliminate those risks.

You get a TIF plan that is:

Strategically structured
Legally compliant
Financially defensible
Positioned for approval isn’t static—and if you’re not keeping up, you’re doing it wrong.