Shovel-Ready Capital Recovery & Investment Act for Nonprofit Organizations

The Shovel-Ready Capital Recovery and Investment Act (LB566) has been passed by the Nebraska Legislature. This bill will provide grants to qualified nonprofit organizations to assist with capital projects that were delayed due to COVID-19 and that will deliver a positive economic impact in the State of Nebraska.

WHAT ORGANIZATIONS QUALIFY?

To qualify, a nonprofit must be exempt from federal income taxes under section 501(c)(3), and be related to arts, culture, humanities, or athletics.

HOW CAN I USE THE GRANT?

Grants can be applied to the costs of land, engineering, architectural planning, contract services, construction, materials, and equipment required to build, expand, or develop new or existing facilities.

HOW MUCH IS THE GRANT?

LB566 intends to fully fund all approved grants using state dollars allocated from the General Fund, and federal dollars allocated to states as part of the American Rescue Plan Act of 2021. The amount of any grant approved under this section shall be equal to the amount of funds to be supplied by the qualified nonprofit organization from private sources, subject to the following limitations:

• Capital projects with an estimated cost of less than $5 million, the grant will not exceed $1.5 million.
• Capital projects with an estimated cost of $5-25 million, the grant will not exceed $5 million.
• Capital projects with an estimated cost of $25-50 million, the grant will not exceed $10 million.
• Capital projects with an estimated cost of over $50 million, the grant will not exceed $15 million.

HOW DO I RECEIVE THE GRANT?

Each qualified nonprofit organization that receives a grant under LB566 shall secure the private funds through a written pledge or payment by December 31, 2021, and must begin construction on the capital project by June 30, 2022. Any organization that fails to meet the requirements must repay the grant funds received.

Applications will be submitted online through the Nebraska Department of Economic Development. More information will be available on its website in mid-June. Applications at a minimum will require the following information:

• A description of the project
• Estimated cost of the project
• The date the project was delayed due to COVID-19 and the date when the project is expected to begin, which shall be no later than June 30, 2022, and
• Documentation on the amount of funds which have been received from private sources. The amount of the grant received shall not be greater than these matching funds from private sources. Documentation provided does not need to identify the names of any donors.

WHEN CAN I APPLY?

Qualified nonprofit organizations may apply for the grant starting July 1, 2021, through July 15, 2021. Applications will be considered in the order in which they are received. If you have any questions, please contact your Lutz Representative. You can also find more information on the bill here.

Updated 5/27/21