The Red River Regional Council has released an RFP for consulting services for a Region 4 tourism/destination/community development plan. The RRRC seeks a contractor with a demonstrable portfolio for successful tourism or destination development and amenity planning and development and a successful track record of impact. 

The selected contractor will be responsible for creating a tourism and amenity development action plan designed to increase visitor traffic, attract people to live in the area, and increase economic resiliency in the state planning region four in northeastern North Dakota inclusive of the Pembina Gorge.  The plan should also include recommendations that seize opportunities post-pandemic to attract new residents (both remote workers and entrepreneurs) to this rural area.    

Partners in and funders of this planning project include:

• Frost Fire Park www.frostfirepark.org
• Grand Forks Convention and Visitors Bureau www.visitgrandforks.com/
• Nelson County Job Development Authority www.redriverrc.com/nelson-county-job-development-authority/
• ND Department of Commerce https://commerce.nd.gov/
• ND Parks and Recreation Department (Icelandic, Pembina Gorge, and Turtle River)  www.parkrec.nd.gov/
• Pembina County Job Development Authority www.redriverrc.com/pembina-county-job-development-authority/
• Red River Regional Council www.redriverrc.com/
• Rendezvous Region Tourism Council rendezvousregion.com/
• US Department of Commerce Economic Development Administration
• Walsh County Job Development Authority www.digwalshcounty.com

Proposals are due April 21, 2021 with plan completion date of March 31, 2022.

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Commissioners in Pembina and Walsh counties recently awarded funds to cities for community betterment projects as part of each county’s Self-Help Program. The program is administered by the Red River Regional Council (RRRC) on behalf of the counties.

The main objective is to promote community betterment projects within the cities of Pembina and Walsh counties. There are three program criteria:

• Requests cannot exceed one-half of the total project cost, nor can the request exceed $1,500.

• The county funds must be matched 1:1. Funds will be released on a reimbursement basis with supporting documentation.

• A copy of a resolution or minutes of the meeting when the applicant authorized the project must be included with the application. The city must include in its minutes that it plans to apply for self-help funds for a specific project.

Applications for 2020 funds were accepted through December 2020 and were reviewed by commissioners in each county in early 2021.

Pembina County

Pembina County Commissioners reviewed the requests from six cities requesting more than $7,000 for projects totaling more than $18,000. Commissioners awarded the amount cities requested, with five cities receiving $1,500; and one city receiving $300. Total funds awarded was $7,800.

Pembina County cities and projects receiving funds are:

• Bathgate: Blading streets, snow removal, playground equipment
• Cavalier: City beautification
• Crystal: Sidewalk replacement project
• Mountain: Sidewalk replacement project
• St. Thomas: Water tower repairs and improvements
• Walhalla: Jetting city sewer lines

Walsh County

Walsh County Commissioners reviewed the requests from 10 cities requesting more than $12,000 for projects totaling more than $50,000. Funds were awarded with seven cities receiving $1,000; one city receiving the requested amount of $850; and two cities receiving the requested amount of $600.

Walsh County cities and projects receiving funds are:

• Edinburg: Sidewalk and street repair
• Fairdale: Maintenance and mowing of the city park
• Forest River: Septic tank costs
• Grafton: Walsh County Food Pantry
• Hoople: Replace lift station control panel
• Lankin: Equipment lease for snow removal and mowing
• Minto: Repairs and upgrades to sidewalks and curbs
• Park River: Purchase city Christmas décor
• Pisek: Street and ditch improvements

All cities in Pembina and Walsh counties will receive notification of their award and how to seek reimbursement from the respective county.

Applications for the 2021 program will be sent in April and cities in both counties are encouraged to apply for funds to assist with city betterment projects. Anyone with questions is encouraged to contact Stacie Sevigny at the RRRC via phone (701-352-3550) or email (Stacie@redriverrc.com).

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A public meeting will be held virtually on Thursday, Feb. 25, 2021, at 10 a.m., via the platform Zoom. This public meeting is an important component to the development of the Region IV Public Distribution Statement (PDS) for the 2021 Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) Program.

To participate via Zoom, please use this link:

https://us02web.zoom.us/j/89366751954?pwd=cjEwa0xKbjFkdFN3cFhmS08wRzRyZz09

Meeting ID: 893 6675 1954

Passcode: 177676

To participate via phone, please call:

1-312-626-6799

Meeting ID: 893 6675 1954

Passcode: 177676

The CDBG program is administered by the Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD). As defined by HUD, the primary purpose of CDBG is “the development of viable communities, by providing decent housing and suitable living environment and expanding economic opportunities, principally for persons of low and moderate income.”

