STATE ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT RESOURCES

The Abilities Fund
Centerville Office
410 N 18th St
Centerville, IA 52544-1823
Telephone: 641-856-2173
Toll Free: 888-222-8943
Fax: 641-856-3101

Iowa City Office
332 South Linn Street, Suite #17
Iowa City, IA 52240
Telephone: 319-338-2521
Toll Free: 866-720-3863
Fax: 319-338-2528
URL: http://www.abilitiesfund.org/

"This summer The Abilities Fund, together with a national lending partner, will launch a nationwide direct loan program for entrepreneurs with disabilities. In 45 states, loan guarantees will also be available to as a means to secure loans for entrepreneurs. Flexible terms and competitive interest rates for microloans ranging from $500 - $25,000 will be offered.

In support of new microlending services, The Abilities Fund will be expanding its online presence to include training and technical assistance. Soon, people with disabilities nationwide will have 24-hour access to features such as Feasibility First ©, business plan development, and financial planning for business startup -- all of which are resources designed to prepare entrepreneurs with disabilities for self-employment."

Alma Development Corporation
P.O. Box 695 Alma, NE 68920
Phone: (308) 928-2343
Fax: (308) 928-2612
URL: http://www.ci.alma.ne.us/

Mission: To develop business enterprises for Alma, whether new or existing

Box Butte Development Corporation
204 East 3rd Street P.O. Box 802 Alliance, NE 69301
Phone: (308) 762-1800
Fax: (308) 762-4268
E-mail: boxbdc@premaonline.com
URL: http://www.boxbuttedevelopment.com/

Mission: Enhance and diversify the economy of Box Butte County.

Center for Rural Affairs/Rural Enterprise Assistance Project
101 Tallman, PO Box 406, Walthill, NE 68067
Phone: (402) 846-5428
Fax: (402) 846-5420
URL: http://www.cfra.org

Geographic location served: State of Nebraska and some work in bordering states of Iowa, Kansas, and South Dakota (Rural)
Mission: REAP is a business development strategy with the Center of Rural Affairs. Its mission is to build and support small self-employmed businesses in the rural areas of Nebraska and the Midwest

Central Nebraska Community Services
626 N Street, PO Box 509, Loup City, NE 68853
Phone: (308) 745-0780
Fax: (308) 745-0824
E-mail: tmcbride@cennecs.org,
URL: http://www.welcome2cncs.com/

"MISSION STATEMENT: Building partnerships with people and communities to promote safer, healthier tomorrows." "The Community Economic Development Department assists families, businesses, and neighborhoods with economic development. Economic development activities the department focuses on is providing housing and business opportunities."

Central Plains Technology and Business Development Center
416 Center Avenue, P.O. Box 7 Holbrook, NE 68948
Phone: (308) 493-5394
Fax: (308) 493-5396
E-mail: cpjanell@actjet.net
URL: http://www.growneb.com

The GROW Nebraska Mission is to expand Nebraska's arts and crafts industry, create an economically viable and sustainable environment for arts and crafts entrepreneurs and generate public awareness through promotion, marketing, and education.

DED Business Tool Kit
State of Nebraska Office of Economic Development
Existing Business Assistance Division
PO Box 94666, 301 Centennial Mall South, Lincoln, NE 68509-4666
Phone: (402) 471-3111 or (800) 426-6505
Fax: (402) 471-4374
E-mail: swillaims@neded.org
URL: http://assist.neded.org

Gothenburg Improvement Company
P.O. Box 263 Gothenburg, NE 69138
Phone: (308) 537-7161
Fax: (308) 537-7162
E-mail: mbacon@ltec.net
URL: http://www.ci.gothenburg.ne.us/economic_development.htm

Mission: Increase viability and success of area businesses and add new businesses to the community

Grow Nebraska Program
416 Central Avenue, PO Box 7, Holbrook, NE 68948
Phone: (888) 476-9632
Fax: (308) 493-5396
E-mail: janell@growneb.com,
URL: http://www.growneb.com/

"The GROW Nebraska Program provides assistance to Nebraska residents - individuals or groups - wanting to develop as arts and crafts professionals through economic opportunities and training."

