Nebraska

The Enabling Act of April 19, 1854 paved the way for Nebraska to become a state, and, in the act, a condition of statehood required that the federal government grant back to the new state sections 16 and 36, two one-square mile parcels in each 36 square mile township in trust for the public schools. In the Nebraska Constitution, the state accepted the role of trustee and established parameters for the management of the land and associated permanent fund.

The original grant consisted of 2.7 million acres of which 1.37 million acres remain in trust ownership. The Board of Educational Lands and Funds oversees the management of the land, and are entrusted with the generation of both surface and mineral revenue sources. Revenues from sales are deposited into the permanent fund and managed by the Nebraska Investment Council. The annual interest from the fund along with renewable resource revenue is distributed to the public schools as appropriated by the Nebraska Legislature. Schools received over $113 million in FY 2006.

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