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The Nebraska Department of Economic Development (DED) has awarded $8,308,100 in Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) funds to twenty-three projects in eighteen unique communities through the 2024 Downtown Revitalization, Planning, and Public Works opportunities.

Three additional communities are still under consideration while they await income survey results and determination of threshold eligibility. Those awards, if applicable, would be announced at a later date.

The CDBG program provides funds to help communities tackle projects that enhance public health and safety, economic well-being, local vitality, and quality of life. The program is federally funded through the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD). DED administers the CDBG program on behalf of Nebraska’s non-entitlement communities. The entitlement communities of Lincoln, Omaha, Bellevue, and Grand Island administer the CDBG program in their own areas.

“Successful economic development increasingly depends on forward-looking community development,” said DED Director K.C. Belitz. “For the state to grow, it’s critically important to invest in projects that enhance the attractiveness of our communities. These initiatives elevate quality of life and strengthen our ability to recruit new residents to Nebraska.”

All of the funded communities outlined a solid approach to impactful community development, demonstrating collaboration and support from local businesses and residents. Brief community project descriptions are listed below.

2024 CDBG Program Awardees for Downtown Revitalization ($2,510,000)
  • Crete ($435,000) to continue existing downtown revitalization efforts to rehabilitate several commercial storefronts in the downtown business district. 
  • Emerson ($435,000) to implement a façade improvement project within the municipal limits of the village.
  • Gordon ($335,000) to implement a commercial rehabilitation project within its downtown business district.
  • Hastings ($435,000) to make improvements within its Business Improvement District.
  • Tilden ($435,000) to improve the appearance and accessibility of the downtown area through building façade improvements and ADA sidewalk upgrades. 
  • York ($435,000) to improve the appearance of the downtown district through the commercial rehabilitation of private facilities.
2024 CDBG Planning Program Awardees ($202,000)
  • Bellwood ($53,000) to create a Preliminary Engineering Report to address necessary repairs to its existing Water Lagoon System.
  • Newman Grove ($43,000) to complete a community development plan.
  • Niobrara ($53,000) to create a comprehensive plan.
  • Red Cloud ($53,000) to create a trails system plan.
2024 CDBG Public Works Program Awardees ($5,596,100)
  • Hastings ($480,000) to renovate a non-profit’s facilities where they will provide outpatient substance abuse health care.
  • Alvo ($260,000) for a street improvement project.
  • Beatrice ($480,000) for a residential street improvement project.
  • Bellwood ($480,000) for a sidewalk improvement project.
  • Crete ($480,000) for the replacement of asphalt roads with paved roads and storm sewers, and installation of sidewalks.
  • Falls City ($458,000) for a municipal sanitary sewer improvement project.
  • Filley ($312,000) to complete phase II of a community-wide residential street improvement project.
  • Hastings ($335,900) for public water line delivery improvements to provide fire protection to a mobile home community.
  • Newman Grove ($430,000) for street, storm drainage, and sidewalk improvements.
  • North Platte ($440,200) for the replacement of gravel roads with paved roads and storm sewers, and installation of new sidewalks.
  • Pawnee City ($480,000) for a street improvement project and to address drainage issues.
  • Scotia ($480,000) for a street improvement project to replace an asphalt street with a concrete street.
  • Wymore ($480,000) for Phase II of a water system improvement project to reduce lead in water lines and improve fire protection.

For additional information about funding opportunities available to Nebraska communities under the CDBG program, visit opportunity.nebraska.gov/programs/community/cdbg, or contact Nicole Bartels at nicole.bartels@nebraska.gov.