The webpage for the North and South Omaha Recovery Grant (NSORG) Program will launch this week. A link to the program webpage will be available at https://opportunity.nebraska.gov/programs/recovery/. The Nebraska Department of Economic Development (DED) will soon begin accepting applications for the program.
An initial grant program for North and South Omaha was part of a bill passed in 2022 (LB 1024, Economic Recovery Act). After that bill became law, groups submitted proposals for funding to the Economic Recovery Special Committee of the Legislature. The Special Committee contracted with Olsson, a Nebraska-based engineering and design firm, to issue a coordination plan for use of the funds.
This year, the Legislature amended the Economic Recovery Act (LB 531) to fund the North and South Omaha grants with State dollars—rather than federal aid. To be eligible for the soon-to-launch grant program, the proposal must be named in the coordination plan (including appendices) issued by Economic Recovery Special Committee of the Legislature in January 2023. That report is available here: https://www.nebraskalegislature.gov/pdf/reports/committee/select_special/econrec/LB1024_2023.pdf.
Proposals named in the coordination plan will be considered under eight funding categories that DED has identified to help respond to the negative impacts of the COVID-19 public health emergency and to build resilient and innovative communities:
- Recovery Assistance Program for Immediate Distribution (RAPID)
- Small Business Support
- Sports and Tourism
- Recovery Housing
- Entrepreneurship and Innovation
- Arts/Cultural/Social Assistance
- Placemaking Infrastructure
- Youth/Talent/Workforce Development
DED invites interested applicants to review all the content on the NSORG Program webpage, including an overview of the information about the program, the funding categories, a map of eligible areas and program manual.
DED will host a Community Information Session for the grant program on August 29, 2023 at 2:00 p.m. in the Auditorium (also known as the Douglas Conference Center) located in the Omaha State Office Building, 1313 Farnam Street, Omaha, NE 68102.
An online application will be made available soon. DED will update the webpage with additional information, including a link to the online application and application open and close dates.
For questions or additional information, please contact Ryan Zimmermas at ryan.zimmermas@nebraska.gov or visit DED’s North or South Omaha offices at the times listed below:
- North Omaha Office: 5319 N 30th St. Suite B, Omaha, NE 68111
- Tuesdays from 10:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m.
- Thursdays from 12:00 p.m. to 3:00 p.m.
- South Omaha Office: 2909 Edward Babe Gomez Ave., Omaha, NE 68107
- Mondays from 10:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m.
- NOTE: DED’s South Omaha office will be closed on Monday, September 4th in observance of Labor Day
- Wednesdays from 12:00 p.m. to 3:00 p.m.
- Mondays from 10:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m.