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 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.
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 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.
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 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 services. 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 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 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.
Oregon Trail Community Foundation- Community (Competitive) Grant Program (foundation) - Nonprofit programs and projects in education, arts, history/historic landmarks, healthcare, human services, environment/wildlife preservation, and recreation,Project-specific charitable activities run by 501(c)(3) organi. Amounts: Typically ~$1,000 to ~$25,000 per grant. OTCF awards roughly $125,000+ in community grants annually (total giving across all funds is larger. Administered by Oregon Trail Community Foundation (OTCF), a community foundation based in Scottsbluff, NE. 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 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.
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.
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 (CRA), administered by the City of Scottsbluff. 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.
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.