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The Main Street ND Summit provides an opportunity to connect, learn, get inspired and gain insight to build and grow your community for the future. This year's event theme is innovative workforce solutions. The summit is free and features nationally renowned keynote speakers and hands-on workshops that will provide you with the tools to attract and retain the next generation of North Dakota’s workforce. You won't want to miss Eric Termuende, a best-selling author, internationally recognized thought leader, and keynote speaker on all things future of work, leadership, workplace culture and talent management, as he presents on "Building Tomorrow’s Greatest Places to Work."
There are several add-ons for this year’s summit. When registering, please make sure to sign-up for these activities:
- Artists on Main Street Cohort Meeting - Tuesday, Oct. 24, 12:30-3:30 pm
- Theodore Roosevelt National Park Guided Bus Tour - Oct. 24, 1:30-3:30 pm
- Ag & Energy Tour - Oct. 24, 1:30-2:30 pm
- Arts and Culture Walking Tour - Oct. 24, 4:00-5:00 pm
- Main Street Development Tour - Oct. 24, 4:00-5:00 pm
- Art Class - Oct. 24, 5:00-7:00 pm
- End of the Rope Movie Showing - Oct. 24, 7:00-9:30 pm
- Watford City High School Ambassadors Cultural Fair - Wednesday, Oct. 25, 4:00 pm
Thank you to all the Main Street ND Summit sponsors who help make this event possible! Additional sponsorship opportunities are still available - learn more and sign up to be a sponsor here.
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Don't miss this free Multi-State Placemaking Best Practices workshop
The Department of Commerce invites communities to participate in a free Multi-State Placemaking Best Practices Exchange workshop on Wednesday, Aug. 2, at 2pm; and Thursday, Aug. 3, 7:30am to 5pm CT in Minot.
Community-driven placemaking plays a key role in creating healthy, prosperous communities where people want to live, work, play, and learn. To support this notion, this workshop aims to showcase effective placemaking approaches for communities, introduce attendees to placemaking resources and tools, and connect with placemaking experts from other states.
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North Dakota agriculture and technology companies benefit from Legacy Investment for Technology Loan Fund
As part of its commitment to fuel innovation and economic growth in North Dakota, the North Dakota Department of Commerce Legacy Investment for Technology Loan Fund (LIFT) Committee awarded a total of $1,750,000 in funding to three companies in July.
July LIFT recipients include:
- Bushel - $1,000,000 awarded to this agricultural technology company in Fargo
- Three Farm Daughters - $500,000 awarded to this Grand Forks food company making high fiber pasta
- PaveWise – $250,000 awarded to this Bismarck company offering a software solution for asphalt paving contractors
North Dakota Development Fund seeks applicants for fertilizer facility loan funding
The North Dakota Development Fund (NDDF) is now soliciting applications for companies looking to construct a fertilizer facility in North Dakota.
Up to $65M in loan funds are available through the NDDF for the development and construction of a fertilizer facility within the state, generating high economic impact. Companies are asked to submit their proposals by August 13, 2023.
The North Dakota Development Fund was created in 1991 as an economic development tool. It provides flexible funding through debt and equity investments for new or expanding North Dakota primary sector businesses. The fund also manages the Child Care Loan Program created by the North Dakota Legislature in 2009.
Turtle Mountain foresees economic growth thanks to new projects
Economic development initiatives in the Turtle Mountain area are showing signs of growth and success with the recent and anticipated opening of several new projects and businesses.
- Turtle Island Adventure Park is a new economic development initiative in Sky Dancer Hotel and Casino Campus, which includes an indoor water park opening later this summer
- Sky Jump Trampoline Park that will include a Sky Walk and Ropes Course with additional family-friendly experiences coming soon
- Winter Activities Park – A winter park is currently being designed and planned to start development on phase one later this year. Sky Line Winter Park (tentative project name) will be located on the eastern part of the Sky Dancer Casino & Resort Campus
- New Turtle Mountain Band of Chippewa Indians food distribution center that will provide better services to clients as well as nutritional education programs
- New Career and Technical Education center (CTE) in Dunseith providing industry-certified certification right out of high school with plans to open this fall
This stems from the implementation of a comprehensive 10-year Economic Development Expansion Master Plan for the Turtle Mountain Region. The primary objective of this plan is to enhance the overall quality of life for both community residents and visitors to the region.
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Updates for the Destination Development grant
The Destination Development grant is intended to fund the building of infrastructure or expansion of an attraction and service that creates anchor tourism attractions that will assist in spurring and supporting secondary attractions within the state. The application portal is open now until Aug. 31 at 5 pm.
This program has two options, a standard grant and an interest-rate buy-down option that had not been in our previous communications. The interest buy-down may be of interest to larger projects and could allow our grant funds to support more diverse projects. Applicants who have already started the grant process are able to alter their request to the interest buy-down option up until they submit their final submission.
Destination Development Interest Buy-Down: The Destination Development interest rate buy-down requires a lead lender who will originate the loan. The project is eligible for an interest rate buy-down to as low as 1% with a cap of $5,000,000. A matching component is required, which includes loan payments and/or the amount applied as the down payment on the loan.
Important information: The interest rate buy-down amount will be determined competitively based on the project's merits. The project will have 60 days from the award date to complete the financial institution tasks with the project's lender. The financial institution will be responsible for drafting the required legal document evidencing the transfer and how that money is applied to the loan.
Commerce presents at inaugural NDPIO Association Conference
Commerce Communications Manager Kim Schmidt along with Health and Human Services Communications Director Jecca Geffre presented a session on storytelling at the inaugural NDPIO (North Dakota Public Information Officers) conference earlier this month. The NDPIO Association is a statewide organization made up of professional communicators who work in local, state, tribal, federal or other public safety venues dedicated to the principles of open government. Check out the KX News feature here.
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The National Governors Association (NGA) Center for Best Practices will be holding the 2023 Summer Workforce Symposium of the National Association of State Liaisons for Workforce Development Partnerships and the National Association of State Workforce Board Chairs in Fargo, Tuesday, Aug. 8–10, 2023.
The 2023 Summer Workforce Symposium will bring together state workforce development leaders who carry out their Governor’s vision for workforce development policy, strategic investment, and the administration and oversight of federal and state workforce programs. Symposium programming will offer these leaders opportunities to share challenges and best practices with one another and engage in solutions-oriented dialogue with subject matter experts, business and nonprofit partners, and policymakers across all levels of government.
Association members in attendance will discuss topics including youth employment, artificial intelligence and the future of work, Workforce Innovation & Opportunity Act planning, and will get updates on what to expect from federal policymakers in the executive and legislative branch, and preview what’s ahead and of particular interest to Governors, national workforce trends, and an economic outlook.
Recognized for her leadership of the Workforce Development Council, Workforce Director Katie Ralston Howe will participate on a panel about how state workforce boards drive system performance in alignment with Governors’ priorities. Ralston Howe will also moderate a panel on building workforce partnerships to serve tribal communities.
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 Tourism & Marketing team gathered insights from Northwestern destinations and businesses
In a recent trip to the northwestern part of the state, tourism and marketing staff visited several destinations to learn more about destination updates, new experiences for visitors, and the challenges and opportunities facing local businesses. Some of the stops included Theodore Roosevelt National Park, several state parks, Tobacco Gardens, Lund's Landing, Williston Visitor Center, Links of North Dakota Golf Course, MHA Interpretive Center and the North Dakota Firefighters Museum.
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Travel Industry Chat - Oct. 26, Online
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