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BECA DEADLINE—MAY 1
Director’s Comments A checklist has been added to the current
BECA application process to provide more tech-
nical assistance. Suggestions that may improve
your grant score: Be sure that all figures are correct, add up
and that a budget breakdown is include. For
example, instead of “seminar—$500” explain
all that is included in this estimated expense. When asking for marketing assistance, iden-
tify the target market and how that target
was determined. Include a realistic timeline.
Minutes of meetings where the project
was approved by all applicants will
need to be presented prior to process-
ing of first reimbursement request.
While these don’t have to accompany
the application, it is considered the
best practice. Good luck!
Linda
Volume 4, Issue 2
RDC Commission
www.ruralnebraska.info
RURAL
DEVELOPMENT
COMMISSIONERS:
Executive
Committee:
John Jordison, Chair
Gayle McClure
Marilyn Mecham
Larry Cooper
Commissioners:
Richard Baier
Karl Elmshaeuser
Ross Garwood
Robert Gustafson
Edgar Hicks
Greg Ibach
Charles Karpf
Marge Lauer
M.L. Martin
Senator Stuthman
Lance Morgan
Bryce Neidig
Tim Shafer
The Building Entrepreneurial Communities Act (BECA) supports eco-
nomically depressed rural areas of Nebraska in building entrepreneurial communi-
ties through grants that create community capacity to build and sustain programs
that generate and sustain wealth in the communities and region. Eligible appli-
cants must either be classified as a Chronic Economic Distress Area or be a Lim-
ited Resource Area or partnering with a community who meets those criteria.
Eligible activities include:
Providing education and technical assistance to energize small business devel-
opment and entrepreneurship;
Provide technical assistance to facilitate small business transfer;
Build community business capacity and leadership programs;
Generate opportunities that will attract and retain young people and families;
Provide education about philanthropy and intergenerational transfer of
wealth;
Establish community initiatives to attract new residents; and
Provide marketing assistance to communities to attract new residents from
outside the State of Nebraska.
A special planning grant category with grants up to $5,000 is available to
“limited resource areas” to help build coalitions for future projects. Chronic Eco-
nomic Distress and Limited Resource Areas are both defined in the application
form, which is available at www.ruralnebraska.info.
The next round of Building Entrepreneurial Communities grant applica-
tions will be due Friday, May 1, noon.
February/March 2009
RURAL NEBRASKA VIEWS
Page 2
DED BRIEFINGS
DED focuses on widespread economic issues
DED is hosting two 2009 briefings to provide timely information about key issues affecting the state’s development and economy.
The first briefing will be held Wednesday, April 1, 9 a.m.-1 p.m. CST in North Platte at the Nebraska Public Power District (NPPD) offices, 402 E. State Farm Road, rooms 142 and 145.
The second is scheduled for Thursday, October 22 in Lincoln. More information to fol-low.
The free briefings are geared to new economic developers and those interested in eco-nomic development programs and services. DED staff will talk about key components in-volved in the state’s economic growth and development, including business and tourism at-traction, existing business retention and expansion, housing, community development, and entrepreneurship.
Lunch will be provided by NPPD. To reserve your place at the North Platte briefing and lunch, please register no later than March 23 by contacting Michelle Millsap toll-free at 800-426-6505, 402-471-3746, or [email protected] .
Dr. Tim Shafer, Broken Bow Schools Su-
perintendent and Rural Development commis-
sioner traveled with Commission Director, Linda
Fettig, to present copies of the Rural Nebraska
Views to students at the Round Hill School in rural
Custer County. Jordan Popp, Caleb Smith, Carrie
Jones, Charmayne Popp, and Hannah Smith were
among the featured authors. Their teacher, Sarah
Graham, contributed
the school’s history in the booklet’s
final chapter.
Rural Nebraska Views is available
for reading or downloading from:
www.ruralnebraska.info.
… PICKED A PECK OF PICKLED PEPPERS
Page 3
When Neal Ely began his eighth grade FFA project, he never dreamed it could become a
business venture employing people in his com-munity.
Neal took his Mother’s pickled asparagus recipe and developed a thriving business that re-
cently expanded to include his newest product,
pickled peppers. Under development is pickled green beans.
As a teen, Neal said it was difficult to find time for the business and all the other activities required of a start-up business.
Learning to be a good time manager is one of his most important achieve-ments—a skill that’s still needed as Neal balances a full-time job at a local bank
with growing his business. He credits the technical assistance he received from the EDGE program where he learned to write a sound business plan, the Food
Processing Center for product development, and GROW Nebraska for marketing assistance among other resources and mentors.
Ely Farms is now operating in its third generation and Neal points to the farm’s diversity as helping make it all possible. He is passionate about farming
and the new opportunities for Ely Farms and neighboring farms. With assis-tance from the Agricultural Innovation and Value-Added Agriculture grant pro-
gram, Neal recently opened a processing plant,
which offers part-time employment in the Grafton area. Eventually, he dreams of a full-
scale operation that provides permanent jobs. To learn more about Neal visit
www.elyfarms.com, or go to YouTube and check out the podcast about Neal on the
GROW Nebraska page www.youtube.com/user/grownebraska.
Have you visited the GROW Nebraska website lately? They have expanded to
feature many of the services available. Whether you are a business owner, or want to
support Nebraska businesses, check it out at www.growneb.com or
www.grownebraska.org.
