Nebraska State Treasurer Don Stenberg

Rural Fire District Assistance Program

In 1998, the Nebraska Legislature passed the Mutual Finance Assistance Act. The Act provides aid to rural or suburban fire protection districts (FPDs) and mutual finance organizations (MFOs) for the purpose of financing operational and equipment needs for fire protection, emergency response, or training within their joint areas of operation.

MFOs may be created by an agreement among its members pursuant to the Interlocal Cooperation Act. The agreement must contain a provision that requires all members of the MFO to levy the same property tax rate within their boundaries for the purpose of jointly funding the operations of all its members.

Every community and rural area depends heavily on its fire protection and emergency services. This bill is intended to help those areas in Nebraska that have a high rural population percentage. The State Treasurer's Office encourages all rural or suburban fire protection districts to consider applying for funding under this act.

In order to qualify for aid, the assumed population of a county, based on several population and valuation estimates, must be greater than 80% of the county population less the population of all first, primary, or metro class cities or the assumed population must be equal to or greater than 30,000. The assumed population plus the population of any first class city in the FPD or MFO is multiplied by $10.00 to determine the total state aid to be received with a maximum amount set at $300,000.

Applications must be post-marked by July 1st in order to be considered eligible. For more information, contact Treasury Managment at (402) 471-2455 or e-mail us.

Download Application & Instructions

Mutual Finance Assistance Fund rewards Nebraska firefighters for ’cooperative spirits,’ creative thinking, life-saving services

The concept of mutual aid and assistance that Kevin Edwards believes in and helped solidify into state law actually went a long way to saving his life after a car accident in December 2009.

Edwards and his co-worker Roger Kruger were involved in a three-vehicle accident on Interstate 80 on their way back home to Omaha after driving a friend to York, NE, for the Christmas holidays. Kruger was killed in the accident, and Edwards suffered a serious head injury. Both were Omaha firefighters at the time.