NENEDD August 2026 Newsletter

August 5, 2026

111 S. 1st St. | Norfolk, Nebraska 68701 | 402-379-1150
www.nenedd.org
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We are excited to welcome the Village of Magnet as a new members of NENEDD. We appreciate their partnership & support of regional economic development & look forward to working together to serve the community & surrounding area.

Housing Project Spotlight City of Wayne

A homeowner in the City of Wayne received assistance in rehabilitating his house through the NED, Inc. Owner-Occupied Housing Rehabilitation Regional program. This project was funded by Nebraska Affordable Housing Trust Funds from NED, Inc. reuse funds. Work included replacing deteriorated roofing materials, replacement of gutters, replacing electrical outlets near water sources with ground fault circuit interrupter outlets, eliminating Lead Based Paint Hazards, and installation of a total siding package.

The NE Chamber is proud to present our 2026 Results for Business Report!

You’ll find letters from Outgoing President & CEO Matt Williams and EVP of Legislation & Policy Hunter Traynor, as well as a comprehensive look at state legislation that shaped our advocacy on behalf of businesses and organizations across Nebraska.
See the Results here

Our partners at USDA are offering funding opportunities that may benefit communities and organizations across Northeast Nebraska. Learn more about eligibility requirements and application details below.

If your community, nonprofit, or organization has a project in mind, now is a great time to explore available funding. Be sure to review the eligibility requirements and application details to see if your project qualifies.
For More Information

Copy of Brown Grey Modern Elegant Real Estate Email Header (9) Northeast Economic Development (NED, Inc.) Board and the Northeast Nebraska Economic Development District (NENEDD) Board, met Wednesday, July 29, 2026, and were held at the City of Norfolk Offices – Training Room, 309 N 5th St. Norfolk, NE 68701.

The complete minutes of the July 29, 2026, NED, Inc. Board of Directors meeting can be viewed here: NED, Inc.

The complete minutes of the July 29, 2026, NENEDD Board of Directors meeting can be viewed here: NENEDD

The next meetings will be held Wednesday August 26, 2026, at the City of Norfolk Offices – Training room, 309 N. 5th St. Norfolk, NE. NED, Inc. will begin at 7 p.m., with NENEDD to follow. The public is welcome to attend.

NENEDD’s Housing Department throughout the month of July:

NAHTF Housing management for City of Norfolk, City of Plainview, and City of Bloomfield’s rental rehabilitation grants
NAHTF General administration and housing management for NED, Inc. owner occupied rehabilitation grant for congressional district 1
NAHTF General administration and housing management for CCED new construction grant
HOME housing management and general administration for NED, Inc. direct homebuyer assistance program
NAHTF housing management and general administration for NED, Inc. direct homebuyer assistance program
HOME housing management and general administration for NED, Inc. owner occupied rehabilitation program
NAHTF housing management and general administration for NED, Inc. owner occupied rehabilitation program
HOME housing management and general administration for NENEDD community owner occupied rehabilitation programs
HOME housing management and general administration for NENEDD community direct homebuyer assistance programs
RWHF management for Albion Economic Development Corporation, Pender Community Development, Cuming County Economic Development, Greater Fremont Development Council
Monthly Schuyler Housing Development Committee meetings
HomeNE Webinar facilitated by South Central Economic Development District
Nebraska Housing Developers Board and Policy Committee Zoom meetings
Attended NROC 1^st Thursday virtual meeting
NED, Inc. NAHTF reuse Direct Homebuyer Assistance loan approved in the amount of $20,000.00
NED, Inc. NAHTF reuse Owner Occupied Housing Rehabilitation loan approved in the amount of up to $40,000.00
Ned, Inc. 24-TFHO-15012 Owner Occupied Housing Rehabilitation loan approved in the amount of up to $40,000.00
Attended Nebraska Housing Developers Association Board of Directors and Policy Committee meetings
Attended Nebraska State Home Builders Association Board of Directors meeting

Community Planning
Sandra Goode & Zach Fisher, NENEDD Community Planners, attended the Tech Nebraska Microsummit at Northeast Community College’s Lifelong Learning Center on Tuesday, July 21^st. The five-hour Microsummit included opening remarks by Northeast Community College President, Leah Barrett, three panels on the modern industrial economy, the local business economy, and AI in the real world. It also included a closing conversation with iHub Director, Erin Sharpe, and a tour of the new iHub building in Downtown Norfolk. The event was well attended with around 100 people in the room.

