By PAUL HAMMEL
Nebraska Examiner
LINCOLN — The State of Nebraska is seeking applicants for more than $700 million worth of grants to help the state and local economies recover from the COVID-19 pandemic.
Nebraska received $1.04 billion from the American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA), and the Nebraska Department of Economic Development was charged with distributing $723 million of those funds for things such as business development, entrepreneurship, internships, crime prevention and affordable housing.
On Tuesday, the DED announced it will open applications for the first round of programs in September, with additional funding opportunities continuing through the fall of 2024.
Funds allocated via ARPA, an initiative of the Biden administration, must be expended by 2026.
“The State is dedicated to using federal ARPA funds to strengthen Nebraska,” said Gov. Pete Ricketts in a press release. “Our goal is to allocate available funds efficiently, fairly and transparently for the maximum benefit of Nebraskans.”
DED has already awarded about $115 million in so-called “shovel-ready” projects by nonprofits that were disrupted by the pandemic.
To learn more about the programs and sign up for ongoing updates, visit the state’s Economic Recovery Program’s page at opportunity.nebraska.gov/programs/recovery.
Cover image courtesy Pixabay