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Contractor Academy

Our Work

Contractor Academy

NeighborWorks Lincoln (NWL) provides a practical, beginner-friendly program designed to equip individuals with hands-on trade and/or remodeling experience with the business fundamentals and local credentials needed to operate safely and legally as independent contractors. The Contractor Academy is a cohort-based series of five in-person classes taught in collaboration with local industry professionals.

What You Will Learn

Contractor Academy attendees will learn how to:

  • Build Business Foundations: Understand legal business structures (Sole Proprietorship, LLC), obtain a Federal EIN, and navigate Nebraska Department of Labor (NDOL) registrations and state tax requirements. 
  • Manage Risk + Insurance: Meet City of Lincoln contractor insurance requirements, read Certificates of Liability Insurance (COI), and understand when workers’ compensation is needed. 
  • Navigate Local Permitting + Inspections: Know when permits are required, submit and track applications using the City of Lincoln access portal, and work professionally with city building inspectors. 
  • Estimate, Bid, + Manage Projects: Accurately calculate job costs (materials, labor, overhead), understand markup vs. margin, and draft clear project scopes and contracts. 
  • Master Financial Basics + Cash Flow: Establish separate business banking, track expenses and mileage, and structure project deposits and progress payments to protect cash flow.

Program Details + Accessibility

Cost: The Contractor Academy is free and beginner-friendly, focusing on local system navigation rather than corporate scaling.

Who It's For: The Contractor Academy is open to Lincoln community members, trade workers, and individuals doing informal or odd-job work who want to establish or formalize their contracting business.

Pilot Application + Future Schedule: The application for the 2027 pilot cohort will be available soon. Space is limited, and pilot participants will be expected to attend all five (5) sessions. Future program information and class schedules will be posted once the pilot is underway.

Participant Support + Accommodations: To eliminate barriers to participation, dinner is provided at each class session, and assistance with childcare and transportation is available upon request. If you have special accessibility needs, or would be more comfortable participating in a language other than English, please let us know so we can coordinate the appropriate accommodations.

Class Schedule

Each class is from 5:30 p.m. to 8 p.m. in the Training Center at NeighborWorks Lincoln (2530 Q Street).

  • Week 1
    • Module 1: TBD
    • Module 2: TBD
    • Module 3: TBD
  • Week 2
    • Module 4: TBD
    • Module 5: TBD

Get Started

The application for the 2027 pilot cohort of the Contractor Academy will be available soon. Space is limited.

If you have questions about the Contractor Academy please contact Workforce Development Intern, Caden Pearson, at caden.pearson@nwlincoln.org, or call NWL at 402.477.7181.

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