Opportunity Overview
The Nebraska Department of Economic Development (DED) administers the 2026 CDBG Tourism Development (TD) opportunity as a Nebraska-administered federal Community Development Block Grant pass-through. The program supports qualifying tourist-attraction facilities with meaningful local and regional economic impact. Tourism projects are expected to draw at least 2,500 visits annually from origins at least 100 miles away and must satisfy an eligible CDBG national objective.
Application Period and Deadline
Applications opened July 1, 2026 and are accepted through June 30, 2027 at 11:59 PM Central Time. DED identifies Tourism Development as an open-cycle opportunity reviewed quarterly. A Tourism Development Pre-Application is required. Applications are submitted through Nebraska DED’s current Euna/AmpliFund grant portal.
Eligible Applicants
Eligible state-administered CDBG applicants are Nebraska counties and incorporated municipalities with populations below 50,000 that are not CDBG Entitlement Communities. Omaha, Lincoln, Bellevue, and Grand Island administer CDBG separately. Individual or joint applications may be permitted subject to the current guidelines and required interlocal or partner documentation.
Funding and Match
The 2026 guidelines set minimum CDBG project costs of $250,000 and maximum CDBG project costs of $600,000. General Administration may be up to 10% of CDBG project costs, not to exceed $25,000, and Construction Management may be up to $5,000. DED’s live application portal lists an award floor of $250,000 and an award ceiling of $630,000, reflecting the project-cost ceiling plus allowable administration and construction-management amounts. Required local matching funds are 25% of CDBG project costs.
Priority and Eligible Activities
Priority tourism activities include non-residential historic preservation; neighborhood/public facilities such as convention centers, participatory sports facilities, cultural and heritage recreational sites, and scientific or educational interpretive sites; removal of architectural barriers; parks and recreational facilities; and other qualifying public facilities and improvements. The guidelines also identify Economic Development Direct Financial Assistance to For-Profit Business (HUD Matrix 18A) as an eligible activity within the Tourism Development opportunity where the required structure and public-benefit rules are satisfied.
Important Restrictions
Retail businesses or operations such as eating and drinking establishments, commercial lodging, gas stations, commercial rest areas, and gift shops are identified as ineligible under the Tourism Development section. Furnishings and personal property that are not integral structural fixtures are also ineligible. Each project must satisfy the applicable CDBG national objective, including low- and moderate-income or slum/blight pathways described in the current guidelines.
Application Materials
The Tourism Development application requires the applicable CDBG exhibits, including public-hearing notice, authorizing resolution, assurances and certifications, citizen-participation and anti-displacement materials, national-objective documentation, procurement documentation when applicable, letters of support when applicable, project map, SAM documentation, Limited English Proficiency analysis, budget and local cost-share documentation, and preliminary project description/level of environmental review. Applicants should use the current DED application guidelines, exhibits, forms, templates, and live application portal.
Atlas Assessment
Atlas Opportunity Score: 70/100. N9+ Fit Score: 5/100 conditional. QC Healthcare Fit: 0/100. This is a substantial community-development opportunity, but its purpose is tourism rather than healthcare or clinical technology. Any N9+ role would require an independently defensible project-specific use that is allowable under the CDBG structure and procurement rules; ordinary initial outreach must not introduce or sell N9+. Dr. Miltie, LLC is not the direct applicant under the state-administered Tourism Development pathway.
Controlling sources: Nebraska DED CDBG program page, 2026 CDBG Application Guidelines, and the live 2026 CDBG Tourism Development application portal.