Skip to main content
University of Nebraska Omaha logo University of Nebraska Omaha
APPLY MY UNO DIRECTORY

Students Faculty Staff Community
University of Nebraska Omaha logo
College of Business Administration Nebraska Business Development Center
APPLY MY UNO DIRECTORY
Students Faculty Staff Community
  • About Backback to Main menu
    • About NBDC
    • Consultant/Staff Directory
    • NBDC News Center
    • NBDC Events
    • NBDC Business Awards
    • NBDC Annual Report
  • Business Start + Growth Backback to Main menu
    • About Nebraska SBDC
    • Plan Development
    • Financial Forecasting & Loan Packaging
    • Valuation and Succession Planning
    • Export Strategy
    • Import Resources
    • Contact a Consultant
  • Government Contracting Backback to Main menu
    • About Government Contracting
    • Take the First Steps
    • Contact a Consultant
    • Government Contracting Resources
    • Meet the Buyers Conference
    • Events
  • Innovation & Technology Backback to Main menu
    • About Innovation & Technology
    • SBIR & STTR Funding
    • Contact a Consultant
  • NU Connections
  • SourceLink Nebraska Backback to Main menu
    • About SourceLink Nebraska
    • SourceLink Nebraska Team
    • Personal Action Plan
    • Program Information
  • Enlighten Backback to Main menu
    • About Enlighten
    • Enlighten Enrollment
    • Sign up for Updates
  1. UNO
  2. College of Business Administration
  3. Nebraska Business Development Center
  4. News
  5. 2020
  6. 11
  7. SourceLink Nebraska is a Building Block for Business

SourceLink Nebraska is a Building Block for Business

  • published: 2020/11/18
  • contact: NBDC Communications - Nebraska Business Development Center
  • phone: 402.554.6232
  • email: nbdc@unomaha.edu
  • search keywords:
  • NBDC
  • University of Nebraska Extension
  • Rural Prosperity Nebraska
  • SourceLink Nebraska
Person working on computer at desk with coffee

Omaha, Nebraska – An online program proven successful in other states is actively taking root in Nebraska to grow a statewide system that delivers easy access to key service providers and resources supporting entrepreneurs and community development.

University of Nebraska Extension, the Nebraska Business Development Center (NBDC) and Rural Prosperity Nebraska (RPN) are developing SourceLink Nebraska. Similar to NetWork Kansas (a rural platform) and KC SourceLink (an urban platform), the Nebraska platform will increase efficiency and allow for broader statewide strategies to expand entrepreneurial and economic impact.

NBDC State Director Catherine Lang says NBDC will serve as host for the program. “This is a perfect fit with NBDC’s mission of providing professional services and resources to help build businesses and expand economic development throughout Nebraska,” Lang says. “Not only will SourceLink Nebraska be a development resource here in the state, it will be available to entrepreneurs everywhere who are interested in starting, relocating or expanding their businesses here.”

Don Macke, vice president of e2 Entrepreneurial Ecosystems and former RPN program leader at University of Nebraska-Lincoln Extension, says there are more than 500 governmental and non-profit resources for entrepreneurs in Nebraska. “It’s impossible to know them all,” he says. “That’s where SourceLink comes in.”

Macke says there are three audiences for the SourceLink Nebraska platform: entrepreneurs who can find resources either online or through a call center, once it is established; local economic development organizations, many of whom already use SourceLink as an online resource in other states; and other resource providers who may use SourceLink to refer entrepreneurs to a more appropriate resource.

“It’s like a concierge at a hotel who knows how to use their network to find the best service or restaurant for a guest,” Macke says. “SourceLink makes it easier for anyone to find the right resource.”

A goal for SourceLink Nebraska will be to eventually include housing and workforce development, Macke says. “We could become the first in the country to include a wide range of community development services,” he says.

Scott Asmus has been hired as the SourceLink Nebraska Network Builder. Previously, Asmus served as a subject matter expert for Registered Apprenticeship with the Nebraska Department of Labor – Education and Training. Asmus says the SourceLink platform, which was established in 2003 and has since helped more than 100 communities identify and connect entrepreneurial resources, incorporates the means of tracking effectiveness and mapping the ecosystem to evaluate opportunities for strategic program development.
Specifically:

  • SourceLink Nebraska will evaluate the services provided by the partners and determine if there are services that are missing in the ecosystem, which may lead to modifications to more effectively and efficiently meet the needs of entrepreneurs and business owners.
  • SourceLink Nebraska also is capable of tracking inquiries and resource performance, allowing the state to identify pockets of inactivity or other issues.
  • The state will be able to focus development efforts on areas that are not using resources, find resource gaps and address resource performance issues.
“SourceLink Nebraska will include a calendar function where resource partners can post their coming events, as well as a blog to share information and opportunities,” Asmus says. “It is a resource free to anyone 24 hours a day.”

News Sections

  • Nebraska Business Development Center News Center
  • UNO News Center
  • Maverick Daily
  • The Bullseye
  • Campus Events

Featured

  • Governor Pillen and the Nebraska Business Development Center Recognize Business Award Winners
  • New Look, Same Commitment: NBDC’s Evolution for Nebraska’s Businesses
  • Localee is Living Up to Its Name With Unique, Locally-Sourced Gift Boxes
  • Boondock Designs Makes a Positive Impression With Customized Apparel, Products

Most Viewed

  • Governor Pillen and the Nebraska Business Development Center Recognize Business Award Winners
  • From Law Enforcement to Candle Entrepreneur: The Story of Love Ewe Candles' Rapid Rise
  • Loren Kucera: A 30-Year Legacy of Business Guidance

About NBDC

The Nebraska Business Development Center (NBDC) helps Nebraska businesses start, grow and develop, by strengthening Nebraska businesses for a healthy economy and prosperous communities. NBDC is a University of Nebraska at Omaha center that provides confidential consulting business development services across Nebraska to entrepreneurs and business owners for the life cycle of their business. NBDC partners with the University of Nebraska-Lincoln, University of Nebraska at Kearney, Wayne State College, and Chadron State College to deliver its services statewide. The U.S. Small Business Administration and other federal, state, and private organizations support NBDC. The Nebraska APEX Accelerator is funded in part through a cooperative agreement with the Department of Defense. Visit nbdc.unomaha.edu for more information.


If you have a story idea, news tip or event, please contact:

Kelly Jefferson Minty, Communications Director
kjefferson@unomaha.edu | 402.554.6256

Nebraska Business Development Center

Contact Us
  • Nebraska Business Development Center
  • College of Business Administration
  • 200 Mammel Hall
  • 6708 Pine Street
  • Omaha, NE 68182   map
  • 402.554.NBDC (6232)
  • nbdc@unomaha.edu
Social media
Resources
  • NBDC Staff Directory
  • Mammel Hall Parking

Next Steps

  • Visit UNO
  • Request Information
  • Apply for Admission
  • The UNO Advantage
  • Our City (Omaha)

Just For You

  • Future Students
  • Current Students
  • Work at UNO
  • Faculty and Staff
  • A-Z List

Popular Services and Resources

  • my.unomaha.edu
  • Academic Calendar
  • Campus Buildings & Maps
  • Library
  • Pay Your Bill
  • Course Catalogs
  • Internships & Career Development
  • The Maverick Store
  • MavCARD Services
  • Military-Connected Resource Center
  • Speech Center
  • Writing Center
  • Human Resources
  • Center for Faculty Excellence

Affiliates

  • University of Nebraska System
  • NU Foundation
  • Buffett Early Childhood Institute
  • Daugherty Water for Food Institute
  • National Strategic Research Institute
  • Peter Kiewit Institute
  • Rural Prosperity Nebraska
  1. University Policies
  2. Privacy Statement
  3. Accessibility
  1. 402.554.2800

University of Nebraska Omaha
University of Nebraska Omaha, 6001 Dodge Street, Omaha, NE, 68182
  • ©  
  • Emergency Information Alert
  • MavsReport

Social Media


Omaha Skyline

Our Campus. Otherwise Known as Omaha.

The University of Nebraska does not discriminate based on race, color, ethnicity, national origin, sex, pregnancy, sexual orientation, gender identity, religion, disability, age, genetic information, veteran status, marital status, and/or political affiliation in its education programs or activities, including admissions and employment. The University prohibits any form of retaliation taken against anyone for reporting discrimination, harassment, or retaliation for otherwise engaging in protected activity. Read the full statement.