State of Nebraska
Agricultural Opportunities and Value-Added Partnership Act
Application Information & Form

Applications are now being accepted for the 2007 funding cycle. A total of $850,000 is available. Grant requests may seek a maximum of $75,000 and a 25% match is required. The application deadline is noon, Friday, October 19, 2007. For more information, contact the individuals listed below.

NOTE: The first round of funding was awarded on June 27, 2006. A total of 25 projects received received funding. Click here to see a complete listing.

The second round of funding was awarded on December 1, 2006. A total of 22 projects received received funding. Click here to see a complete listing.

PURPOSE: This grant program is intended to support the collaborative development of farming and ranching; the start-up and growth of value-added agricultural enterprises; and growth of rural communities and regions.

LB 90 was passed by the Nebraska Legislature on May 25, 2005 and signed into law by Governor Dave Heineman. LB 90 makes available $850,000 per year for two fiscal years (FY 2006-2007 and FY 2007-2008) for projects which:

• Support small enterprise formation in the agricultural sector of Nebraska 's rural economy, including innovative cooperative efforts for value-added enterprises;

• Support the development of agricultural communities and economic opportunity through innovative partnerships among farming and ranching operations, rural communities, and businesses for the development of value-added agricultural products;

• Encourage collaboration between farming and ranching operations and between farming and ranching operations and communities, government, and businesses as well as between communities and regions;

• Strengthen the value-added production industry by promoting strategic partnerships and networks through multigroup cooperation for the creation of employment opportunities in the value-added agriculture industry;

• Enhance the income and opportunity for farming and ranching operations in Nebraska in order to stem the decline in their numbers;

• Increase the farming and ranching operations' share of the food-system profit; and

• Enhance opportunities for farming and ranching operations to participate in electronic commerce and new and emerging markets that strengthen rural economic opportunities.

REQUIREMENTS:

• Project must result in benefit to more than a single enterprise, person or entity
• Maximum grant is $75,000.
• Grants will be for one year from date of announcement.
• Grants requesting additional funding must compete with other grant applications
• Minimum soft and/or hard match of 25% of the grant amount
• Match may not come from other state or federal funds
• Collaborating entities must share equally in the value of the match contribution
• Only one grant per project in any one fiscal year
• Administrative costs are not eligible for grant support or as match
• Identification of measurable goals and expected outcomes is required in the grant application
• Identification of how the project will be evaluated is required in the grant application
• Value must be added to Nebraska farm and/or ranch production

ELIGIBLE APPLICANTS:

• Communities
• Counties
• Agencies
• Educational institutions
• Economic development providers
• Nonprofit organizations
• Agricultural cooperatives
• Agricultural associations
• Agricultural marketing associations or entities
• Resource conservation organizations
• Development districts
• Farming or ranching operations in collaborative arrangements with other operations, entities, or organizations that meet the purposes of this act. This means:
  • Farming or ranching operations collaborating with one another on a project;
  • Farming or ranching operations collaborating with any of the other entities listed above
  • Farming or ranching operations collaborating with for-profit businesses

ELIGIBLE ACTIVITIES:

Grants shall be used to support projects in the following areas:

• Community and multi-community initiatives;
• Creation, retention, and transfer of value-added agricultural business initiatives in rural communities;
• Efforts to obtain start-up or working capital or other capital expenditures necessary for the development of the project;
• Community-based, farmer-owned, or rancher-owned value-added initiatives;
• Market development;
• Development of cooperatives
• Education and training;
• Research;
• Non-administrative business planning assistance, feasibility and market studies, capitalization plans, and technical assistance; and
• Other activities deemed necessary to fulfill the purposes of this act

Projects shall demonstrate the ability to provide private new enterprise formation or expanded incomes and economic opportunities for existing enterprises.

FOR MORE INFORMATION CONTACT:

Linda Fettig
Nebraska Rural Development Commission
308-749-2291 (phone and cell)
308-749-2223 (fax)

Or, if you are a producer of food inputs or a value-added food product and would like assistance preparing your grant application, please contact:

The Food Processing Center at 402-472-2832 or Suzanne Weeder Einspahr directly at 402-472-5806 or sweeder1@unl.edu

There is a fee for this service.

DOCUMENTS:

Agricultural Opportunities and Value-Added Partnership Act (LB 90) Application Form & Guidelines

LINKS:

Nebraska Rural Development Commission
Nebraska Department of Economic Development