New strategy convenes leaders to design and implement collaborative economic development projects.

Today, the Governor’s Office, Nebraska Department of Economic Development (DED), and Nebraska Chamber of Commerce & Industry held a press conference in Grand Island prior to the inaugural meeting of 6 Regions, One Nebraska in the Central Community College region.

The initiative is convening leaders in each of Nebraska’s six community college districtsto design and implement collaborative, regional economic development projects. 

“The Governor’s Office is committed to supporting growth in every county of the state, and 6 Regions, One Nebraska is evidence of that commitment,” said Lt. Gov. Joe Kelly. “Pursuing economic development by region is especially important for rural Nebraska, where resources are less concentrated. Our smaller communities can best compete for talent and investment by partnering together.”

At the request of Governor Pillen, the Nebraska Legislature allocated $3 million of American Rescue Plan Act funds to DED this year to fund the regional effort. The State’s financial investment, supplemented by private dollars, is helping to establish a core work team in each region. DED-administered grant funding is also supporting research on the workforce, housing, childcare, and educational resources within each region. Dr. Josie Schafer, director of the Center for Public Affairs Research at the University of Nebraska Omaha, is leading the research initiative and presenting data to each regional team.

“The game has changed in economic development,” said DED Director K.C. Belitz. “The field is increasingly complex with far more factors at play now than even a decade ago. As such, the odds go down that any single community has all the resources it needs to succeed. Working to combine our assets—across city limits and county lines—is the best way to benefit our hometowns.”

The State’s investment into the initiative will provide financial incentive for regional projects in one of the following areas:

• Resident Recruitment
• Youth Engagement
• Entrepreneurship
• Technology
• Infrastructure
• Selected Regional Project

Each regional team is meeting twice annually for work sessions. The biannual gatherings will include a presentation of data to inform regional decision-making. Each region will also conduct asset mapping to identify the strengths it can draw on to drive growth.

“Our size is an advantage as a state,” said Dave Rippe, regional co-chair and owner of Queen City Development in Hastings. “Whether you walk into an office in Hastings, Columbus, or Red Cloud, you’re going to get plugged into the community really fast. Through 6 Regions, One Nebraska, we have an opportunity to scale this connectivity to our entire region. By linking up across communities, we’ll be better able to deploy our resources to grow central Nebraska.”

The goal of the 6 Regions, One Nebraska initiative is to catalyze cooperation among communities so that regional partnerships become the norm for how Nebraska pursues economic development.

“Across Nebraska, there’s a renaissance happening as small towns come together to take on big projects needed for their mutual growth,” said Bryan Slone, President of the Nebraska Chamber. “There’s increasing willingness to work together to develop assets that will attract young families. The purpose of 6 Regions, One Nebraska is to encourage exactly this sort of collaboration. I’m excited by the potential of this initiative to benefit our entire state.”

Today’s work session was hosted by Central Community College at its Grand Island Campus. Nebraska’s community colleges are key members of 6 Regions, One Nebraska.

“Central Community College values working collaboratively with our communities to meet their workforce development needs,” said Dr. Matt Gotschall, President of CCC. “Over ninety percent of our graduates go on to work in central Nebraska. We have great partnerships with businesses that are helping pay for students to go to school, while providing valuable work experience for students outside of the classroom. Whether it’s a new welding facility in Grand Island or automotive training center in Hastings, or transfer pathways to universities, CCC is committed to providing quality instruction to prepare our graduates to make an impact in the region.”