Business Loans, Start-Up Funding & Gap Financing in Scotts Bluff County, Nebraska
These are the loan, lending, and business-capital programs that operate in Scotts Bluff County. Each entry names the administering body and links its first-party page; the interactive map matches them to a specific parcel or business location.
Community Development Block Grant (CDBG)- Nebraska State-Administered Small Cities Program (state) - Acquisition of real property (an eligible CDBG activity), Demolition / clearance of slum and blight structures, Disposition of acquired property, Owner-occupied housing rehabilitation for LMI households (roofs, HVAC, ele. Amounts: Varies by category. Downtown Revitalization: $250,000 minimum to $435,000 maximum (2025-26 cycle; Scottsbluff received $435,000 in 2025). Pu. Administered by Nebraska Department of Economic Development. Program page.
CDBG Downtown Revitalization (DTR) (federal) - Downtown commercial building facade rehabilitation, Historic restoration of downtown structures, Removal of architectural/accessibility barriers, Business facade, signage, and code-compliance loans/grants, Downtown publi. Amounts: DTR implementation: minimum award $250,000; maximum CDBG project activity $400,000 (per the 2025 Application Guidelines opportunity chart; A. Administered by Federal CDBG. Program page.
Community Development Assistance Act (CDAA) Tax Credit (state) - Physical facility and neighborhood development services (building/facility improvements supporting eligible services), Employment/job training programs, Human services, medical services, day care, in-home services, emerg. Amounts: 40% state tax credit on eligible contributions. Minimum eligible contribution: $50. DED will not authorize more than $50,000 of tax credits. Administered by Nebraska Department of Economic Development. Program page.
ImagiNE Nebraska Act (successor to the Nebraska Advantage Act) (state) - Investment tax credit (4% standard; 7% at higher tiers / $10M+ manufacturing investment) on qualified new investment in buildings, improvements to real property, and equipment, Wage credit (4%-9% of new-employee compensa. Amounts: Benefit value scales with project size; no fixed dollar cap per applicant, but credits/refunds are limited by the statewide annual 'base aut. Administered by Jointly administered by the Nebraska Department of Economic Development. Program page.
Nebraska Advantage Microenterprise Tax Credit (Microenterprise Tax Credit Act) (state) - New depreciable asset / building purchases located in Nebraska (incl. net lease increase, capped at 10 years of lease term), Repairs and maintenance of Nebraska business property (this is the hook for redeveloping/rehabb. Amounts: Credit = 20% of the combined increase in new investment + new employment over the base year, measured across the year of application and the. Administered by Nebraska Department of Revenue. Program page.
Nebraska Historic Tax Credit (NHTC) (state) - Rehabilitation/restoration construction and hard costs meeting the Secretary of the Interior's Standards for Rehabilitation, Architectural, engineering, and design fees, Accounting and legal fees tied to the rehab, Costs. Amounts: Credit = 20% of eligible rehabilitation expenditures. Per-project cap of $2 million in credits. Statewide annual allocation of $2 million (a. Administered by Jointly administered by History Nebraska / Nebraska State Historical Society. Program page.
NIFA Homebuyer Assistance Program (HBA)- down-payment/closing-cost second mortgage, layered on a NIFA First Home or Welcome Home first mortgage (state) - Down payment on an owner-occupied primary residence purchase, Closing costs / prepaid items, Paired with a NIFA first-mortgage (First Home, First Home Targeted, or Welcome Home)- Conventional, FHA, USDA Rural Development. Amounts: Second mortgage = up to 5% of the home's purchase price, capped at $10,000. Buyer must contribute a minimum of $1,000 of their own funds. Fi. Administered by Nebraska Investment Finance Authority. Program page.
Federal Low-Income Housing Tax Credit (LIHTC, 9% and 4%) + Nebraska Affordable Housing Tax Credit (AHTC) (state) - New construction of affordable rental housing, Acquisition plus substantial rehabilitation of existing rental housing (incl. distressed/older buildings), Rehabilitation/preservation of existing affordable units, Adaptive. Amounts: No fixed per-project dollar cap published; NIFA awards only the amount of combined federal LIHTC + state AHTC "necessary to make the project. Administered by Nebraska Investment Finance Authority. Program page.
Nebraska Affordable Housing Trust Fund (NAHTF) (state) - Homebuyer new construction (single-family for-sale units), Purchase/Rehab/Resale (PRR) of existing units for resale to income-eligible homebuyers, Homebuyer (down payment / closing cost) assistance, secured by Deed of Tr. Amounts: Housing Development: up to $750,000 total for Primary plus Support Activities (excludes General Administration, Housing Management, and Lead. Administered by Nebraska Department of Economic Development. Program page.