RE-USE FUNDS AVAILABLE
Page 4
Eastern Region
Community ED
Allen 1,846.16
Auburn 33,284.42
Beatrice 323,523.37
Bellevue 107,000.92
Blair 70,746.87 Coleridge 1,939.19
Columbus 234,051.82
Dakota City 71,855.17
David City 79,426.36
Dodge 22,349.15
Elk Creek 74,272.87
Fairbury 48,317.85
Falls City 172,797.32
Filley 51,079.62
Fremont 210,160.57
Friend 45,027.87
Geneva 130,110.80
Hartington 5,319.35
Hebron 20,344.50
Howells 152,750.22
Jefferson County 143,872.02
Lancaster County 479,099.58
Laurel 19,196.45
LaVista 30,221.09
Leigh 17,080.67
Madison 26,933.29
Madison County 24,004.01
Nebraska City 42,315.59
Norfolk 25,899.31
Osceola 96,219.68
Pawnee City 67,595.42
Pawnee Regional 538,898.74
Platte County 38,795.29
Plattsmouth 164,379.25
Plymouth 50,889.97
Ralston 41,629.77
Sarpy County 585,462.14
Schuyler 133,937.47
Seward 101,528.35
Shelby 29,533.67
Snyder 2,600.02
South Sioux City 10,737.25
Stromsburg 18,508.05
Tecumseh 1,564.63
Tekamah 29,575.73
Thurston 6,271.95
Wahoo 91,165.74
Washington County 142,756.43
Wayne 75,487.88
Weeping Water 65,699.69
West Point 131,394.74 York 254,835.67 Total 5,344,293.94
Central Region Community ED Ainsworth 149,030.48 Atkinson 172,218.44 Aurora 255,317.27 Buffalo County 65,079.72 Butte 53,066.40 Clarks 42,295.07 Custer County 154,127.48 Dannebrog 25,510.02 Grand Island 67,553.53 Hastings/Adams Co. 140,202.01 Holdrege/Phelps Co. 373,399.90 Juniata 111,466.25 Kearney 55,283.18 Kearney Co. 14,927.53 Knox County 86,992.32 Loup City 22,210.24 Minden 32,363.04 O'Neill 44,984.90 Ord 81,380.82 Sargent 49,669.97 Sherman County 25,403.52 Stuart 24,618.60 Verdigre 14,840.22
Total 2,061,940.91
Western Region
Community ED
Chadron 33,768.22
Cheyenne County 163,634.80
Crawford/Dawes Co. 7,215.85
Elwood 19,903.39
Gering 51,017.08
Gothenburg 141,593.02
Hitchcock County 54,829.58
Imperial 141,853.68
Lexington 82,048.74
North Platte 43,694.00
Ogallala-Keith Co. 117,091.57
Oshkosh 2,920.72
Overton 37,117.43
Oxford 98,163.06
Red Willow Co. 72,779.67
Scottsbluff 240,095.96
Wauneta 19,919.49
Total 1,327,646.26
For more information on the $8,733,881Re-Use
Funds available, contact your local economic devel-
opment organization or Dave Honz at the Depart-
ment of Economic Development (1-800-426-6505).
LISTEN AND LEARN SESSIONS
Page 5 Volume 4, Issue 2
Partners and Programs
The RDC participates in the Nebraska Economic Developers Association, Mid-
Plains Community College Center for Enterprise Advisory Board, Partners for Rural
America, National Rural Development Partners, GROW Nebraska Advisory Board, Ne-
braska Information Technology Commission Community Committee, Partnership for
Rural Nebraska, Nebraska Value-Added Partnership, the Listen and Learn sessions, and
several smaller projects.
The RDC helps communities and businesses maximize opportunities by improv-
ing access to capital and resources, markets, products, and business expertise
(mentoring) as well as social and cultural resources.
“Listen and Learn” is an interactive program sponsored by the Partnership for Rural Nebraska (PRN) and the Nebraska Rural Development Commission (RDC). Regional meetings bring together resource providers with programs that serve rural Nebraska and local residents. The sessions benefit everyone involved—resource providers learn about other assistance pro-grams and area residents become acquainted with the variety of programs available. Hearing about the programs and visiting with the resource providers allows meeting participants to gather topical information of greatest importance to them. “I never knew there were so many programs to help us improve our community,” said one participant. Sessions have been held in Stapleton, Bridgeport and Chadron. Future sessions are planned for other regions later this year. If your PRN regional group is interested in sponsor-ing a future session, contact Linda Fettig at [email protected] or your regional PRN representative.
Sandi Kaskie
Assistant to the Director
Phone: 308-535-8018
Fax: 308-535-8019
E-mail:
COMMISSION DUTIES:
According to Nebraska statutes, the duties of the RDC are to:
Focus attention on and increase awareness of opportunities
and needs of rural Nebraska;
Strengthen community sustainability and growth in rural Ne-
braska through increased community-based wealth creation,
expanded economic opportunity and improved quality of life;
Stimulate rural development innovation and foster informa-
tion transfer to, from, and within rural Nebraska;
Ensure that rural Nebraskans are afforded the opportunity to
determine rural Nebraska’s development agenda;
Foster community-based development initiatives through
multi-community partnerships.
The Rural Development Commission
advocates for effective development
in rural Nebraska.
March 17—”Rusty Bucket” presentation—Madison
March 19—presentation to Clerk School—North Platte
April 1—Department of Economic Development briefing—North
Platte
April 17—Rural Development Commission meeting—Ogallala
April 24—Arbor Day (state holiday—RDC office will be closed)
May 1—Building Entrepreneurial Communities grant application
deadline (noon)
May 14-15—Nebraska Economic Developers Association meet-
ing—Valentine
May 25—Memorial Day (holiday—RDC office will
be closed)
November 6-7—Governor’s Conference on Rural
Development—Kearney
MARK YOUR CALENDARS
We’re on the Web:
www.ruralnebraska.info
Nebraska Rural
Development Commission
1101 Halligan Drive #10
North Platte, NE 69101
Linda Fettig
Executive Director
Phone and cell:
308-380-4966
Fax: 308-749-2223
E-mail: