Region 4 has been awarded four ND Regional Workforce Impact Program (RWIP) grants through the ND Department of Commerce. The region submitted five grant applications to expend the total regional allotment of $620,767. Grant applications for External Marketing, Website Enhancements, Career and Technical Education Projects and Housing were funded. An application to enhance the Real. Good. Northeast North Dakota talent attraction initiative was declined.
Region 4’s key industries of Manufacturing (MFG) and Unmanned Aircraft Systems (UAS) had undergone a sectoral study in 2025. The study outlined workforce challenges, opportunities and strategies to strengthen talent attraction, development and retention. Using insights from this study and current talent attraction efforts, the four grants that were awarded include:
- External Marketing: Launching a joint external marketing campaign between Real. Good. ND and Grand Forks is Cooler targeting prospective manufacturing and UAS employees in regions of the country where Region 4 holds a competitive advantage, as identified in the MFG/UAS Workforce Study.
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Website Enhancements: Improving RealGoodND.com and GrandForksisCooler.com with a job scraping tool to compile all employment opportunities from multiple sources along with enhanced quality-of-life content for relocators.
- Career & Technical Education Awareness & Opportunities: Expanding local marketing and CTE programming for advanced manufacturing and UAS careers. Initiatives include student- and parent-focused campaigns, weeklong summer camps for grades 6–9 at North Valley and the Career Impact Academy, career pathway mapping, and employer training on internships, recruitment, retention, and place branding.
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Housing: Hiring a housing development project manager to coordinate SPARK Build and other housing initiatives across communities including Cavalier, Crystal, Fordville, Grafton, Grand Forks, Hoople, Lakota, Larimore, McVille, Michigan, Minto, Park River, and Pembina. This effort is expected to result in at least 16 new single-family homes—housing up to 96 people, factoring in ripple effects.
Another round of funding is expected in the spring of 2026 for the remaining Region 4 funds. Regional partners will evaluate its best use and submit another grant application at that time.
Eleven regional partners are leading these initiatives including: Red River Regional Council, Nelson, Pembina and Walsh Job Development Authorities, Grand Forks Career Impact Academy, North Valley Career and Technology Center, Red River Community Housing Development Organization, Grand Forks Region EDC, The Chamber of Grand Forks/East Grand Forks, Red River Valley Education Cooperative and Job Service North Dakota.
About the Regional Workforce Impact Program grants:
The ND Department of Commerce received an appropriation from the 69th North Dakota Legislative Assembly to provide support to organizations addressing workforce challenges and barriers to employment through the ND Regional Workforce Impact Program (RWIP). The program provides grants to regional entities to plan, design, and implement innovative strategies that help businesses find workers and connect jobseekers to opportunities and communities. Each proposed solution had to align with a sector strategy related to a prominent regional industry and involve either sector strategy planning or implementation of sector strategy plans completed in the last five years. Projects could also enhance existing talent attraction strategies.