The Regional Workforce Impact Program (RWIP) is a North Dakota Department of Commerce initiative designed to empower local solutions to the state's workforce challenges. This grant program aims to increase statewide workforce participation by providing funding to communities for workforce initiatives tailored to regional needs. The program acknowledges that a "one size fits all" approach is ineffective due to varying regional workforce demands across North Dakota.
The primary beneficiaries of this program are North Dakota-based organizations, including Economic Development Organizations, Cities, Chambers of Commerce, Job Development Authorities, Tribal Entities, Regional Councils, other organizations addressing local or regional economic development needs, and Childcare Centers. The impact goal is to address local and regional workforce needs, ultimately leading to increased workforce participation across North Dakota. Projects and populations impacted must be within North Dakota.
The program prioritizes proposals falling under specific categories: talent attraction marketing (with a cap of $250,000), retention (with a cap of $250,000), infrastructure investments directly related to workforce solutions (with a cap of $500,000), infrastructure investments expanding childcare centers (with a cap of $500,000, for center-based care only), and capital investments for new or renovated space supporting the proposed workforce solution (with a cap of $500,000). These priorities reflect the Department of Commerce's strategic focus on a multifaceted approach to workforce development.
Expected outcomes include communities being equipped with resources to invest in initiatives catering to their region's needs. Measurable results would involve an increase in statewide workforce participation, which is the Department of Commerce's stated aim. The theory of change is that by creating a regional funding mechanism and allowing local partners to articulate their needs, communities will be able to access funding to address specific workforce challenges, thereby enhancing the overall workforce and economic development of North Dakota.
