The Delaware Division of Small Business (DSB), in partnership with Delaware Governor Matt Meyer, has launched a new online form allowing investors, economic development professionals and government officials to nominate census tracts for the Opportunity Zone 2.0 program.
Opportunity Zones (OZ) are federally recognized census tracts designed to encourage private-sector investment in economically distressed communities. Investors who commit to long-term projects in these designated areas may qualify for significant tax incentives while helping fund development that improves local neighborhoods and economies.
State leaders say community input will be critical in determining which areas are best positioned to attract investment and drive economic growth.
“Opportunity Zones are a powerful tool for attracting investment and growing Delaware’s economy,” said Governor Matt Meyer. “But we need your help to decide which eligible census tracts are most likely to attract investment and grow our communities.”
To help guide potential applicants, DSB will host a webinar on Monday, March 9, from 11:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. The session will provide additional information about the nomination process and explain what the Division of Small Business and the Governor’s office are looking for when evaluating potential census tracts.
“The process of selecting the next round of Opportunity Zones is vital to Delaware’s economic development efforts,” said DSB Director of Special Projects Patricia Cannon. “The census tracts that are nominated should have investible assets that can be attractive to investors and have long-term positive impacts on the designated underserved communities.”
Recent federal changes included in the One Big Beautiful Bill Act made the Opportunity Zone program permanent and now require it to be updated every 10 years. Under the program, governors nominate eligible census tracts from a list provided by the U.S. Treasury Department.
The next round of Opportunity Zone designations will begin July 1, 2026, and Governor Meyer will have until September 30, 2026, to nominate 25 eligible census tracts across Delaware.
State officials are encouraging community leaders, developers, financial institutions, property owners, elected officials and potential investors to participate in the process by identifying parcels of land or development projects that could attract investment from Qualified Opportunity Zone Fund investors.
The nomination form is available online.
Once approved by the U.S. Treasury Department, the newly designated Opportunity Zones will take effect January 1, 2027.
