Rural Fire District Assistance

Instructions:

  1. Click on a link to the application/forms you need
  2. Save the application/forms to your computer
  3. Fill our the application/forms and email or mail to the address below:

State Treasurer's Office
State Capitol, Room 2005
PO Box 94788
Lincoln, Nebraska 68509
Email: nst.tmstaff@nebraska.gov

NOTE: Applications must be postmarked no later than September 20, 2025.

Forms - required
  • Mutual Finance Assistance Application
  • Per Neb. Rev. Stat. 35-1204 The agreement shall: a) Have a duration of at least three years; b) Require that all members of the mutual finance organization levy the same agreed-upon property tax rate within their boundaries for one out of every three tax years covered by the agreement; and c) Require that all members of the mutual finance organization levy no more than such agreed-upon property tax rate for the remaining tax years covered by the agreement.
  • Per Neb. Rev. Stat. 35-1204 State Treasurer's MFO Calculation Spreadsheet
  • Per Neb. Rev. Stat. 35-1207 Distribution of Prior Year Funding
Reports
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Mutual Finance Assistance Act

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 September 20th in order to be considered eligible.

For more information, contact Treasury Management at (402) 471-2455 option 5 or contact us.
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.

Click here to read more.
Knox County Mutual Finance Organization
Click here to read about the Knox County Mutual Finance Organization, one of 37 Mutual Finance Organizations and Fire Protection Districts that serve and protect Nebraskans in emergencies.