The purpose of this public meeting is as follows:

• To inform the public of the FY2021 Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) Program.
• To discuss the impact the Program has on Region IV (Grand Forks, Nelson, Pembina and Walsh counties).
• To seek input from Region IV entities for Region IV’s 2021 Program Distribution Statement.
• To review/update the short and long terms goals for Region IV.

The RRRC receives CDBG funds annually to assist communities with economic and community development projects. Region IV communities have been awarded CDBG funds for a variety of projects in recent years including:

• Public infrastructure projects including lagoon repairs and improvements, replacement of sanitary sewer lift stations and/or necessary operational components, reconstruction of streetlights, replacement of fire hydrants, HVAC improvements in public buildings, citywide street paving, etc.
• Construction of a new building or addition to an existing building for fire districts.
• Housing rehabilitation, conversion, construction.
• Removal of architectural barriers (handicap accessibility) in buildings used by the public.
• Economic development: Part of the North Dakota Community Development Loan Fund (CDLF), this program targets both primary and retail sector businesses and job creation/retention for low- and moderate-income residents. It can be used for new business gap financing, business purchase, equipment, working capital and infrastructure for business needs.

All community representatives interested in learning more about the CDBG program, discussing potential 2021 program emphasis areas, and/or potential projects in 2021 and beyond, are encouraged to attend the meeting. Anyone unable to attend but interested in learning more about the CDBG program is encouraged to contact Stacie Sevigny via phone at 701-352-3550 or via email at Stacie@redriverrc.com.

Alternative formats of the Distribution Statement are available upon request. Should anyone require auxiliary aids or services or need additional information to attend the meeting on February 25, 2021, please contact Stacie Sevigny prior to the public meeting via phone at 701-352-3550; via email at Stacie@redriverrc.com; or via mail or in person at 516 Cooper Avenue, Suite 101, Grafton, ND 58237. The ND Relay numbers include: 1-800-366-6888 or 711:TTY, 1-800-366-6889 or 711:Voice, 1-800-435-8590 or 711:Spanish.

Documents that will be reviewed during the public hearing can be found on this website under the Community Development Block Grant tab. Please download the documents for your convenience:

https://redriverrc.com/communities/

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In partnership with the Nelson County Job Development Authority and Nelson County, the Red River Regional Council (RRRC) is currently seeking interested homeowners for a potential housing rehabilitation project for owner-occupied homes within Nelson County. Applications are being sought until February 1, 2021 to meet grant funding deadlines.

The program assists qualifying low income residents with health and safety issues in their homes at no cost to the homeowner. Common repairs include roofing, windows, doors, plumbing, heating, electrical, and other safety or accessibility items. Federal funding sources also require lead paint, floodplain, and historic preservation issues be addressed. When complete, all homes must meet Section 8 Housing Quality and Safety standards.

The RRRC is currently seeking interested homeowners to apply for the potential project in Nelson County. Similar projects were recently completed in Cavalier, Grafton, and Park River. The RRRC is currently working with the City of Minto to complete a housing rehabilitation project in that city.

Determining the number of interested and eligible applicants will assist in developing a possible funding package for the potential project which will include several federal grant funding resources. If grant applications are successful, any potential applicants will need to provide updated income documentation at that time, likely in the summer or fall of 2021. Actual rehabilitation of homes would likely start in the fall of 2021 or early 2022.

Eligiblity

To be eligible for this program, homes must:

• Be single-family
• Be owner-occupied (no rentals)
• Mobile homes are not eligible
• Homeowners must not have outstanding debt/taxes with Nelson County or its cities
• The cost to rehabilitate a home must be conducive to its true and full value

To be eligible, current total gross household* income must be less than:

1 person              $46,850

2 people              $53,550

3 people              $60,250

4 people              $66,900

5 people              $72,300

6 people              $77,650

*Household is defined as anyone living in a household full-time. Income of anyone age 18 or older is included in household total. These are 2020 income limits that may chance when 2021 income limits are available in spring of 2021. When released, these income thresholds may change slightly.

How to Apply

To apply, a two-page application must be completed. Applications are available at the Lakota City Hall or McVille City Hall during business hours or by contacting the RRRC at 701-352-3550. They are also available on the RRRC website: www.redriverrc.com

In addition to the application, potential applicants must provide the following income documentation:

• A copy of 2020 property tax statement to prove ownership.
• A copy of the homeowner’s 2019 income tax statement.

Please be advised that further and/or updated income documentation must be provided when the program begins. Required documentation may include personal bank statements, homeowner’s insurance statement, and if applicable, social security benefits statement or pay stubs. Updated documentation will need to be provided once grant funding sources are secured, likely summer or fall of 2021. Potential applications and supporting documentation are currently being accepted until February 1, 2020 to determine the number of interested and eligible homeowners when securing grant resources for the potential project.

