LINCOLN -- In May 2024, the Governor’s Office, Nebraska Department of Economic Development (DED), and Nebraska Chamber of Commerce & Industry held a press conference in North Platte to kick off the new 6 Regions, One Nebraska initiative.

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

A regional meeting for the Panhandle will be held 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. Monday, June 24, at the Gering Civic Center.

The Nebraska Legislature allocated $3 million of American Rescue Plan Act funds to DED to fund the regional effort. The State financial investment, supplemented by private dollars, is helping to establish a core work team in each region.

DED Director K.C. Belitz said in the new era of economic development, it is less likely any one  community has all of the resources needed to thrive. He noted that partnerships are more important than ever. Building ecosystems for entrepreneurs, recruiting talent and developing housing are among the needs for partnering, Belitz said.

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

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

Gov. Jim Pillen is meeting with each regional team twice annually for work sessions. Each session 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. The goal of the 6 Regions, One Nebraska program is to encourage cooperation among communities so that regional partnerships become the norm for how Nebraska pursues economic development.