Lincoln Action Program
2202 South 11th Street Lincoln, NE 68502
Phone: (402) 471-4515
Fax: (402) 471-4844
URL: http://www.lincoln-action.org/

Mission: Assist individuals with low to moderate incomes, residing primarily in Lincoln's Enterprise Community, to work towards economic self-sufficiency by starting or enhancing their own small business

The Lincoln Partnership for Economic Development
P.O. Box 83006, Lincoln, Nebraska 68501-3006
Phone: Phone: (402) 436-2350
Fax: (402) 436-2360
URL: http://www.lped.com/self.htm

SELF is a program designed for very small businesses which need small amounts of credit ($250 - $5000) and practical business assistance.

Mid-Nebraska Community Services, Inc., Small Enterprise Economic Development (SEED)
16 West 11th Street, PO Box 2288, Kearney, NE 68848
Phone: (308) 865-5675
Fax: (308) 865-5681
URL: http://www.mnca.net/

Geographic Area Served: 27 counties in south-central Nebraska (Rural)
Mission: To provide alternative employment opportunities, increase employment capacity, encourage economic development, and offer microbusiness funding opportunities. The lending program encourages the start-up of small, emerging businesses and the expansion of established businesses

Nebraska Department of Economic Development
P.O. Box 946, 301 Centennial Mall South, Lincoln, NE 68509-4666 USA
Phone: (402)471-3111 or (800) 426-6505
TDD: (402) 471-3441
Fax: (402) 471-3778
E-mail: alw@ded1.ded.state.ne.us
URL: http://assist.neded.org/

• Nebaska Business & Entrepreneurs Toolkit
  URL: http://assist.neded.org/

Mission Statement "...to provide quality leadership and services that enable Nebraska communities, businesses and people to succeed in a global economy."

Nebraska Enterprise Opportunity Network
P.O. Box 27, Stanton, NE 68779
Phone: (402) 439-2012
E-mail: neonneb@aol.com
URL: http://neon.neded.org/

NEON's mission has been to create, expand and support small and micro business opportunities for individuals and communities with limited resources. NEON strives to achieve its mission through networking, training, advocacy, and sharing resources.

Nebraska Micro Business Resources
URL: http://neon.neded.org/mbrd/program-index.html

A micro business or microenterprise is commonly defined as a business with five or fewer employees. Micro businesses may be home-based, farm-based or street front businesses. Some are part-time businesses and some are full-time businesses. Some businesses are started by dislocated workers, and some provide an opportunity for low-income households to become more self-sufficient. Micro businesses are at the leading edge of the enterprise formation process and are found everywhere: rural, urban, suburban.

Nebraska Microenterprise Partnership Fund
Route 1, Box 34 Rosalie, NE 68055
Phone: (402) 863-2577
Fax: (402) 863-2577
E-mail: eseverens@aol.com
URL: http://www.nebbiz.org/

Statewide financial intermediary organization that believes that support for Nebraska's local self-employment and small business sector is a viable development stratebgy that can help build the state's economy, revitalize communities, create jobs and assist low-income and dislocated workers. The Partnership's primary goal is to mobilize, allocate, levereage and link strategic resources with community-based organizations committeed to serving Nebraska micro business and self-employed sector. In 1996, it committed $400,000 in micro lending capital and operating grants to support several microenterprise programs. In 1998, it is responsible for re-granting funds from LB 327, the Nebraska Microenterprise Development Act.

Nebraska Northwest Development Corporation
234 Main Street Chadron, NE 69337
Phone: (308) 432-4023
Fax: (308) 432-0503
E-mail: nndc@bbc.net
URL: http://www.nndc.org/

Mission: Help to successfully foster the development of entrepreneurial and small business ventures.

Northern Great Plains Inc.
Valley Technology Park
P.O. Box 475, 510 County Road 71, Crookston, MN 56716 USA
Phone: (218) 281-8459
Fax: (218) 281-8457
E-mail questions and comments to: jgast@ngplains.org
URL: http://www.ngplains.org/

Northern Great Plains Inc. (NGP)- Northern Great Plains Inc. is a network of business, academic and policy leaders working together to build a strong economic and healthy ecological future for the people and communities on the Northern Great Plains. The service area includes the five-state region of Iowa, Minnesota, Nebraska, North Dakota, and South Dakota, as well as the Canadian provinces of Manitoba and Saskatchewan.