The following surveys are currently active and being conducted by NENEDD

Community Surveys

City of Albion
Village of Meadow Grove
City of Osmond
City of West Point
City of Ponca
City of Madison
City of Schuyler

USDA Surveys

Village of Walthill

Income Surveys

Village of Doge
Village of Leigh

Downtown Revitalization Norfolk Fremont Columbus Pierce	Public Works Wayne Craig Newman Grove Lyons Newcastle Schuyler Battle Creek Richland Walthill Fullerton Mclean	Planning Newman Grove Niobrara Decatur	CCCFF Battle Creek Norfolk Madison	Other Wakefield Reuse – Housing Wayne – RCRP Norfolk – ARPA QTC Madison – EMCV Norfolk Reuse – Housing

The NENEDD Community Planners are available to write or assist with writing both state and federal grants. The funding opportunities our Community Planners specialize in include but are not limited to the following:

Community Development Block Grants – Planning, Public Works and Downtown Revitalization grants are due in September. Communities should let NENEDD know they would like to apply as soon as possible but no later than June 1 (subject to waiting list on a first come, first serve basis).
Nebraska Game and Parks Grants – Recreational Trails Program and Land and Water Conservation Fund grants are due in August. Communities should let NENEDD know they would like to apply as soon as possible but no later than June 1 (subject to waiting list on a first come, first serve basis).
Civic and Community Center Financing Fund – Planning and Construction grants have a pre-application deadline in January and a full application deadline in February. Communities should let NENEDD know they would like to apply as soon as possible but no later than November 1 (subject to waiting list on a first come, first serve basis).
Rural Workforce Housing Fund – Funding is available for new owner-occupied and rental housing units, as well as rehabilitation of existing owner-occupied and rental housing units. These grants have a pre-application deadline in November and a full application deadline in January. Communities interested in applying should notify NENEDD as soon as possible. The deadline to express interest is to be determined and is subject to a waiting list on a first-come, first-served basis.
Nebraska Affordable Housing Trust Fund – Housing development projects and nonprofit building/operating assistance grants have a pre-application deadline in February and a full application deadline in May. Communities should let NENEDD know they would like to apply as soon as possible but no later than November 20 (subject to waiting list on a first come, first serve basis).

For more information, please contact Sandra Goode, Community Planner at sandra@nenedd.org or Zach Fisher, Community Planner at zach@nenedd.org, or call 402-379-1150.

NENEDD and NED, Inc. approved two loans supporting expansions and one loan for a startup, continuing their commitment to economic growth in northeast Nebraska.

Startup
Jill and Rob Sweetland partnered with NED, Inc. and Wayne Area Economic Development, Inc. dba Wayne America Inc. to start a wellness business called Sweet Heat Sauna Studio which will be located at 307 N. Pearl St. in Wayne. Sweet Heat will provide private infrared sauna and red light therapy sessions to customers seeking relaxation, recovery, stress relief, healthy aging support, and improved overall wellness.

Expansions
Andy Dennis, owner of Andy’s Electric, partnered with NENEDD to purchase a building at 120 E. 2^nd Street in downtown Laurel to expand his business. Andy’s Electric provides electrical service and repairs within a 25-mile radius of in Laurel in Cedar County including the towns of Dixon, Wayne, and Belden. During the past four years Andy’s Electric has focused on small residential projects with the goal of expanding into new construction.

Cody Bloomquist, owner of DB Trailer Sales, LLC, partnered with NED, Inc. and BankFirst in Norfolk to purchase real estate and building located at 204 Sherwood Road in Norfolk to expand his business. The company sells trailers, truck beds, and related equipment to farmers, contractors, rural homeowners, small business owners, recreational users, and commercial customers throughout northeast Nebraska and surrounding regional markets.

September business loan application timeline:

9-4-26 (F) – deadline to receive all application docs
9-15-26 (Tu) – loan summary is provided to the Northeast Loan Committee for their review.
9-21-26 (Tu) 10:30 AM – Northeast Loan Committee meets to review applications and make recommendation to the board of directors.
9-30-26 (W) 7:00 PM – NENEDD/NED, Inc. Board meetings to take official action

Revolving Loan Funds: NENEDD and NED, Inc. Revolving Loan Funds (RLF) were created to help fund economic development projects within a 26-county region of Northeast and North Central Nebraska:

Antelope
Boone
Boyd
Burt
Butler
Brown
Cedar
Colfax
Cuming

Cherry
Dakota
Dixon
Dodge
Rural Douglas
Holt
Keya Paha
Knox

Madison
Nance
Pierce
Platte
Rock
Stanton
Thurston
Washington
Wayne

The RLF provides for subordinated gap financing for businesses, in conjunction with local financial institutions; allowing the business owner the ability to start a business, expand a current business, transfer ownership or purchase an existing business. These loans are perfect for financing fixed assets such as land, building, equipment and working capital.
Loan Terms and Conditions:

Maximum loan amount is $200,000.
Real estate financing will not exceed 25 years.
Working capital and equipment loans will be financed on a short-term basis of 3 to 10 years.
Interest rates will be fixed based on the length of the loan.

