Construction, Public Works & Infrastructure Funding in Scotts Bluff County, Nebraska
Infrastructure and construction money for local governments and developers in Scotts Bluff County: public works, utilities, community facilities, and site development.
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, electr. 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 (DED) administers HUD CDBG funds for all non-entitlement Nebraska communities (every county/incorporated municipality except the entitlement cities of Omaha, Lincoln, Bellevue, and Grand Island). 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 public in. 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 (HUD) dollars administered by the Nebraska Department of Economic Development (DED), CDBG Assistance Team, 245 Fallbrook Blvd, Suite 002, Lincoln, NE 68521. Program page.
CDBG Area Benefit (Low/Moderate-Income Area Benefit, "LMA") National Objective- Nebraska CDBG Program (federal) - Acquisition of real property (HUD matrix 01) that will be developed for a public or commercial purpose serving the LMI area (e.g., land for a neighborhood park, a redevelopment site),Clearance and demolition of buildings. Amounts: Varies by funding opportunity (LMA is an eligible national objective in DTR, ED, Planning, PWF, PWI, TD). Downtown Revitalization: $250,000. Administered by Funded by HUD (24 CFR Part 570, Subpart I- State CDBG) and administered for non-entitlement Nebraska by the Nebraska Department of Economic Development (DED), Community & Economic Development Division, 245 Fallbrook Blvd Ste 002, Lincoln NE 68521. 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, emergen. 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 (DED), administered by the CDAA Coordinator (currently AJ Weigman, aj. Program page.
Site and Building Development Fund (SBDF) (state) - Land and building acquisition,Building construction or rehabilitation (speculative/industrial-ready buildings),Site preparation,Infrastructure development and improvements,Engineering and design costs,Technical assistanc. Amounts: Typical awards roughly $250,000-$500,000 per project (as grant or, in some structures, a zero-interest loan). Total available varies by appr. Administered by Nebraska Department of Economic Development (DED), Business Innovation/Business Development division. Program page.
Civic and Community Center Financing Fund (CCCFF) (state) - Capital construction: building or improving libraries, recreation/wellness centers, gathering spaces, convention centers, town squares, and cultural centers,Conversion, rehabilitation, restoration, preservation, or reuse. Amounts: Planning grants: $3,000 floor to $15,000 ceiling. Construction grants: $15,000 floor (note: a separate disaster/special provision sets a $10. Administered by Nebraska Department of Economic Development (DED), Community Development & Disaster Recovery Division. 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 to. 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 (NSHS) State Historic Preservation Office, which reviews the historic certification and rehabilitation Parts 1-3 (402-471-4787. 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 re. 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 (NIFA) is the designated housing credit allocation agency for both the federal LIHTC and the state AHTC. 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 Trus. 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 (DED), Housing & Community Development Division, 245 Fallbrook Blvd, Suite 002, Lincoln, NE 68521. 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 appliance. 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 (DWEE), formerly the Nebraska Energy Office / NDEE State Energy Program (245 Fallbrook Blvd. Program page.
Nebraska Arts Council - Arts Project Grant (with Micro Grant and Creative Districts pathways) (state) - Community murals on building walls/parcels,Public art commissions and new work development,Exhibitions, performances, poetry readings, arts festivals,Ethnic heritage and underserved-community arts projects,Artist fees, t. Amounts: Arts Project Grant: $2,000-$7,500 (1:1 cash match required). Micro Grant: up to $500 (no match). Mini Grant: small quick-access awards (vari. Administered by Nebraska Arts Council (NAC), a state agency, 1004 Farnam Street, Lower Level, Omaha, NE 68102. Program page.
Conservation Tree Planting & Windbreak Cost-Share (North Platte NRD, layered with Nebraska Soil & Water Conservation Program and Nebraska Forest Service) (regional) - Conservation tree/shrub seedlings (evergreen, broadleaf, and shrub species) sold at-cost by NPNRD ($1.20 bare-root, $2.20 plug, multiples of 10),Machine planting ($1.00/tree) or hand planting ($2.00/tree) by NPNRD crews,. Amounts: Seedlings $1.20 (bare-root) / $2.20 (plug) each, multiples of 10. Planting $1.00 (machine) or $2.00 (hand) per tree; weed control $0.30/tree. Administered by North Platte Natural Resources District (NPNRD), 100547 Airport Rd, Scottsbluff, NE 69361, (308) 632-2749 ext. Program page.
