Available Contingency Grant Funds For Unknown and Unanticipated Needs = Eligible oil and gas development impacted political subdivisions may apply for grant consideration if their entity has an emergency need. Applications will be reviewed, based on specific criteria through traditional application processes.  Projects will only be considered once, based on what is provided in the application, and the approving authority rests with the Land Board.  The application should identify how the project or acquisition is necessitated as a result of current oil and gas development activity.

        Contingency Target:    $2,000,000

August 23, 2017

Re: 2017 Airport Grant Announcement

On behalf of the North Dakota Board of University and School Lands (Land Board), the Energy Infrastructure and Impact Office is announcing a grant round for eligible airports that are impacted by oil and gas development.  The funding comes from appropriations from House Bill 1176 during the 2015 Legislative Assembly and Senate Bill 2013 during the 2017 Legislative Assembly. The grant funds announced today will support airports within oil-producing counties and include:
     1)     Up to $15 million for continued construction projects of the Williston Airport
     2)     Up to $1.5 million for continued improvements to the Dickinson Airport
     3)     Up to $1.3 million for improvements to other municipal airports
 
The ND Aeronautics Commission will act as the Land Board’s advisory committee in reviewing applications and will submit recommendations, which the Land Board will make the final decision to award the grants later in 2017. Criteria used in evaluating the projects will include: safety improvement; financial need; result of energy activity; project readiness; and contribution to long term viability. Cost-share requirements must consider the availability of local and federal funds to support the projects. Priority funds will be to projects that have been awarded or are eligible to receive federal funding. Grants to Williston airport will be awarded only when related federal funding is committed and available to be spent on the new airport construction project.

Requests for improvements to airport readiness and responsiveness of oil and gas development will be considered. All grant applications will include appropriate matching funds prior to submission. The application is available on the North Dakota Aeronautics Commission web page: https://aero.nd.gov/airports/airport-grant-funding/. This Internet site contains a PDF version of the application format that can be completed on-screen.

Funds will not be disbursed to successful grant recipients until projects are substantially complete, and the supporting documentation is submitted along with a Reimbursement Request form found online at: https://land.nd.gov/EnergyImpact/Forms

Completed applications and supporting materials should be mailed via US postage paid envelope to P.O. Box 5020, faxed to the ND Aeronautics Commission office at (701) 328-9656, or e-mailed to ndaero@nd.gov.  Applications submitted will be accepted from August 23, 2017 and until 5:00 p.m. Central Time on September 29, 2017.  Award notification is expected for early December 2017.

Re: 2017 Grant to Bowman and Divide County
 
On behalf of the North Dakota Board of University and School Lands (Land Board), the Energy Infrastructure and Impact Office is announcing a grant round for Bowman and Divide County government that has been impacted by oil and gas development.  The funding comes from appropriations  in House Bill 1176 during the 2015 Legislative Assembly and Senate Bill 2013 during the 2017 Legislative Assembly.

The grant funds announced today will support infrastructure needs and construction projects in maintaining roadways where heavy traffic is indicated.
Just over $7.5 million is available for this grant round.  Applications and mailing instructions can be found online at https://land.nd.gov/EnergyImpact/Forms

Completed applications and supporting materials should be submitted as to arrive at the Energy Infrastructure and Impact Office NLT 1:00pm on September 15, 2017.  Applications can be faxed to (701) 328-3650., emailed to energyimpact@nd.gov, or submitted through normal postal operations to the address identified on the application form.  Award notification is expected by early October 2017.

Past News:

August 21, 2017

Re: Grants to Addressing Impacts of Human Trafficking
The North Dakota Board of University and School Lands (Land Board) awarded three grants totaling $809,900 to organizations which provide services and treatment to victims of human trafficking. The grant funds will be used for awareness and detection training to law enforcement officials, and to address these negative impacts of human trafficking in communities.

An advisory committee made up of state agencies and advocates for human trafficking victims assisted in developing criteria, scoring, and recommendations for the grants. These grants are part of an appropriation adopted by the 2017 Legislature to help address this problem. The Land Board awarded grants to the:

     1)     Council on Abused Women’s Services (CAWS), based in Bismarck, ND
     2)     Youthworks, operating both in Bismarck and in Fargo

Since victims of human trafficking are frequently lured by false promises and considered a modern day form of slavery, both CAWS and Youthworks will conduct multiple levels of support services by utilizing a network of community-based teams in the fight against human trafficking, such as:  FUSE (statewide anti-trafficking coalition in North Dakota); The Improve Group (data capture); the University of Mary providing a demand reduction educational program; the Domestic Violence and Rape Crisis Center in Dickinson; the Abused Adult Resource Center in Bismarck; the YWCA of Cass/Clay County; the Rape and Abuse Crisis Center in Fargo; and the Community Violence Intervention Center in Grand Forks.
 
The effects of human trafficking are not only in the Bakken region of North Dakota.  There remains a market across North Dakota and it’s not brought on by outsiders moving to the state.  The grants awarded yesterday will be a primary effort, when combined with federal grants, in supporting both the law enforcement community as well as the judicial branch of government in combating the effects of supply and demand of commercial sex.

Re: Grants to Public School Districts

The North Dakota Board of University and School Lands (Land Board) awarded nearly $14 million of grants to 60 oil and gas development impacted school districts yesterday to assist with renovation and improvement projects. The amount of grants for each district is based on oil and gas gross production taxes.
 
The Land Board had previously awarded $15 million to theses western school districts in July 2015.
 
This latest grant round completes the dedicated grant authorized by the 2015 Legislative Assembly. While the oil and gas impact grant fund realized less revenue due to lower oil and gas tax collections, the Land Board was able to grant 97-percent of the total funds authorized for school districts in House Bill 1176. 
 
The Land Board is made up of Governor Doug Burgum, Secretary of State Al Jaeger, State Treasurer Kelly Schmidt, Attorney General Wayne Stenehjem, and Superintendent of Public Instruction Kirsten Baesler.