Missouri Opportunity Zones 2.0 Program Intake Form

Welcome! Thank you for your interest in the Opportunity Zones 2.0 Program. 

The Opportunity Zones 2.0 Program (the Program) encourages long-term investment and job creation in low-income areas of the state, by allowing investors to re-invest unrealized capital gains in designated census tracts.

Opportunity Zones are low-income census tracts in which:

  • A median family income below 70% of the state (for non-metro areas) or metro (for metro areas) median; OR
  • A poverty rate of 20% or greater plus a median family income below 125% of the state or metro median.

Defines a “rural area” as any area other than: 

  •  A city or town with a population of greater than 50,000; AND 
  • An urbanized area adjacent to a city or town with a population in excess of 50,000. 

How Opportunity Zone Investments Work 

Investors who realize a capital gain from the sale of an asset, such as real estate, stock, or a business, can reinvest that gain into a Qualified Opportunity Funds (QOF) within 180 days. 

When they do: 

  • Deferral: Taxes on the original gain are deferred for up to five years. 
  • Reduction: Investors receive a 10% step-up in basis after five years, reducing the taxable portion of the original gain. 
  • Exclusion: If the investment is held for 10 years or longer, any appreciation on the new investment is tax-free. 

QOFs can finance a wide array of projects, ranging from startup operations and commercial developments to adaptive reuse of existing buildings, so long as they meet federal guidelines for eligible property and substantial improvement.

 

 

What’s New Under Opportunity Zones 2.0

Congress updated the program through the One Big Beautiful Bill Act in 2025, making it a permanent feature of the U.S. tax code requiring that OZs be redesignated every 10 years as eligibility data is updated and adding new benefits for rural and long-term investments. 

  1. Rolling Five-Year Deferral Window: Investors can now roll capital gains into QOFs at any time. Each investment receives its own five-year deferral period, replacing the previous fixed deadline system. 
  2. Enhanced Rural Benefits: A new category of Qualified Rural Opportunity Funds (QROFs) triples the step-up benefit, providing a 30% basis increase after five years for investments in qualifying rural zones. Additionally, rural projects now only need to meet a 50% substantial-improvement test instead of the full 100% requirement, allowing more flexible project rehabilitation (The 50% rule is already in effect).
  3. Greater Transparency and Reporting: Beginning in tax year 2026, the IRS and Treasury will collect and publish annual data on total dollars invested, project types, jobs created, and housing units delivered — providing a clearer picture of program impact.

 

Qualified Opportunity Zones designated under the original program remain designated through December 31, 2028. Under the Opportunity Zones 2.0 framework, new designations are expected to take effect January 1, 2027, resulting in a two-year overlap (2027–2028). 

 

Please review the information and links below for helpful resources and tips for completing your electronic submission.  

 

Getting Started - Review the Opportunity Zones 2.0 Final Regulations (IRS Notice) prior to submitting to the program to ensure your Census tract is eligible and to obtain your tract number(s). Census tract information can also be found on Missouri DED's Opportunity Zone Webpage in the Do I Qualify section. 

 

Who should create the Submittable account?  The email address of the individual creating the Submittable account will be the primary contact for communication between the Department of Economic Development (DED) and the submitter. This email address will receive notifications about submission status and will be the recipient of any questions related to your submission. 

Program Related Questions? 

Tips for working with Submittable 

  • You can save a draft of your submission if you need to come back to it later; however, once submitted your application cannot be edited.  
  • You can invite people to collaborate on your submission.
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  • We may follow up with you about your submission by email. Please be sure to safelist notification emails from Submittable and check the email you used to sign up for your Submittable account regularly.

 

Technical Submittable Questions? 

 

We look forward to working with you!

 

 

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