Grant to promote rural development

Post by **Brad** » Tue Nov 02, 2004 2:27 pm

Published Tuesday
November 2, 2004

Grant to promote rural development

BY PAUL HAMMEL

WORLD-HERALD STAFF WRITER

BURWELL, Neb. - A 15-county rural economic development program has received a $50,000 assist from the federal government to attract businesses and promote small towns via the Internet.

The United States Department of Agriculture announced the grant at last week's annual meeting in Burwell of the Central Nebraska Economic Development District. The district's headquarters are in Bassett.

The money, plus a local matching amount of $43,000, will enable the district to put local business and community profiles on the Internet, via Web sites operated by the state economic development department and NPPD.

"If you don't get the information out there, you're missing the boat," said Heidi Phillips of the CNEDD.

Phillips estimated that the grant will help create or save 15 jobs and provide assistance to at least five businesses.

The central Nebraska development district serves Blaine, Boyd, Brown, Cherry, Custer, Garfield, Greeley, Holt, Howard, Keya Paha, Loup, Rock, Sherman, Valley and Wheeler counties.

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People who have never been up here to go canoeing on the Niobrara are really missing out.

projectman · Post by **projectman** » Tue Nov 02, 2004 2:30 pm

It's a stretch but worth a shot.

DMRyan · Post by **DMRyan** » Tue Nov 02, 2004 2:33 pm

Wow, a whole $50,000 to support 15 large counties!

This is a good thing though, I've done searches before on several desolate towns way out on the plains and they have virtually no web presence whatsoever. While getting them online is a valiant effort, they'll be playing catch up to many small towns and counties that've had this kind of thing in place for years.

projectman · Post by **projectman** » Tue Nov 02, 2004 2:39 pm

Well you're talking 15 large counties in land area with very small populations. The farm animals outnumber people 10 to 1. But if it jump starts even one or two of the these dinky towns it's worth it.

eomaha · Post by **eomaha** » Wed Nov 03, 2004 9:40 pm

Actually they could do alot with this money. First thing I'd do... is go down to the Kiewit Institute... and recruit some of those 'university kids' to work up a website (perhaps solicit help from the College of Business Administration for some marketing help).