Business Assistance in Keith County

The Chamber of Commerce offers several business assistance services including Notary Service, Bulk Mail Permit, Meeting Room Facilities, Job Description Assistance, Business Plan Assistance, Marketing Assistance, and Policies and Procedures Assistance.  The Chamber has a staff of four full-time and two part-time employees to answer your questions and assist your business in any way possible.  If we are unable to provide you with the help you require, we will find the agency that can assist you. 

Incentives
Local financing and incentive programs include Tax Increment Financing and the Regional Economic Development Investment program.  Additional assistance is available through Keith County Area Development and the Ogallala/Keith County Chamber of Commerce. 

• REDI: The Regional Economic Development Investment program is a low-interest participation loan through local Keith County banking institutions.  Businesses eligible for the REDI program include but are not limited to the following: industry, manufacturing, food processing, agriculture, aquaculture processing, telecommunications, transportation, service industry, retail and tourism.

Eligible activities include but are not limited to the following: Acquisition of real estate, land and buildings, fixed assets, machinery and equipment, renovations, remodeling, site preparation, storage and distribution systems.

Assistance is provided by the REDI Program through the participation in a loan originating with a Keith County commercial lender who sponsors the business/project application.  The REDI Program “participates” in the loan by providing the funds to the sponsoring lender who originates and services the loan. 

The REDI committee has assisted 17 businesses in Keith County by loaning over $1,530,000 for job creation, acquisition of equipment, new business start up costs and existing business expansions. 

• TIF: Tax Increment Financing captures the difference of the “before project” taxes and the “after project” taxes to help finance public improvements, site acquisitions, and site preparations of the project.  Projects must be located within the Ogallala City limits and in a designated “blighted and substandard” area. 
   

• KCAD: Keith County Area Development, the local area economic development agency, is interested in helping new and expanding businesses using any possible means, including help with the facilitation of the building and the lease options.
   

• Ogallala/Keith County Chamber of Commerce: The Chamber of Commerce is available to assist businesses in a variety of ways including application processing, providing meeting room space for the initial interview process, arranging local contacts, etc.
   

State of Nebraska Incentives

The Nebraska Advantage package was designed to create a business climate that makes Nebraska the preferred location for starting and growing your business. The Nebraska Advantage rewards businesses that invest in the state and hire Nebraskans. In this progressive, pro-business tax climate, corporate income and sales taxes are reduced or virtually eliminated.

The Nebraska Advantage package benefits businesses with:

• Investment credits

• Wage credits

• Sales tax refund

• Customized job training

• State and local sales tax exemptions for purchases of manufacturing machinery, equipment and related services

• Research and development tax credits

• Microenterprise tax credits

• Inventory tax exemptions

The Nebraska Advantage Act, LB 312, is a new economic development incentive that makes Nebraska more competitive for business expansions or locations, and strengthens Nebraska’s economy. The Nebraska Advantage Act, which replaces legislation that was passed nearly 20 years ago, is more comprehensive to meet the needs of your expanding or relocating business.