Dollar and Energy Saving Loans (DESL) (state) - Insulation (attic, roof, ceiling, wall), weather-stripping, air sealing, Replacement windows, doors, siding, HVAC: high-efficiency furnaces, air conditioners, heat pumps, boilers, Water heating systems, ENERGY STAR appli. Amounts: Loan caps by borrower/project type: $125,000 (1-2 family dwellings); $250,000 (multifamily 3+ units and telecom projects); $500,000 (busines. Administered by Nebraska Department of Water, Energy, and Environment. Program page.
City of Gering- LB840 Economic Development Fund (Economic Development Grant/Loan) (city) - Forgivable loans (grants) to qualifying businesses for fixed assets and/or working capital, Non-forgivable low-interest loans with repayment terms (committee may split an award into part grant/forgivable, part loan), Loa. Amounts: Variable; sized to project need and job impact. Recent awards range from a ~$13,000 forgivable-over-5-years loan (16th Empire restaurant, co. Administered by City of Gering, Nebraska. Program page.
City of Scottsbluff- LB840 Local Option Municipal Economic Development Fund (city) - Direct loans or grants to qualifying businesses for fixed assets and/or working capital, Forgivable loans tied to job-creation/performance (committee may split an award part-grant/forgivable, part-repayable non-forgivabl. Amounts: Small Business Assistance: historically capped at $10,000 or 50% of project cost; raised by 2025 amendment to a maximum of $25,000 per busin. Administered by City of Scottsbluff Economic Development Department. Program page.
Opportunity Zone Investment Incentive (Qualified Opportunity Fund capital-gains tax incentive)- OZ 1.0 (2018) and OZ 2.0 (OBBBA 2025) (federal) - Acquisition of real property (land and buildings) inside a designated OZ tract, when bought by/contributed to a QOF, New construction / ground-up development on OZ parcels, Substantial rehabilitation of existing building. Amounts: No fixed dollar amount or award- the benefit scales with the investor's deferred capital gain and the project's appreciation. Value = (a) de. Administered by Federal tax incentive administered by the IRS / U.S. Treasury. Program page.
USDA Single Family Housing Direct Home Loan (Section 502 Direct) (federal) - Purchase of an existing modest single-family home (owner-occupied), New construction of a home, Repair, renovation, or rehabilitation of a home being purchased, Relocation of a home, Purchase and preparation of a site, i. Amounts: No fixed program cap; the maximum loan equals the lesser of the applicant's repayment ability and the USDA area loan limit for the county wh. Administered by USDA Rural Development, Rural Housing Service. Program page.
USDA Single Family Housing Repair Loans & Grants (Section 504) (federal) - Roof, foundation, and structural repairs, Health and safety hazard removal (electrical wiring, plumbing, heating/HVAC), Accessibility improvements for elderly/disabled (ramps, grab bars, widened doors), Modernization of. Amounts: Loan: up to $40,000 maximum outstanding balance. Grant: up to $10,000 lifetime (raised to $15,000 in presidentially declared disaster areas). Administered by USDA Rural Development. Program page.
USDA Water and Waste Disposal Loan and Grant Program (Water & Environmental Programs / WEP) (federal) - Drinking water systems: source, treatment, storage, distribution, Sanitary sewer collection, transmission, treatment, and disposal, Solid waste collection, disposal, and landfill closure, Storm water collection, transmis. Amounts: No fixed cap on the core loan/grant- amount is set by project need and financial feasibility. Direct loans repaid over the useful life of th. Administered by USDA Rural Development, Rural Utilities Service. Program page.
USDA Community Facilities Direct Loan and Grant Program (CF Direct) (federal) - Acquisition (purchase) of real estate/sites and existing buildings for an essential community facility, New construction of essential community facilities, Rehabilitation/improvement and expansion of existing community f. Amounts: No statutory per-project cap on direct loans; loans commonly range from roughly $50,000 to $10,000,000+ subject to annual appropriations and. Administered by USDA Rural Development. Program page.
USDA Rural Energy for America Program (REAP) - Renewable Energy Systems & Energy Efficiency Improvement Grants and Guaranteed Loans (federal) - Renewable energy systems: commercial/agricultural solar PV generation, Wind generation, Geothermal (electric and direct-use), Small hydropower (under 30 MW), Biomass / biofuels (biodiesel, ethanol, anaerobic digesters, s. Amounts: Renewable energy system grants: $2,500 minimum to $1,000,000 maximum. Energy efficiency improvement grants: $1,500 minimum to $500,000 maxim. Administered by USDA Rural Development, Rural Business-Cooperative Service. Program page.
USDA Rural Business Development Grant (RBDG) (federal) - Acquisition or development of land, easements, or rights-of-way (Enterprise grants), Construction, conversion, or renovation of buildings; plants, machinery, equipment, Access streets/roads, parking areas, utilities, wat. Amounts: Typically $10,000 to $500,000 per award; statutorily no maximum, but smaller requests score higher (requests under $100,000 receive the top. Administered by U.S. Department of Agriculture, Rural Development, Rural Business-Cooperative.... Program page.
