State selects rural entities to receive the latest $10 million in Economic Recovery Act grants

LINCOLN — Several rural Nebraska cities and the University of Nebraska were among winners of $10 million in grants that a state agency announced this week for pandemic recovery efforts.

The funds came from the Economic Recovery Act approved last year as Legislative Bill 1024. That pot of funds, largely from the federal American Rescue Plan Act, was to go to aid public and private entities in qualified low-income census tracts outside of Lincoln and Omaha. 

Overall, LB 1024 earmarked $335 million for efforts that respond to the negative economic impacts of COVID-19.

For the $10 million pot, the Nebraska Department of Economic Development selected 14 recipients from 30 applicants whose requests reportedly totaled more than $30 million.

The DED said in a statement that the recipients it selected submitted proposals to revitalize public spaces, create housing solutions and help with workforce retention and recruitment programs in greater Nebraska.

Entities the DED selected for grants:

Banisters Leadership Academy — $368,500

Center for Rural Affairs — $750,000

Board of Regents of the University of Nebraska, DBA University of Nebraska at Kearney — $400,000

City of Norfolk — $81,500

South Sioux City — $750,000

Winnebago Tribe of Nebraska — $750,000

United Way of South Central Nebraska Inc. — $750,000

City of Fairbury — $750,000

City of Fairbury — $1,000,000

City of Norfolk — $1,500,000

Board of Regents of the University of Nebraska DBA University of Nebraska at Kearney — $750,000

The Salvation Army DBA The Salvation Army of Norfolk — $1,000,000

Nebraska Enterprise Fund — $750,000

City of Beatrice — $400,000