For more information about the project or how to apply, please contact Lori Estad or Stacie Sevigny at the RRRC by calling 701-352-3550 or Lori@redriverrc.com or Stacie@redriverrc.com

The two page application can be found here:

Contractors

Contractors will be needed to perform the work for this project. The types of contractors needed include general (windows, doors, siding, etc.), roofing, plumbing, electrical and HVAC. If you are an contractor interested in being contacted regarding this project, please complete the contractor interest survey here:

It is expected bids would be solicited in late summer or fall 2021 for work to begin late 2021 or early 2022. Complete information including potential lead-based paint certifications can be found under Housing (Developing Our Communities) on this website.

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To respond to the business impacts of COVID-19 and maintain a proactive economic development program, the Red River Regional Council and collaborative economic development partners are launching a regional BR+E Program. A BR+E program focuses on the survival and growth of existing businesses.  An estimated 40-80% of new growth comes from existing businesses - businesses that have already invested substantial resources into the community.

“COVID has presented an array of business challenges including safety, temporary closures, facility changes, furloughed staff, supply chain disruptions, new equipment purchases and more,” said Dawn Mandt, RRRC Executive Director.  “Our goal is to identify and assist with individual needs, opportunities and economic trends that may need to be addressed.”

The BR+E begins with one-on-one hourlong interviews with business management and owners.  There are two tiers of businesses to be interviewed.  Tier 1 includes manufacturing and food processing companies.  Tier 2 includes businesses that have been heavily impacted by COVID including healthcare, food services, retail, services, and hospitality.  It is estimated these two tiers represent approximately 35% of the businesses in the region.  The interviews will be held confidential while the data will be aggregated to identify possible trends within communities, counties or region.   

The BR+E interviews began the week of September 21 and are expected to stretch into spring 2021.  More information can be found at www.redriverrc.com or contact Dawn Mandt at 701-352-3550. 

Region 4 includes Grand Forks, Nelson, Pembina, and Walsh Counties.  The program will focus on the areas of the region outside the City of Grand Forks at this time.

Collaborative partners include economic development organizations in Region 4 including:  Nelson, Pembina, and Walsh County Job Development Authorities; Grafton and Park River Economic Development Committees; Grand Forks Region EDC; Minnkota Power Cooperative; Job Service North Dakota; Grafton and Cavalier Chambers of Commerce; and North Valley Career and Technology Center.

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The Nelson County JDA is hosting a housing forum on Wednesday, October 28 at 5:30 p.m. at the Lakota Community Center. The event will also be live-streamed on the Red River Regional Council's Facebook page.

The forum will include a presentation of the 2020 Nelson County Housing Study by Community Partners Research, Faribault, MN. The study was undertaken in spring 2020 and includes a summary of county strengths, barriers or limitations, recommendations, and specific recommendations by category and by city. The forum will also include a presentation on a proposed countywide housing rehabilitation project set to begin development in 2021.

Click here for a copy of the full report.

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The Red River Regional Council’s (RRRC) Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) funding allocation for FY2020 is $205,951. At its August 19, 2020 meeting, the RRRC Board of Directors reviewed pre-applications submitted by the original June 24, 2020 deadline and allocated the following:

City of Fordville on behalf of the Fordville Senior Citizen Club (exterior building rehabilitation and handicap accessibility):  $122,360

This leaves a balance of $83,591 available in the FY2020 allocation for other CDBG eligible projects in Region IV which includes Grand Forks, Nelson, Pembina and Walsh counties.

The RRRC Board of Directors has approved amending the PDS to solicit a second round of pre-applications for the available $83,591 in FY2020 CDBG funds with the amended deadline dates as follows:

December 21, 2020                                          Pre-application deadline

On or about February 21, 2021                   CDBG Review Committee meeting (scoring/ranking) of pre-applications and recommendation to Board of Directors

June 1, 2021                                                        Final date for completion of full applications to Division of Community Services (DCS) for approval

Under CDBG guidelines, all cities, counties and other interested parties in the region must be notified in writing of the changes to be made to the PDS and given 15 days to respond to the RRRC. Therefore, any responses regarding the PDS amendment must be received before September 14, 2020.