USDA Business and Industry (B&I) Guaranteed Loan Program (OneRD Guarantee Loan Initiative) (federal) - Purchase and development of land, buildings, and associated infrastructure for commercial or industrial property (directly applicable to acquiring/redeveloping a low-value parcel), Building construction, conversion, enla. Amounts: Loans (and thus guarantees) up to $25,000,000 per borrower (higher amounts possible only by Administrator exception, e.g., up to $40M for ce. Administered by USDA Rural Development, Rural Business-Cooperative Service. Program page.
SBA Microloan Program (via Nebraska intermediaries: Nebraska Enterprise Fund and Community Development Resources) (federal) - Working capital, Inventory and supplies, Furniture and fixtures, Machinery and equipment, Leasehold/business improvements (CDR lists 'improvements'); for home-based businesses, renovation of the business-dedicated portio. Amounts: $500/$1,000 minimum up to $50,000 maximum (SBA cap). Nationwide average microloan is about $13,000. CDR Nebraska: $1,000-$50,000. NEF direct. Administered by U.S. Small Business Administration. Program page.
SBA 504 / CDC Loan Program (Certified Development Company Loan) (federal) - Owner-occupied commercial real estate acquisition, Building construction and renovation/modernization, Land and land improvements, Long-term machinery and equipment, Eligible debt refinancing. Amounts: CDC/SBA debenture (the 504 second-lien portion) covers up to 40% of total project cost. NEDCO range $50,000 minimum; SBA debenture max $5.0. Administered by U.S. Small Business Administration. Program page.
SBA 7(a) Loan Program (federal) - Acquisition of commercial real estate and buildings (purchase of a parcel/lot or building for owner-occupied business use), Construction of new buildings / ground-up development on a parcel, Renovation, improvement, and. Amounts: Up to $5 million per 7(a) loan (SBA Express and Export Express variants cap at $500,000). SBA's maximum guaranty exposure is $3.75 million.. Administered by U.S. Small Business Administration. Program page.
HUD Section 108 Loan Guarantee Program (via Nebraska DED for non-entitlement communities) (federal) - Acquisition of real property / site assembly, Clearance, demolition, and site improvements, Rehabilitation of publicly or privately owned buildings, Construction of public facilities and infrastructure tied to redevelopm. Amounts: Typically $500,000 to $140,000,000 (project scale); for small Nebraska communities, capped by ~5x the available CDBG pledge.. Administered by U.S. HUD. Program page.
Section 4 Capacity Building for Community Development and Affordable Housing (LISC / Enterprise / Habitat) (federal) - Organizational capacity building, staffing and training for CDCs/CHDOs, Predevelopment and development assistance (site analysis, feasibility, deal structuring), Grants and low-cost loans to CDCs/CHDOs for project predev. Amounts: Typically small-to-moderate capacity grants (often $10,000s to low six figures) plus predevelopment loans.. Administered by U.S. HUD funds three national intermediaries. Program page.
FHA 203(k) Rehabilitation Mortgage Insurance (Standard and Limited) (federal) - Acquisition + rehabilitation of a 1-4 unit owner-occupied home in one loan, Structural repairs, additions, modernization (Standard 203(k)), Non-structural repairs and improvements up to the Limited cap (Limited 203(k)),. Amounts: Up to FHA county loan limits for the area; Limited 203(k) rehab portion capped at $75,000 (up to $50,000 in QOZs under prior guidance; confi. Administered by U.S. HUD / Federal Housing Administration. Program page.
USDA Single Family Housing Guaranteed Loan Program (Section 502 Guaranteed) (federal) - Purchase of an existing eligible rural home (100% financing, no down payment), Purchase + qualifying repairs/improvements (limited rehab rolled into the loan), New construction of a primary residence, Relocation of a dwe. Amounts: Based on appraised value/borrower qualification (100% financing); no fixed program cap but limited by repayment ability and modest-home stan. Administered by USDA Rural Development. Program page.
EPA Brownfields Revolving Loan Fund (federal) - Cleanup loans. Administered by EPA RLF held by an EDD.
New Markets Tax Credit (federal) - Below-market redevelopment financing. Administered by Treasury CDFI Fund via CDEs.
Federal Historic Rehabilitation Tax Credit (20%) (federal) - 20% credit on certified historic rehab. Administered by NPS and Nebraska SHPO.
Rural Workforce Housing Fund (RWHF)- Nebraska DED, with NIFA Rural Workforce Housing Match Program (state) - New owner-occupied housing (cost cap, recently $325, 000/unit), New rental housing units (cost cap, recently $250, 000/unit), Substantial rehab where cost to rehab exceeds 50% of a unit's assessed value, Upper-story (dow. Amounts: Statewide RWHF rounds historically ~$10M-$20M; NIFA RWH match up to $250,000 per recipient and not more than 33% of total proposed investmen. Administered by Nebraska Department of Economic Development. Program page.