Eligibility:

At least one (1) full time equivalent job must be created or retained for each $35,000 in loan dollars.
Loan dollars may not represent more than 40% of the total financing needs.
10%-20% equity is generally required.
At least 51% of the jobs created or retained should benefit persons of low to moderate incomes.
Bank financing is encouraged and preferred with each borrower, but not required.
A processing fee of 1% ($200 minimum) of the loan amount must be paid by the applicant before the application is reviewed by the loan committee.
An annual servicing fee equal to ½ of 1% of the declining loan balance will be charged to each borrower.

How to Apply: A pre-application may be obtained by visiting: nenedd.org/business-loans/

For more information, please contact Jeff Christensen, Business Loan Specialist,
at 402-649-7223 or jeff@nenedd.org

NROC PROJECT IMPACT MAP

The Nebraska Regional Officials Council (NROC) has created a project impact map which shows grant and loan funding projects throughout the region.

Please click on the link here: NROC Project Impact Map or scan the QR code below. For a NENEDD-specific map, please visit our website at NENEDD.org.

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2026-2027 Associate MembersDiamond

Platinum

GoldSilverBlack Hills EnergyBankFirstCharter West BankClarkson BankCitizens State BankFaith HealthElkhorn Valley Bank & TrustFirst Bank & Trust of FullertonF&M BankFirst Northeast Bank of NebraskaFirst Community BankJEO Consulting GroupGreat Plains State BankLoup River Public Power DistrictHomestead BankMidwest BankMcMill CPAs & AdvisorsStanton State BankNeighbor Works Northeast NebraskaState Nebraska Bank & TrustNortheast Community CollegeWayne America, Inc.







Security Bank

Bank of Dixon CountyMadison County BankBank of HartingtonNebraska Investment Finance AuthorityBurt County Public Power DistrictNorth Central Public PowerCedar-Knox Public Power DistrictPlatte Valley BankCedar Security BankPoints West Community BankColumbus Bank & Trust CompanySchuyler Community Development, Inc.Cornhusker Public Power DistrictStanton County Public Power DistrictCuming County Public Power DistrictWayne State CollegeElkhorn Rural Public Power District

Bronze












Farmers & Merchants State Bank
Frontier Bank
Genoa Community Bank

County Members

Antelope CountyCuming CountyPierce CountyBoone CountyDodge CountyPlatte CountyBurt CountyKnox CountyStanton CountyCedar CountyMadison CountyThurston CountyColfax CountyNance CountyWayne County

Community Members

City of AlbionCity of PierceVillage of CrestonVillage of PenderCity of Battle CreekCity of PlainviewVillage of DecaturVillage of PetersburgCity of ClarksonCity of PoncaVillage of DixonVillage of PilgerCity of ColumbusCity of RandolphVillage of DodgeVillage of RichlandCity of CreightonCity of ScribnerVillage of DuncanVillage of SnyderCity of CroftonCity of St. EdwardVillage of EmersonVillage of ThurstonCity of ElginCity of StantonVillage of FordyceVillage of VerdigreCity of FremontCity of TildenVillage of HowellsVillage of WalthillCity of FullertonCity of WakefieldVillage of InglewoodVillage of WausaCity of GenoaCity of WayneVillage of LeighVillage of WynotCity of HartingtonCity of West PointVillage of MartinsburgCity of HooperCity of WisnerVillage of MagnetCity of LaurelVillage of AllenVillage of McLeanCity of LyonsVillage of BancroftVillage of McLeanCity of MadisonVillage of BeemerVillage of Meadow GroveCity of Newman GroveVillage of BeldenVillage of NewcastleCity of NorfolkVillage of Cedar RapidsVillage of NiobraraCity of OaklandVillage of ColeridgeVillage of OakdaleCity of OsmondVillage of CraigVillage of Orchard

NED, Inc. Board of Directors

Loren Kucera – President – Wayne State College
Tod W. Voss, MD – Vice President – Village of McLean
Troy Uhlir – Secretary/Treasurer – Madison County Commissioner
Kurt Dostal – Board Member – Citizens State Bank
Sally Ganem – Board Member – Fremont City Council
Charlie Bahr – Board Member – Columbus City Council
Jason Ash – Board Member – Weiland Doors

NENEDD Board of Directors

Meghann Buresh – Chairwoman – Nebraska Apex Accelerator
Blake Denton – Vice Chairman – MetLife Investment Management
Benjamin Benton – Secretary/Treasurer – Nebraska Business Development Center, Wayne
Rich Jablonski – Board Member – Columbus City Council
Doug Huttmann – Board Member – Stanton County Commissioner
Mason Zimmerer – Board Member – Northeast Community College
Anthony Warrior – Board Member – Nebraska Indian Community College
Jeff Jensen – Board Member – Norfolk City Council
Sally Ganem – Board Member – Fremont City Council