CDBG FUNDS ELIGIBILITY

CDBG funds are awarded to the RRRC on an annual basis via the North Dakota Department of Commerce – Division of Community Services. CDBG is a program of the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development. CDBG funds can be used for projects such as:

Funding Categories (Summarized from State PDS):

• Housing: Eligible projects include rehabilitation of single family housing; affordable multi-family development including rehabilitation, repair, expansion or similar activities proposed that will better assure meeting needs, and health and safety issues; or conversion or eligible soft costs for new construction providing affordable housing. Awards may be made in the form of grants, loans, or combination.
• Public Facilities: Eligible projects include infrastructure (i.e. sanitary sewer or storm sewer lift stations, lagoon improvements, replacement of fire hydrants, street paving, reconstruction of street lights, replacement of sidewalks, etc.), public safety (e.g., fire halls, trucks, ambulances and related equipment) and removal of architectural barriers (handicap accessibility).
• Planning: Eligible activities include establishment of a Capital Improvements Plan, Community Strategic Plan, Comprehensive Plan, Zoning or other plans.
• Other: Other activities that do not fit in to any other category but which are eligible for CDBG assistance. Any proposal in this category must meet one of the national objectives.

The RRRC will be accepting pre-applications for the remaining $83,591 of the FY2020 CDBG allocation until December 21, 2020. Any project allocated FY2020 funds will need to complete the full CDBG application by June 1, 2021.

Please contact CDBG program manager Stacie Sevigny (701-352-3550 or Stacie@redriverrc.com) regarding potential project eligibility and other considerations and/or to receive a copy of the Region IV pre-application. More information on the CDBG program and how to apply can be found under the Developing Our Communities tab of this website: https://redriverrc.com/communities/

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The North Dakota Department of Commerce recently announced the creation of a $69 million Economic Resiliency Grant (ERG) program available to private companies and nonprofits operating in North Dakota for investments with the purpose of reducing the spread of COVID-19 infection, and instilling consumer confidence in the marketplace.  Businesses with one physical location are eligible for a grant of up to $50,000 or up to $100,000 for businesses with multiple locations.

Eligible businesses include private for-profit and non-profit businesses that interact directly with customers.  The proposed investment must decrease the spread of infection, and this will have to be clearly articulated in the application.  Qualified improvements already made (after March 27) are eligible for reimbursement through the grant.  Whether improvements have been already made, or whether you will be submitting a proposal for future improvements, it is critical to keep very detailed documentation as there will be an audit of your expenses post-award.  Applicants must also demonstrate how they directly interface with consumers or how the improvements directly benefit consumers through supply chain impacts.

The following businesses are NOT eligible: businesses with no live customer interaction (not including manufacturers), at-home businesses (with the exception of licensed daycare facilities), companies that are able to relocate employees to remote workplaces and maintain productivity, governmental, regulatory, and public administrative entities, and lobbying organizations.

Investments must be direct and are meant to reduce the spread of infection.  Applicants are encouraged to think outside of the box, but examples of direct investments may include:

• Touchless payment systems or document signing systems;
• Automatic doors;
• Automatic faucets/toilets/hand dryers, and door kicks;
• Technology to manage take-out or drive-through orders;
• Improvements that create distance between customers or employees;
• Expanded outdoor dining;
• Partitions between workers who cannot be socially distanced;
• Personal protection equipment (PPE);
• UV sanitizers;
• Temperature checking equipment.

Applications open August 12, 2020 and are on a first-come, first-served basis.  Funds will be dispersed by September 25, 2020 and must be expended within 45 days of receiving the grant.  Any funds not used for specific approved expenses must be returned to the state.

For more information go to https://ndresponse.gov/covid-19-resources and click on Business and Employer Resources or contact Julie Campbell (Walsh County) at 701-352-2171 or jkcampbe@nd.gov, or Dawn Mandt (Rural Grand Forks/Nelson/Pembina Counties) at 701-352-3550 or dawn@redriverrc.com.

https://ndresponse.gov/covid-19-resources/covid-19-business-and-employer-resources/

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In April 2020, the ND Department of Commerce conducted an individual survey regarding the impacts of COVID-19 having throughout the state.  There were over 11,300 respondents statewide.  Region 4 (Grand Forks, Nelson, Pembina and Walsh Counties) had approximately 1,500 respondents.  A few Region survey highlights:

• 97% of respondents are practicing social distancing of varying degrees.
• 90% are moderately to extremely concerned about the pandemic.
• Top three concerns including self or family member getting sick; local businesses struggling/closing; and not being able to work.
• 1.5% report no changes to daily lifestyle while 76% report moderate to extreme changes and 19% have had no changes as essential workers.
• 40% have themselves or another in their household with a chronic health condition that impacts their immune system.

ND-Commerce-Region-4-Community-survey-data-April-2020

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Check out the new report highlighting the work done by the Red River Regional Council and Pembina County JDA benefiting Pembina County over the past 10 years (2010-2019).

Pembina County 10-Year Report

The Pembina County JDA 2019 Annual Report is also available.

PCJDA 2019 Annual Report

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