| State economic development agency | Nebraska Department of Economic Development (DED) |
| State SBIR/STTR match or Phase 0 grant | State program (see below) |
| State small-business or supplier-diversity certification | Not confirmed |
| Signature grant programs cataloged | Pending research |
The Nebraska Department of Economic Development (DED) is the state's lead economic-development agency. Major programs include the ImagiNE Nebraska Act (the consolidated successor to the Nebraska Advantage Act), the Customized Job Training program, the Nebraska Innovation Fund, and various CDBG-state pass-throughs.
Primary site: Nebraska Department of Economic Development (DED)
No statewide signature small-business grant programs cataloged for Nebraska at this revision. Federal-side options through the SBA, Grants.gov, and USDA Rural Development remain available; see the federal pass-through section below.
We could not confirm whether Nebraska runs its own small-business or supplier-diversity certification for state contracts. Check the state procurement office; federal SBA certifications (8(a), HUBZone, WOSB, SDVOSB) apply to federal contracts.
Nebraska supports SBIR/STTR applicants through the Nebraska SBIR/STTR Grant Program (DED, Business Innovation Act). Check the program page for current rounds and eligibility; the federal award itself is still applied for through the agencies listed at SBIR.gov.
Match amount: Phase 0 up to $5,000; Phase I lesser of 65% or $150,000; Phase II lesser of 65% or $300,000; open July 7, 2026 to June 30, 2027 or until funds run out
Program page: Nebraska SBIR/STTR Grant Program (DED, Business Innovation Act)
AmpliFund handles applications for many Nebraska state programs. Some programs still use their own application pages, so confirm the link on each program page before drafting.
Portal: AmpliFund
Federal grants reach businesses in Nebraska through several pass-through channels: HUD CDBG-State dollars administered by Nebraska Department of Economic Development (DED) that sub-grant to localities for economic development; EDA public-works and economic-adjustment grants, awarded through regional EDA offices to local governments, economic development districts and nonprofits; USDA Rural Development Business and Industry loan guarantees for rural businesses, plus Rural Business Development Grants that go to towns, tribes and nonprofits (not to businesses directly) to support local small businesses; and SBA loan programs (7(a), 504, Microloan) accessed via local lenders, alongside Treasury-certified CDFI lenders. Business eligibility for each channel depends on entity size, location (rural vs urban), and use-of-funds.
CDBG state administrator: Nebraska Department of Economic Development (DED) (CDBG-state administrator)
EDA regional contact: US EDA regional office
State programs cover one half of the picture. Federal grant opportunities are listed on Grants.gov; the eligibility floor often overlaps with state programs. Use the GrantProbe Grant Map to search open federal opportunities by keyword, category and agency, and read our federal grants for startups primer for the framework behind every match.
Need help beyond business grants? The Nebraska section of the GrantProbe State Assistance Finder links the official rental, LIHEAP, SNAP, Medicaid and small-business programs for Nebraska.
Nebraska's economic development agency administers several grant and incentive programs for businesses, but most flagship programs require either an existing operation, a defined hiring commitment, or capital investment milestones. Pure pre-revenue startups should usually pair federal SBIR/STTR (where R&D-eligible) with Nebraska's SBIR/STTR support program (see above) and CDFI lending. See the signature programs section above for the named Nebraska programs and their eligibility thresholds.
Yes. Nebraska supports SBIR/STTR applicants through the Nebraska SBIR/STTR Grant Program (DED, Business Innovation Act): Phase 0 up to $5,000; Phase I lesser of 65% or $150,000; Phase II lesser of 65% or $300,000; open July 7, 2026 to June 30, 2027 or until funds run out. See the program page for current rounds.
The Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) program flows from HUD to Nebraska's state agency (Nebraska Department of Economic Development (DED) (CDBG-state administrator)), which sub-grants to localities. Businesses do not apply directly to the state for CDBG dollars; they apply to participating cities or counties for economic development sub-awards (job creation, blight remediation, low-to-moderate-income workforce). Contact your local economic development office for current sub-awards.
AmpliFund handles applications for many state programs. Some programs still use their own pages, so confirm the link on each program page.