Last verified September 9, 2026 · How we verify

Small business grants in Nebraska

As of September 2026, a Nebraska small business can be matched against 108 programs: 4 Nebraska state programs, 41 national programs open to NE businesses, and 63 federal grants via Grants.gov.

Most of these programs never run an ad. The money is real, but nobody tells you it exists. That's the part we fixed.

4
Nebraska state programs
41
National programs open to NE businesses
63
Federal grants via Grants.gov

Five programs a Nebraska business can act on

Nebraska's own programs first, then national programs. Every one names its funder, and every one is genuinely open to NE businesses. No padding, no filler.

ProgramAmountStatusBuilt forOfficial link
Nebraska state program
Academic Research & Development Grant
Nebraska Department of Economic Development
Verified Sep 8, 2026
Phase I: up to $100,000; Phase II: up to $400,000Rolling, apply anytimeMatching competitive grants for Nebraska for-profit businesses to fund research and development activities…Official page ↗
Nebraska state program
SBIR/STTR Grant Program
Nebraska Department of Economic Development
Verified Sep 8, 2026
up to $300,000 (Phase 2); up to $150,000 (Phase 1); up to $5,000 (Phase 0)Closes Jun 30, 2027A matching grant program for Nebraska for-profit small businesses that have received a federal SBIR or STTR…Official page ↗
Nebraska state program
NIF Prototype Grants
Nebraska Department of Economic Development
Verified Sep 8, 2026
up to $150,000Closes Jun 30, 2027A matching grant program providing up to $150,000 per project for new product development by Nebraska-based…Official page ↗
Nebraska state program
State Trade Expansion Program (STEP)
Nebraska Department of Economic Development
Verified Sep 9, 2026
VariesRolling, apply anytimeSTEP is an SBA-funded international financial assistance program providing reimbursement grants to eligible…Official page ↗
National · open to NE businesses
2Gether-International Startup Accelerators
2Gether-International (backed by Comcast NBCUniversal, Google for Startups)
Verified Aug 30, 2026
Up to $10,000Rolling, apply anytimeFounders with disabilitiesOfficial page ↗

plus the 40 national matches, scored against your specific business, and 63 federal listings for you to review, in your full report.

Straight answers

Do grants have to be paid back?

No. A grant is not a loan. You never pay it back. Most small-business awards just ask for a short report on how the money was used. Larger federal grants can carry more formal reporting and compliance terms, so read the award conditions before you accept.

What's the difference between state, national, and federal programs?

State programs come from Nebraska's own budget and only NE businesses can win them. Less competition. National programs are run by companies and foundations and are open to businesses in every state. Federal grants come through Grants.gov and tend to be larger and more paperwork-heavy.

How current is this page?

Every program shows the date we last verified it against the funder's own page. Anything that closes, moves, or changes gets caught by our daily re-check. How we verify grants.

What does the $97 report add to this page?

This page lists programs. The report scores all 108 against your actual business (your industry, your state, how you're owned) and comes with up to 10 written applications, done with you.

Somewhere in Nebraska, an owner qualifies for three of these and doesn't know it.

This page can't read your business. The 3-minute quiz can. It matches your industry, state, and ownership against all 108 programs and shows you where you stand.

See which grants match my business