Cooperative Business Development Mini-Grant Program

The Nebraska Cooperative Development Center (NCDC), a program of the University of Nebraska-Lincoln Department of Agricultural Economics, is seeking applications for its 2024 Cooperative Business Development Mini-grant Program. Cooperative Business Development Mini-Grants are available to groups who are pursuing/exploring a cooperative business model or are incorporated cooperatives (or other business entity operating as a cooperative) in rural Nebraska. Characteristics of Cooperative include: -User-owner - the users of the business own and finance the business. -User-control - Users vote, democratically, to set major policies and to elect a board of directors composed of the cooperative’s users. -User-benefit – User benefit distribution is based on members’ use of the cooperative, not on the amount of capital they have invested. Groups (including communities) that are exploring community-supported cooperative ventures are also eligible to apply for either Initial Development or Advanced Assistance. -Initial Development Assistance grants are designed for groups who are in the exploratory stages of development of cooperative or multi-owner businesses. -Advanced Development Assistance grants are designed to provide incorporated cooperatives or multi-owner businesses functioning or operating as a cooperative the ability to hire professional services or develop materials for the on-going development of their cooperative or multi-owner business functioning as a cooperative.