Northeast Nebraska Economic Development District Growth Assistance Program
111 South 1st Street, Norfolk, NE 68701
Phone: (402) 379-1150
Fax: (402) 379-9207
URL: http://www.nenedd.org

Geographic Area Served: 22 counties in northeast Nebraska (Rural)
Mission: To stimulate business opportunity in northeast Nebraska

Panhandle Community Services
3350 North 10th Street, Gering, NE 69341
Phone: (308) 635-3089
Fax: (308) 635-0264
URL: http://www.pcswn.com/health_nutrition_services.htm

Mission: Assist low income individuals with training, technical assistance, and micro loans in order to encourage self-sufficiency and provide opportunities for an improved quality of life.

Plainview Development Corporation
P.O. Box 697 Plainview, NE 68769
Phone: (402) 582-3848
Fax: (402) 582-3938

Mission: To promote the economic development of Plainview Nebraska area

REAP-CENTER FOR RURAL AFFAIRS
101 Tallman, P.O. Box 406 Walthill, NE 68067
PO Box 274 Plymouth, NE 68424
Phone: (402) 656-3091
Fax: (402) 656-3091
E-mail: jeffr@alltel.net
URL: http://www.cfra.org/

The Rural Enterprise Assistance Project of the Center for Rural Affairs is committed to strengthening rural communities through small, self-employed business development.

Rural Enterprise Assistance Project
101 South Tallman Street, PO Box 406, Walthill, NE 68067
Phone: (402) 846-5428
Fax: (402) 846-5420
E-mail: info@cfra.org
URL: http://www.cfra.org/reap/default.htm

Center’s Rural Enterprise Assistance Project (REAP), a small business development program,
offers small business services to "micro" size businesses (5 or fewer employees). REAP includes four components: business management training, a loan fund, networking, and technical assistance.

SEWARD AREA DEVELOPMENT CORPORATION
c/o City Hall Seward, NE 68434
Phone: (402) 643-2928
Fax: (402) 643-2087
URL: http://www.sewardne.org/economicdevelopment.htm

Mission: Economic development and retention of current businesses

Siouxland Economic Development Corporation
428 Insurance Centre, 507 7th Street, Sioux City, IA 51101
Phone: (712) 279-6286
Fax: (712) 279-6920
E-mail: simpco@pionet.net
URL: http://www.siouxlandedc.com/

Mission: To further the economic development of Siouxland (includes Dakota County, Nebraska)

University of Nebraska Cooperative Extension
Cooperative Extension Division, University of Nebraska-Lincoln
211 Agricultural Hall, Lincoln, NE, USA 68583-0703
Phone: (402) 472-2966
E-mail: kbolen1@unl.edu
URL: http://ianrwww.unl.edu/ianr/coopext/coopext.htm

• University of Nebraska Cooperative Extension Business Development & Entrepreneurship Resources
  URL: http://www.extension.unl.edu/community.htm

The mission of Cooperative Extension is to help Nebraskans enhance their lives through research-based education. Our slogan is "Helping People Put Knowledge to Work." Cooperative Extension serves Nebraskans in rural and urban settings, providing educational programs in every county of the state.

University of Nebraska, Nebraska EDGE ("Enhancing, Developing, and Growing Entrepreneurs")
58 Filley Hall, University of Nebraska, Lincoln, NE 68583-0947
Phone: (402) 472-4138
Fax: (402) 472-0688
URL: http://www.ianr.unl.edu/nebraskaedge/

Geographic Area Served: State of Nebraska (Rural, Urban)
Mission: To help entrepreneurs create and evaluate ideas, to assist small business owners to develop and grow their business, to create a community network of support, and to facilitate job creation and retention through start-up and expansion of small businesses
The Nebraska Edge (Enhancing, Developing and Growing Entrepreneurs) is the umbrella organization for rural entrepreneurial training programs hosted by local communities, organizations and associations. Since 1993, the Nebraska Edge has assisted more than 1,000 individuals, entrepreneurs, small business owners and their partners start and improve their businesses.

WAHOO AREA ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT
P.O. Box 154 Wahoo, NE 68066
Phone: (402) 443-4001
Fax: (402) 443-3077
E-mail: daufeldt@wahoo.ne.us
URL: http://www.wahoo.ne.us/

Mission: To promote and assist new and existing business and industry in the Wahoo area with start ups thorough expansions by providing consulting services, network opportunities, referrals, and marketing support