Building North Dakota

State Director Jasper Schneider

Greetings!

This past week we jointly announced the financing for an expansion of a new day care facility in Watford City. No doubt about it, the challenge of finding quality day care has become a workforce issue across North Dakota in both our rural and more urban areas. Having four small children myself, I know the anxiety created over who is watching over the people most important to you. A strong component of quality care is also early childhood education during a child's most critical years of development.

I've also been incredibly pleased with how this important issue has evolved in recent years. Parents and child care providers have realized the importance of quality care for years, but it's only been a recent trend as others have realized the importance of this issue to also recruit and retain a workforce.

The North Dakota 2.0 report we released two years ago helped elevate this issue. Watford City was one of the communities where we held a ND 2.0 meeting. We have also partnered with a number of wonderful early childhood advocates who have helped pave the way for the current wide-spread recognition of the importance of quality care for our kids.

- Jasper

Jasper recently sat down with Prairie Public to chat about USDA and the future direction of ND

Prairie Pulse: Jasper Schneider,
USDA Rural Development

President Visits Standing Rock Indian Reservation

Cannon Ball

President Obama and the First lady visited the Standing Rock Indian Reservation during the annual Cannon Ball Flag Day Celebration. The short video below highlights the visit and the President's op-ed foreshadows his first trip to Indian Country since taking office.

President Obama Visits Standing Rock Reservation, North Dakota, June 13, 2014

USDA and RTC partner to help build daycare center

Watford City

USDA Rural Development partnered with Reservation Telephone Cooperative to provide Wolf Run Village a $2 million loan to construct Wolf Pup Daycare Center in Watford City.

The growth in jobs and population, largely due to oil development, has created a need for more child care services. To help address this need, the new daycare center will accommodate 200 children, ages 6 weeks to 12 years of age. In addition, the entire upper floor will be dedicated to preschool classrooms. When the project is complete, the center plans to hire at least 40 full-time employees and will have longer hours to better serve those who work shifts in the oil patch. Read the Bismarck Tribune article.

Richardton Breaks Ground on Health Center

Richardton

Richardton Health Center broke ground on a new 22,000-square-foot nursing home and clinic. Originally built in 1950 as a hospital, the project will replace the existing nursing home and the clinic that sits across the street. USDA Rural Development provided a $5.5 million loan through the Community Facilities program to help complete construction. Read more from the Prairie Business Magazine article.

Breaking Ground on New Clinic

Tioga

Tioga Medical Center broke ground on a new 15,000-square-foot clinic, which will be attached to the existing hospital. USDA is helping finance construction with a $6.5 million loan and a $1.5 million loan guarantee through the Bank of Tioga.

The medical center's campus, which serves North
Dakota's Divide, Williams, Burke and Mountrail counties,
has seen a steady increase in patient numbers due to the oilfield workforce and aging base population. First built in 1953 and expanded in 1985, the Tioga clinic sits at the bottom of a 100-foot grade from the hospital. The physical location down the hill has caused water damage and made it difficult to transfer patients to and from the hospital.

The new clinic will help address these issues and break down the barriers to providing first-rate care in a timely manner. Read the Associated Press article.

Federal Housing Training

Fargo

On June 3rd, about 250 people gathered for a housing training in Fargo. USDA and HUD hosted the training that covered several topics including: federal and state housing programs, economic development, public housing, domestic violence and veteran and homeless housing needs. There also was a legislative panel and an elected officials panel. The picture to the right includes representatives from USDA, HUD and the offices of Senator Hoeven and Senator Heitkamp. Read the Fox News coverage.

Dakota Valley Electric Cooperative Annual Meeting

Edgeley

Jasper Schneider gets a lift at the Dakota Valley annual meeting. Photo courtesy of Dakota Valley Co-op.

Over 450 people attended the Dakota Valley Electric Cooperative annual meeting at the Edgeley Public School. Jasper Schneider, USDA Rural Development state director had the privilege of addressing the members at the meeting. The cooperative has utilized USDA programs to help spur economic activity in the local communities they serve. Currently, USDA and Dakota Valley are partnering on the construction of a new shop to manufacture trucks and trailers in Fairmount and expanding the processing facility at Minn-Dak Farmers Co-op in Wahpeton.

Program Announcements

Business Grant Deadlines

Rural Business Enterprise Grant (RBEG): finances and facilitates the development of small and emerging rural businesses, helps fund distance learning networks, and helps fund employment related adult education programs. Applications are due on July 1st. Click here for details.

Rural Business Opportunity Grant (RBOG): promotes sustainable economic development in rural communities. Applications are due July 13th. Click here for details.

Rural Energy for America Program (REAP): provides financial assistance to agricultural producers and rural small businesses in rural America to purchase, install, and construct renewable energy systems; make energy efficiency improvements to non-residential buildings and facilities; use renewable technologies that reduce energy consumption; and participate in energy audits, renewable energy development assistance, and feasibility studies. Applications for grants due July 7th; loan guarantees July 31st. Click here for details.

Deadlines & Events

June 18-20: Dakota Conference on Rural and Public Health, Grand Forks.
June 20: Aneta Parkview Health Center grand opening for remodel and expansion.
July 1: RBEG application deadline.
July 12: Horsch grand opening for new manufacturing plant in Mapleton.
July 13: RBOG application deadline.
July 16-17: Brownfields Workshops, free to attend, Moorhead, MN.
July 17: Friends & Neighbors Day; Northern Great Plains Research Laboratory in Mandan.
July 28: Applications due for Section 533 Housing Preservation Grants. Read NOFA.
July 31: REAP application deadline.
Dec. 2015: Applications are being accepted through 2015 for Loan Guarantees under Section 538 Guaranteed Rural Rental Housing Program. Read NOFA.

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To file a complaint of discrimination, write to: USDA, Assistant Secretary for Civil Rights, Office of the Assistant Secretary for Civil Rights 1400 Independence Avenue, S.W., Stop 9410, Washington, DC 20250-9410 Or call toll-free at (866) 632-9992 (English) or (800) 877-8339 (TDD) or (866) 377-8642 (English Federal-relay) or (800) 845-6136 (Spanish Federal-relay). "USDA is an equal opportunity provider and employer."