MAY 2, 2013 (NORTH PLATTE, NEB.)—Nebraska Diplomats, company, community, and government officials gathered in North Platte today at the Sandhills Convention Center to celebrate the economic contributions of the state’s businesses and industries.

With a membership of more than 365 business executives and community leaders, the Nebraska Diplomats Inc. is the largest economic development organization in Nebraska that allies with other economic development organizations to promote the state’s business climate and quality of life.

APRIL 24, 2013 (LINCOLN, NEB.)—The Nebraska Department of Economic Development today awarded a total $100,000 in Nebraska Innovation Fund grants for Pre-seed Stage (or Prototyping) completed by two Nebraska companies in support of conceptual work and commercialization of their products or processes.  

•EcSELL Institute of Lincoln received a $50,000 Pre-seed grant for its process that focuses exclusively on the development of Executive Sales Managers’ sales management coaching skills. The company provides members only resources, including formal education, diagnostic tools, one-on-one executive development sessions, fact-based resources, and expert Pillar Partners—industry-leading, best-in-class organizations that collaborate around 6 Pillars of Sales Productivity ™.  

APRIL 23, 2013 (LINCOLN, NEB.)—The Nebraska Department of Economic Development (DED) has awarded the City of Red Cloud with $300,000 in Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) funding in the Tourism Development category to renovate the three-story “Moon Block” building to house the National Willa Cather Center.  

In turn, the City will award the funding to The Willa Cather Foundation, a non-profit association that oversees the largest number of buildings and sites on the National register of Historic Places devoted to an author in the United States.  

Growing Nebraska's Innovation

Produced in cooperation with NET Television, the Growing Nebraska's Innovation video highlights the role of Nebraska entrepreneurs and the state's efforts to improve the economic climate for businesses and entrepreneurs throughout Nebraska.