Scotts Bluff County Tourism Committee Grants (Attraction/Capital Improvement Grant and Promotional Lodging-Tax Grants)- Scotts Bluff Area Visitors Bureau (county) - Capital improvements to existing public tourism attractions / recreational facilities (50/50 match),Marketing and advertising reaching visitors outside a 100-mile radius (radio, TV, newspaper, brochures, flyers, posters,. Amounts: No fixed cap published. Capital Improvement is strictly 50/50 matching (grant up to the approved amount must be matched dollar-for-dollar by. Administered by Scotts Bluff County Tourism Committee (a committee of the Scotts Bluff County Board of Commissioners), operated through the Scotts Bluff Area Visitors Bureau. Program page.
City of Scottsbluff Tax Increment Financing (TIF) (city) - Acquisition costs of redevelopment project sites,Site preparation, demolition, grading, and other pre-development work prior to construction,Public improvements on, adjacent to, or in the general vicinity of the project. Amounts: No fixed cap. TIF proceeds equal the financeable value of the incremental property-tax revenue the new development generates over the term (. Administered by City of Scottsbluff Community Redevelopment Authority (CRA), acting with the City Council and Planning Commission under the Nebraska Community Development Law (Neb. 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),Loan. 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-forgivable. 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 (administering body). Program page.
City of Gering Occupation Tax Grant Program (Hotel Occupancy / Lodging Tax Grant) (city) - tourism promotion and advertising,convention/hospitality industry promotion,events (group, sports, recreation),visitor attraction exhibits and facilities,wayfinding signage and visitor transportation,arts promotion tied. Amounts: Two tiers: "Minor" grants of $10,000 or less and "Major" grants of $10,001 or more. No published per-award maximum beyond available lodging-. Administered by City of Gering, administered through the Gering Visitors Bureau (Convention & Visitors Bureau). Program page.
Panhandle Improvement Project Cash Fund (state) - County fairgrounds renovation or construction (county track, up to $995,000),Renovation of a village community facility that serves the surrounding rural area, for villages with population under 10 (village track, up to. Amounts: County fairgrounds track: up to $995,000 per grant. Village community-facility track: up to $5,000 per grant. DED reserves the right to part. Administered by Nebraska Department of Economic Development (DED) administers the fund directly via the AmpliFund grant portal. 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 buildings. 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. 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, inclu. 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 (federal). 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 sys. 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 (Rural Housing Service), Single Family Housing Direct Programs. 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, transmissio. 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 (RUS), Water & Environmental Programs. 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 fac. 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 (Rural Housing Service), Community Programs. 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, water. 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. 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, enlar. 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 (national program), administered through the USDA RD Nebraska State Office. 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. 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 re. 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. Program page.
HOME Investment Partnerships Program (HOME)- Nebraska State-Administered (DED) (federal) - Acquisition of property/land for affordable housing,Rehabilitation of owner-occupied and rental housing,New construction of affordable single-family and rental units,Homebuyer down-payment/purchase assistance (purchase o. Amounts: Varies by project and annual allocation; typically tens of thousands to several hundred thousand dollars per project (CHDO set-aside is 15%. Administered by U. Program page.
HOME-ARP (HOME Investment Partnerships- American Rescue Plan)- Nebraska (federal) - Acquisition of property for affordable/supportive rental housing,New construction and rehabilitation of affordable rental housing,Tenant-based rental assistance,Supportive services and non-congregate shelter (program-lev. Amounts: Project-scale; typically hundreds of thousands per development.. Administered by U. 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 redevelopment. Amounts: Typically $500,000 to $140,000,000 (project scale); for small Nebraska communities, capped by ~5x the available CDBG pledge.. Administered by U. 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 dwelli. 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 (guarantees the loan). Program page.
