Economic Development Incentives in Scotts Bluff County, Nebraska
The incentive stack local governments and businesses use to build in Scotts Bluff County: LB840 sales-tax-funded economic development, TIF in redevelopment areas, and state job-creation programs.
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 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 building. 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. 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.
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 assi. 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. 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 reus. 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. 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.
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 fee. 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. 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. Program page.
City of Gering Tax Increment Financing (TIF) (city) - Acquisition costs of redevelopment project sites, Site preparation, demolition, grading, pre-development work, Public improvements on/adjacent to/near the project site, Architectural, engineering, and environmental servi. Amounts: No fixed cap; the TIF amount equals the property-tax increment the project generates over up to 15 years. Guideline fee examples model estim. Administered by City of Gering, Nebraska. 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 projec. 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. 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.
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. 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. 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 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 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.
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 (purchas. 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.S. HUD. 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.
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. 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. Program page.
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.
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.
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, an. 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. Program page.
Brownfields Section 128(a) Orphan Tank Removal Program (OTRP) (state) - Removal of orphan underground storage tanks via state contractor, Associated environmental sampling at no cost. Amounts: $0 to the eligible applicant- DWEE pays for tank removal and sampling via its contractor.. Administered by Nebraska DWEE. Program page.
Brownfields Section 128(a) Asbestos Cleanup Cost-Share Program (state) - 50% of the cost of asbestos removal and disposal, In limited cases, partial assistance with disposal costs for demolition of condemned buildings containing lead-based paint and/or asbestos or contaminated with hazardous. Amounts: DWEE matches 50% of asbestos removal/disposal cost, up to $20,000 per project.. Administered by Nebraska DWEE. Program page.
Certified Local Government (CLG) Grants- History Nebraska / SHPO (state) - Historic property surveys (intensive-level / reconnaissance), National Register nominations, Design guidelines and preservation planning, Structural assessments and feasibility studies, Education, training, and conferenc. Amounts: Small matching subgrants (typically a few thousand to low five figures per project), drawn from the 10% CLG set-aside of the state's HPF all. Administered by History Nebraska SHPO. Program page.
City of Scottsbluff- East Overland Facade Improvement Grant (Community Redevelopment Authority) (city) - Facade improvements, Demolition, Parking lot repairs, Updated signage, Landscaping, Exterior curb-appeal improvements on commercial buildings. Amounts: Up to $10,000 per application; the business must match dollar-for-dollar at a minimum. Annual pool historically ~$100,000 in the city budget. Administered by City of Scottsbluff Community Redevelopment Authority. Program page.
Nebraska Municipal Land Bank (newly available to Scottsbluff/Gering/Terrytown after LB811/LB1135, eff. April 2026) (city) - Acquisition of tax-delinquent / abandoned parcels, Holding and title-clearing of distressed properties, Conveyance of parcels to private developers for redevelopment, Demolition and pre-development site work in some stru. Amounts: Not a cash grant to developers; value is acquisition cost/tax forgiveness and clear title. Land bank may retain 50% of real property taxes c. Administered by A municipal land bank created by a city/village. 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 was. 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. 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. 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.
NPPD EnergyWise Business / Commercial & Agricultural Incentives (utility) - Energy-efficient lighting (existing buildings), HVAC efficiency upgrades, Variable frequency drives / motors, Building envelope and other custom efficiency measures, EV charging equipment (Level 2 / DC fast). Amounts: Prescriptive measures from ~$75 per lighting fixture to ~$30/hp for VFDs; EV chargers up to $200/kW. Projects over $5,000 require pre-approv. Administered by Nebraska Public Power District. Program page.
Roosevelt Public Power District / EnergyWise Residential & Property Rebates (utility) - Air-source heat pumps, Attic insulation, Smart thermostats, Cooling-system tune-ups, Other EnergyWise prescriptive measures. Amounts: Heat pumps $400-$1,200; attic insulation $0.30/sq ft up to $600 per dwelling; smart thermostat up to $100; cooling tune-up $30.. Administered by Roosevelt Public Power District. 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),. 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. 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.
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, county, federal, foundation, 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?
10 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.