Bill > LB702

This bill establishes the Neighborhood Empowerment Act, which creates a grant program to provide financial resources directly to neighborhood associations across Nebraska. The act aims to support locally driven initiatives that enhance community engagement, infrastructure, safety, economic development, and quality of life with minimal administrative restrictions. Neighborhood associations can apply for grants up to $5 million annually, distributed evenly across congressional districts, with priority given to applicants that provide technical assistance, facilitate leadership development, and ensure equitable resource distribution. Grant recipients must demonstrate an active membership base and can use funds for various community-enhancing projects such as community programming, infrastructure improvements, safety initiatives, economic development, and organizational capacity building. The bill creates a nine-member Neighborhood Empowerment Advisory Board appointed by the Governor to provide oversight, establishes reporting requirements for grant recipients, and includes provisions for recouping unused or improperly spent grant money. The Department of Economic Development will conduct outreach to encourage neighborhood association formation and may work with local intermediary organizations to support and administer the program, with the legislative intent to appropriate $5 million annually from the General Fund to support these grants.

Housing and Urban Affairs

https://nebraskalegislature.gov/bills/view_bill.php?DocumentID=59017