Verified open September 22, 2026. The Nebraska Department of Economic Development is accepting applications for Nebraska Innovation Fund Prototype Grants supporting new product development by qualifying businesses operating in Nebraska. The controlling Prototype Grant Guidelines are revised September 2026.
Funding
Prototype grants are available at up to $150,000 per project. DED reimburses eligible project costs at a 66% rate for standard projects. Applicants must provide a minimum 50% of the grant request as cash matching funds; qualifying value-added agriculture projects and qualifying projects in an Economic Redevelopment Area in Omaha may use the lower 25% cash-match and 80% reimbursement structure described in the September 2026 guidelines.
Eligibility and Uses
Eligible recipients include Nebraska-based corporations, limited liability companies, partnerships, registered limited partnerships, sole proprietorships, business trusts and other qualifying entities with fewer than 500 employees, operating in non-retail primary industries and adding value to products or processes in Nebraska. Award recipients must be registered and in good standing with the Nebraska Secretary of State. Eligible costs must support product development and can include employee or contractor wages, prototype materials, and limited preapproved tooling or equipment. The September 2026 guidelines require the application, ownership and equity-holder information, business plan, evidence of matching funds, and a development budget; applications with three or more budget line items should use the official budget template. Match must be cash from non-state sources, and in-kind match is not permitted. Pre-contract expenses and legal or intellectual-property costs are not reimbursable.
Deadline
The current application window opened July 6, 2026 and lists a close of June 30, 2027 at 11:55 PM CDT. DED also states applications are accepted on a rolling basis until funds are exhausted and advises applicants to confirm current fund availability.
Atlas Analysis
Atlas Opportunity Score: 86/100. N9+ Fit Score: 82/100 conditional. The program can be a strong fit for a genuine new N9+ product-development, prototype, engineering or validation project. It is not a general purchasing, deployment or sales grant. Dr. Miltie direct eligibility remains unverified because accessible company records do not establish that the business operates in Nebraska or otherwise meets the program’s Nebraska-based eligibility test.
Match Safeguard
The standard program requires a mandatory 50% cash match. Atlas will not advance a Dr. Miltie submission or applicant-controlled match commitment without approval or an applicable waiver. Publication and eligibility research may continue while that safeguard remains in place.