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 Workforce Development Council and K-12 Coordination Council convening
Commerce Workforce Director Katie Ralston Howe joined the Workforce Development Council (WDC) and K-12 Coordination Council convening today to present to each other, recommendations to improve workforce development through education, training, resources, access, and opportunities for collaboration. The goal for the two councils is to leverage programs and resources by increasing opportunities for partnership and improving program reach that increases the number of prepared, trained, skilled people entering, and remaining in the workforce and to attract and retain educators for K-12 schools. Read the WDC recommendations here.
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Commerce announced recently that Gov. Doug Burgum appointed three individuals to serve on the Economic Development Foundation.
The Economic Development Foundation is a private sector advisory group charged by the North Dakota Legislature to advise the governor and Commerce on strategies to improve the state’s competitiveness and economic growth.
Members of the foundation consist of business leaders from across the state who establish updates on the state’s economic development strategic plan. The foundation meets quarterly to monitor progress toward economic development goals, discuss major business and economic issues, and to offer suggestions for improving North Dakota’s business climate.
Appointed members:
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Kevin Miller, the founder of ITCB Consulting and author of Finding Ways to Win: Mastering the Success Potential Formula.
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Lindsey Narum, an implementation project manager for National Information Solutions Cooperative (NISC).
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Thomas Stromme, the assistant vice president business banker at First International Bank and Trust in Fargo.
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A total of $2,907,752 of Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) funds for fiscal year 2022 were awarded to eight North Dakota Communities.
The CDBG program provides financial assistance to eligible units of local governments in the form of grants for public facilities, public services, housing rehabilitation, and economic development projects.
FY2022 CDBG award recipients:
- The City of Williston was awarded $120,000 for the Brookeland Homes multi-family housing rehabilitation project and $135,000 for the Opportunity Foundation multi-family housing rehabilitation project.
- The City of Portal was awarded $747,297 for the construction of a gas line and $250,000 for the construction of a sewer main.
- Rolette County was awarded $515,000 for a multi-family housing rehabilitation project.
- The City of Harvey was awarded $175,000 for the rehabilitation of the water and sewer system.
- The City of Woodworth was awarded $161,000 for the rehabilitation of the water and sewer system.
- The City of Glen Ullin was awarded $210,000 for the rehabilitation of gate valves, meter pits, and curb stops.
- The City of Hebron was awarded $265,955 for the rehabilitation of a water main.
- Bowman County was awarded $328,500 for a multi-family housing rehabilitation project.
More information about the CDBG program and other resources provided by Commerce’s Division of Community Services can be found at www.commerce.nd.gov/community-services.
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Think 3D and Workforce in ND webinar next week
The Main Street Initiative team will host a Community Webinar Chat on Dec. 8 from 3:30-4:30 p.m. During the webinar Commerce Workforce Director Katie Ralston Howe will provide an overview on all the assistance and programs available through Commerce. A recording of Think 3D's keynote at the 2022 Main Street ND Summit will also be presented.
Think 3D focuses on building cultures, businesses, leaders, and communities. Something that is a through point in all of these things is the ability to create a vision, share that vision with others, and then communicate that vision to the world in order to attract, retain and develop the type of talent, residents, and leaders that help communities thrive.
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 Register today - the Travel Industry Conference takes place April 3-5, 2023 in Bismarck
The 2023 Travel Industry Conference planning is underway, providing educational and motivational content and networking for the state’s destination marketing professionals. The 2023 conference is hosted by North Dakota Tourism & Marketing, Bismarck-Mandan CVB, and the Destination Marketing Association of ND.
The opening reception will take place at The CraftCade, Bismarck’s retro arcade, pizzeria and craft beer hall. The conference will kick-off with networking and professional development roundtables; a return of the popular Pecha Kucha (7-minute) tactical presentations; and the Governor’s Awards for Travel and Tourism recognizing industry excellence (nominations are now open and due Feb. 28).
Take advantage of the early-bird registration of $200 per person, which is NOW OPEN and available through Feb. 28. After March 1, registration fees will increase to $250 per person. Sponsorships are also available.
 Great American West (GAW) mid-year meeting supports Global Marketing efforts
Tourism and Marketing Director Sara Otte Coleman and Global Marketing Manager Fred Walker participated in the mid-year meeting where the Great American West states discuss the progress of the cooperative global marketing program. KPIs on ongoing programs were reviewed and evaluated as well as market changes to determine if the current plan remains on target to meet goals. Additional discussion topics included engaging more communities in the program by sharing additional information through the trip reports, evaluating and goal setting of RMI and the overseas offices, and new market opportunities. The midyear was hosted in Boise which will be hosting the International Roundup (IRU) April 23-26. There are still a few slots remaining for North Dakota suppliers interesting in participating in IRU. For more information contact Fred Walker at fwalker@nd.gov.
 Tourism staff went on a discovery trip to Minot to learn about new tourism experiences
Communications Manager Kim Schmidt along with Social Media Strategist Alicia Jolliffe recently traveled to Minot where they spent the day with Stephanie and Eden from Visit Minot to learn about new visitor experiences and potential partner opportunities. While there, they met with the team at the Magic City Discovery Center (opening late Feb. 2023), which is going to be the first children’s museum in North Dakota incorporating North Dakota elements into their exhibits. They also met with Jessica and Ryan of the Aksal Group at the Pocket Park Ice Rink, a recent recipient of a Main Street Tourism Outdoor Recreation grant. A visit to Miracle on 10th delivered on photos with Santa and a walk down Hollywood Lane that included memorabilia of favorite Christmas movies. The team from Off Menu also shared their vision for future opportunities. A stop for lunch at Whiskey Nine showcased their multiple golf simulators and a putting green, along with a space where they host live music and entertainment called the “bougee bar.”
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 Main Street Tourism Outdoor Recreation Grant recipient spotlight
Citizens Alley Pocket Park Ice Rink in Minot was recently awarded a $20,000 grant through the Main Street Tourism Outdoor Recreation Grant program.
Citizens Alley is a pedestrian-only corridor tucked quaintly between the partially redeveloped buildings on the First and Central block in downtown Minot. Grant funds were used to purchase ice rink equipment and more. This ice rink provides a unique location for winter activities in the heart of Minot’s downtown.
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 Five ways DMOs and EDOs should streamline efforts
Tourism marketing and economic development marketing are not the same but opportunities for synergy are too often overlooked in communities – especially with new trends like bolder, more aggressive talent attraction efforts.
In this article discover how working towards common goals, branding the destination, focusing on infrastructure, benefiting from events and innovations, and using storytelling to promote place can help prioritize what’s best for communities.
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