FHLBank Affordable Housing Program (AHP)- Competitive (regional) - Acquisition of property/land for affordable housing,New construction of affordable rental or ownership housing,Rehabilitation of existing housing (including conversions, e.g., to senior housing),Gap/subsidy financing lay. Amounts: Up to $75,000 per unit and up to $1,500,000 per project (2026 round; at least ~$29.3M available district-wide).. Administered by Federal Home Loan Bank (FHLBank, the regional Federal Home Loan Bank serving Nebraska) (serves CO, KS, NE, OK). Program page.
EDA Public Works and Economic Adjustment Assistance (federal) - Site infrastructure and RLFs. Administered by EDA via PADD or the city.
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 (downtown. 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 (DED) administers RWHF. Program page.
Brownfields Assistance Section 128(a) Assessments (free Phase I/Phase II ESAs) (state) - Phase I Environmental Site Assessment (records review, site reconnaissance, interviews),Phase II ESA (soil and groundwater sampling and analysis),Drinking-water well sampling; testing for asbestos, lead-based paint, and. Amounts: $0 cost to the applicant- assessments are performed at no charge using EPA 128(a) funds through DWEE's contractor.. Administered by Nebraska DWEE (NDEE/DEE) Brownfields Assistance Section, funded by EPA. Program page.
Nebraska Environmental Trust (NET) Grant Program (state) - Habitat restoration/conservation,Surface and ground water protection,Waste management (including some site/land cleanup and recycling),Air quality and soil management projects,Environmental education tied to those catego. Amounts: No minimum or maximum award; NET sets neither floor nor cap. Disbursed as reimbursement, up to three annual increments.. Administered by Nebraska Environmental Trust (Lincoln. Program page.
Land and Water Conservation Fund (LWCF) Stateside + Recreational Trails Program (RTP)- Nebraska Game & Parks (state) - Acquisition of land for public parks/recreation,Park and recreation facility development (playgrounds, splash pads, sports fields, trails, viewing/fishing access),Trail acquisition, development, maintenance, and trail-re. Amounts: LWCF reimburses roughly $75,000-$600,000 (total project $150,000-$1.2M) at up to 50%; RTP awards with a 50-80% match component.. Administered by Nebraska Game and Parks Commission (administers the federal LWCF Stateside and RTP grants). Program page.
Nebraska Litter Reduction and Recycling Grant Program (Cleanup category)- Keep Nebraska Beautiful affiliate route (state) - Cleanup of litter and debris from urban areas, waterways, and public-use land,Community cleanup events,Scrap tire and bulky-waste / debris collection,Recycling program equipment and operations,Public education on waste r. Amounts: ~$1.5M+ available annually statewide across all categories (recent total awards $4.3M-$9.8M/yr including scrap tire); individual grants vary. Administered by Nebraska Department of Energy and Environment (NDEE/DWEE), Litter Reduction and Recycling Program (Environmental Quality Council sets category percentages). Program page.
Peter Kiewit Foundation Grants (Quality of Place Amenities / Community Vitality) (foundation) - Capital construction of civic/recreational/cultural community amenities,Adaptive reuse / redevelopment of a building into a public-benefit amenity,Quality-of-place placemaking projects,Community facility improvements. Amounts: Varies widely; foundation awards range from tens of thousands to multi-million for major capital. Matching basis required.. Administered by Peter Kiewit Foundation (Omaha, NE). Program page.
Black Hills Energy Nebraska Commercial & Multi-Family Natural Gas Efficiency Rebates (incl. Custom Rebate) (utility) - High-efficiency natural gas furnaces and water heaters (Commercial HEAT),Multi-family developer incentives for gas venting/plumbing in new units,Agricultural gas measures (irrigation, grain drying, shop/home heating),Cus. Amounts: Varies by measure and the Custom Rebate calculation (based on energy saved). Funding is limited and first-come, first-served.. Administered by Black Hills Energy (natural gas distribution utility serving the Scottsbluff/Gering area). 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 (PREMA), administered locally with support from the Panhandle Partnership, capitalized by USDA's Rural Economic Development Loan & Grant (REDLG) program. 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.