December 29, 2021
Cultivating Businesses
The Red River Regional Council has the potential to create a licensed commercial kitchen and incubator space on Hill Avenue in Grafton. North Valley and the City of Grafton are partners working alongside us to develop this project while we are still cultivating other local and regional partners.
A shared-use commercial kitchen is a licensed commercial kitchen that can be rented by people who are developing their food businesses, used for food classes, or rented by people or organizations in the community. People who want to meet state regulations and licensing for food sales could get that certification – and – people who want to develop their business ideas could get coaching and assistance. This is a space that offers technical assistance and business development programming so that local entrepreneurs can launch and grow their businesses and creative people, ideas, and community can gather.
Currently, there is a 80% federal grant opportunity for renovations & equipment/furnishings due Jan 31, 2022.
We want to know what you think!
Please take a few minutes to respond to this survey, and please share the link with others you know!
Link: https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/Z7F32B8
For more information on this look below:
October 11, 2024
State of the Region Recap
2024 State of the Region Recap
The Red River Regional Council hosted the inaugural “State of Region 4” event on Wednesday, October 9, at the Minto Community Center.
The event showcased the exciting prospects and development needs in our region including development highlights, the state of housing, childcare and workforce.
Congressman Kelly Armstrong addressed the audience, acknowledging the challenges faced by rural areas, and highlighting the opportunities for local, regional and state entities to work together.
The evening ended with a legislative panel of Sen. Janne Myrdal, Rep. Emily O'Brien and Rep. Jared Hagert hosting a Q & A session with the audience.
A full recording of the event is below, along with slide decks from each of the presenters.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-kEnG1J8WVs&t=7205sPRESENTATION DOWNLOADS
Housing Childcare Workforce State of the Region
Grafton, ND – September 30, 2024 – The Red River Regional Council is pleased to announce the inaugural “State of Region 4” event, taking place on Wednesday, October 9, at 4:00 p.m. at the Minto Community Center and is open to the public while requesting RSVPs. This important gathering will focus on the growth opportunities and investment needs in northeast North Dakota, emphasizing the unique perspectives of rural and small-town communities.
“Ahead of the 2025 legislative session, we wanted to create an event that showcases the exciting prospects and development needs in our region,” said Amy Suda, President of the Red River Regional Council. “We’re all in this together—many of us live and work within an hour’s drive of each other, and about 44% of the workforce in Grand Forks actually resides in nearby areas.”
Event Highlights Include:
- Development Highlights: Presented by Dawn Mandt, Executive Director, and Barry Wilfahrt, Vice President, RRRC
- State of Housing: Insights from Lisa Rotvold of the Red River Community Housing Development Organization, and Amie Vasichek from the City of Lakota
- State of Childcare: Updates from Stacie Sevigny, Walsh County Job Development Authority
- State of Workforce: Presented by Kristi Kasprick, Real. Good. Project Manager, RRRC
- Special Address: Congressman Kelly Armstrong
- Legislative Panel: Featuring Sen. Myrdal, Rep. Monson, Sen. Meyer, Rep. O’Brien, and Rep. Hagert
The northeast corner of North Dakota is poised for significant growth, with emerging industries such as uncrewed aerial systems and the Grand Sky project projected to create over 1,000 jobs in the next five years. The North Dakota Department of Transportation forecasts that the region will grow by 26,000 people by 2045.
Communities across the region are making strides in development, including modernized schools, performing arts centers, recreational amenities, and healthcare facilities. Notable new initiatives, such as those at North Valley and the Impact Academy, aim to enhance educational opportunities for high school students and the workforce.
“We’re truly excited about the future of our region,” said Dawn Mandt, Executive Director of the Red River Regional Council. “In the last Census, 18 out of our 42 communities saw growth, reversing a long-standing trend of decline in rural areas, and nearly all our businesses are optimistic about their future.”
In late 2023, the Red River Regional Council finalized the 2024-2028 Comprehensive Economic Development Strategy (CEDS), informed by public input from over 2,000 residents. This strategy outlines the region's vision for growth, and refer to additional detailed plans for tourism, workforce, and housing.
To support this anticipated growth, particularly in rural areas, investment in housing, childcare, workforce development, and other key areas is essential.
“Our regional housing action plan is designed to focus on small towns that have seen little new development in years,” said Lisa Rotvold. “We’re launching pilot projects, including four new single-family homes in Lakota and Larimore, and an 8-plex in Cavalier.”
As rural markets present unique challenges, recent legislative changes have opened the door for new projects in small towns. “We’re grateful to our state leaders for their support and hope to see increased funding beyond the current $12.6 million in 2025,” Rotvold added.
This year, the region has welcomed nearly 1,000 H2A farm workers from South Africa and South America, with a growing trend of individuals relocating to small towns, especially with the rise of remote work options. This reflects the attractiveness of small-town living and highlights the need for increased investment.
“We’re eager to tackle the challenges that stand in the way of growth. We have our plans ready; now we just need the investment to help our small towns thrive,” Mandt emphasized.
Each of the eight regional councils in North Dakota is organizing similar events to discuss local growth and opportunities.
RSVPs are requested by calling 701-352-3550 or email lori@redriverrc.com by Friday, October 4.
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The Red River Regional Council propose the development of a new program, Red River PRICE Program, via application to the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development. The application deadline is July 10, 2024.
A summary of the program and its key elements is also attached below. If the preview is not viewable, simply download the file to view.
There will be a public meeting on the proposed application on Tuesday, July 2, 2024, at the RRRC office located 516 Cooper Avenue, Grafton, ND, at 9:00 a.m.
A paper copy of the proposal is also available by request at the RRRC.
Comments may be also submitted to Dawn Mandt, Executive Director, at dawn@redriverrc.com by 5 p.m. July 6, 2024.
December 4, 2023
Region 4 DRAFT Development Strategy Released for Public Comment
We've concluded:
Northeast ND is Positioned for Strong Growth
Three years of outreach, public engagement, and conversations, several surveys, and interviews are informing key focus areas for community and economic improvement. In-depth data and trend analysis coupled with input from advisory groups has informed this plan.
Click here to view a copy of the draft plan. Comments can be submitted to Dawn Mandt, Executive Director, by the end of December. dawn@redriverrc.com.
Each of the state's eight regional councils are currently undergoing similar regional planning efforts.
The Red River Regional Council is currently seeking applicants for a full-time director of the Walsh County Job Development Authority. Join a forward-looking team of professionals with more than 125 years of related experience in rural development. This position will be focused on business and community development, workforce, housing, childcare, and tourism throughout Walsh County.
The position requires a bachelor’s degree or higher in economic development, marketing, business administration, public administration, or a related field as well as three to five years of relatable experience. The salary range is $55,000 to $75,000. The position includes medical, dental, and vision insurance; 10% retirement contribution; vacation, sick, and holiday paid leave; and more. Must be a Walsh County resident.
Applications shall include a resume and three professional references sent to Dawn@redriverrc.com by close of business Wednesday, August 16, 2023. Interviews will be conducted on Monday, August 21, 2023. A full job description and application packet can be viewed here or by contacting Lori Estad, Office and Fiscal Manager, at Lori@redriverrc.com, or Dawn Mandt, Executive Director, Dawn@redriverrc.com or by calling 701-352-3550.
August 4, 2023
Walsh County JDA enters staff partnership with RRRC
The Walsh County Job Development Authority (WCJDA) has entered into a partnership with the Red River Regional Council for professional staff and fiscal management services through 2026.
The Walsh County JDA assists businesses with securing financing and provides interest buy down funding opportunities for new and expanding businesses in Walsh County. The WCJDA board consists of 12 members from across Walsh County who share a vision of growing our communities and providing the means to do so.
“We are very excited to partner with the Red River Regional Council,” said Julie Gemmill, WCJDA Board Chair. “We want to make sure that our Walsh County communities continue to thrive and look forward to collaborating with the Regional Council to address concerns with workforce development, housing and childcare.”
The WCJDA becomes the third JDA to contract in this manner with the Regional Council. The Regional Council has been providing contracted staff to Nelson and Pembina County JDAs since their inception some 30+ years ago. Together, the four organizations have been building and supporting shared goals around workforce development and attraction and destination development/visitor attraction over the past several years.
A full-time executive director will be hired to serve Walsh County while Lori Estad will provide office and fiscal management support. Estad has 27 years of organization and grant fiscal management experience with the Regional Council. The Walsh County JDA will now be supported by a team of six full-time and two part-time professionals with more than 125 years of relevant experience in rural development.
“We are excited to link arms with the WCJDA,” said Dawn Mandt, Regional Council Executive Director. “Through the JDA partnerships, we are able to provide a cohesive, regional development approach and an extraordinary team that is driven for results.”
In 2022, the Regional Council team assisted in developing 79 funding requests which led to securing $8.3 million and leveraging an additional $4.3 million for a total regional investment of $12.7 million. The Regional Council also hired experts in housing development and workforce attraction/development in the past year and is in the middle of developing a five-year regional comprehensive economic development strategy for northeastern North Dakota.
Angelle French, the former Walsh County JDA director, transitioned to lead the Pembina County JDA in early 2023.
The RRRC is accepting applications for the role of executive director of the Walsh County JDA through Wednesday, August 16, and plans to interview candidates on August 21. An application and informational packet can be found on the RRRC website here or by contacting Lori Estad, Office Manager, at Lori@redriverrc.com, or Dawn Mandt, Executive Director, Dawn@redriverrc.com or by calling 701-352-3550.