Nebraska Voluntary Cleanup Program (VCP)- Brownfields liability resolution (state) - State regulatory oversight and review of investigation and cleanup, Issuance of a No Further Action / closure letter, Liability/comfort protection enabling lender and buyer confidence (not cash for the cleanup itself). Amounts: No grant; applicant pays a $2,000 application fee plus a $3,000 initial oversight deposit (oversight billed against deposit). Cleanup costs. Administered by Nebraska Department of Water, Energy and Environment. Program page.
Panhandle Area Development District (PADD) Revolving Loan Fund (RLF) (regional) - Real estate / land acquisition, Building purchase, Building renovation and rehabilitation, Machinery and equipment, Working capital and inventory, Business startup, expansion, and ownership transition. Amounts: Gap financing typically a minority share of total project cost (RLFs commonly cap gap participation around 25-40% of project); exact ceiling. Administered by Panhandle Area Development District. Program page.
Trusted Community Development (TCD) Revolving Loan Fund (regional) - Building purchase, Equipment, Restocking / supplies and inventory, Expansion and improvement projects, Gap funding to complement other financing. Amounts: No published minimum; maximum set by TCD. Favorable terms advertised (low interest, reasonable monthly payments, minimal fees). Confirm curr. Administered by Trusted Community Development. Program page.
Trusted Community Development (TCD) Microbusiness Lending Program (regional) - Small-business startup costs, Working capital, Equipment, Inventory, Small real estate / building improvement projects for micro-enterprises. Amounts: Microloan scale (typically under ~$50,000, consistent with micro-enterprise lending); program has placed $23M+ in loans cumulatively since 1. Administered by Trusted Community Development. Program page.
Center for Rural Affairs- Small Business / Rural Microenterprise Lending (USDA RMAP intermediary) (regional) - Real estate acquisition and improvement, Equipment and supplies, Inventory, Working capital, Debt refinancing, Business startup and expansion. Amounts: Loan products $1,000-$250,000 (RMAP microloans under $50,000). Terms up to 10 years; interest at least 1%. Flexible underwriting for thin/no. Administered by Center for Rural Affairs. Program page.
FHLBank Community Development Program (CDP) Advances (below-market commercial/economic-development loans) (regional) - Commercial real estate acquisition/redevelopment, Small business expansion tied to a property, Mixed-use and downtown commercial projects, Economic development loans that create/retain jobs or serve targeted areas. Amounts: Minimum CDP advance $10,000; no fixed cap (sized to the underlying loan). Maturities from 4 months to 30 years.. Administered by Federal Home Loan Bank. Program page.
PREMA REDLG Revolving Loan Fund (USDA Rural Economic Development Loan & Grant pass-through) (utility) - Business start-up and expansion (fixed assets, buildings, equipment), Community facility projects, Job-creating economic development projects, Working capital tied to job creation. Amounts: Up to 80% of project costs (the remaining 20% from the borrower or local utility). Zero percent interest on first-time loans; repayment may. Administered by Panhandle Rural Electric Membership Association. Program page.
Nebraska Property Tax Credits (School District + Community College) (state) - Automatic credit against school district property taxes on the tax statement, Refundable income-tax credit for community college property taxes paid (Form PTC). Amounts: Set annually from the statewide pools; the school credit shows as a line on the property tax statement.. Administered by Nebraska Department of Revenue. Program page.
How matching works
Pick any parcel in Scottsbluff, Gering, Terrytown, Mitchell, Minatare, Morrill, Lyman, Melbeta, Henry, or McGrew and the map runs its facts- zoning, use, overlays (TIF/CRA, CDBG low-to-moderate-income areas), and project details- through a deterministic eligibility engine. Every answer cites a first-party authority.
Program facts summarize each administering body's published materials; follow the program links for current deadlines and rules.
Common questions
How many programs does this cover in Scotts Bluff County?
39 programs are listed on this page (city, federal, regional, state, utility). Each names the office that runs it and links that office's own page. The list is rebuilt from the funding catalog every time the site publishes, so it does not go stale between updates.
Does it cost anything to use this?
No. The program list, the parcel map, and the matching are free to use, with no account and no sign-up. Build Scotts Bluff charges only automated AI agents that call the data API.
Who do I contact to apply?
7 of these are run locally or regionally, so that is usually the first call. Every entry above names its administering body and links its program page; apply through that office, not through this site.
How do I know which ones my property qualifies for?
Open the map, pick the parcel, and the eligibility engine runs that lot's own facts -- zoning, use, and overlays such as TIF/CRA and CDBG low-to-moderate-income areas -- against each program's published rules. Every answer cites a first-party authority.