2007 Annual Report Executive Summary

CONAC REAP Zone

Our main objective remains to assist businesses with expansion, retention and start-up ambitions.  To this end, eighteen projects were brought before the CONAC Board for endorsement and/or funding. 

With re-designation attained for two more years, this year’s focus was to update the 2004 Strategic Plan and demonstrate the impact CONAC has had on the region during its existence. 

To this end, a couple of initial meetings were held in 2006 to set the stage for updating the strategic plan.  Early in 2007, several subcommittees were formed to focus on individual areas of emphasis.  The full board had input and several new policies were adopted as part of this process.  The new Strategic Plan was adopted in February 2007.   

CONAC’s most significant accomplishment of 2007 would have to be completing an Impact Report.  This report summarized the benefit working together has had in addressing rural poverty and out-migration of fourteen North Dakota counties and two Native American Reservations.  Since its initial funding in 1999, 338 various projects have received assistance.

Goal 1: Identify and Encourage Leadership in our Communities.

• Supported several members who attended the Effective Rural Leadership Conference

• Introduced the Begin Again ND Program to Board Members

• Supported Maddock, Anamoose, Cando and Rock Lake in the Horizon’s Project 

• Had the opportunity to nominate someone for the Water Stewardship Award

• Introduced the Small Town Success Conference II to the Board Membership

• Westhope in Bottineau County received the Great Strides Award from the Northwest Area Foundation in recognition of their efforts to reduce poverty. 

• Supported through attendance, Dr. Stone’s Presentation on competing with Wal-Mart

Goal 2: Create Networks with Partnering Organizations.

Objective 1: Coordinate and make more accessible the resources available inside and outside the CONAC Region. 

• Supported the Small Business Development Center

• Partnered with SW REAP and RIB on Northern Tier Investments

• Supported the Regional Planning Councils and contract with them for administration

• Funded St. Ann’s Development Office request for retraining.

Goal 3: Assist CONAC Communities in their Efforts to Enhance Quality of Life.

Objective 1:  Endorse community efforts to address housing needs

• A few years ago, CONAC financially invested in the Community Works of ND.  This year, we got an accounting of where the “Dream Fund” moneys have been spent County-by-County.

 Objective 2:  Identify and implement young people retention and attraction strategies.

• Endorsed and funded Wettlaufer Lawn Service under the Young Entrepreneur program

Objective 3:  Explore the possibilities of more health care collaboration inside and outside the CONAC region

•  Endorsed and funded Presentation Medical Center’s request for Electronic Medical Record Financial Scanning Software 

• Endorsed and funded St Andrew Health Center’s request for Electronic Medical Record Financial Scanning Software

• Endorsed Dunseith Nursing Home’s request to apply for a Community Facilities Loan though USDA – Rural Development to replace facility’s windows. 

 Objective 4: Assist communities in developing water systems and other infrastructure projects needed to improve the quality of life and attract new residents and businesses.

Objective 5: Encourage and endorse workforce and life long learning opportunities throughout the CONAC region.

• Endorsed and funded Granville, Towner and Upham’s equipment request out of the McHenry County Technology fund

• Endorsed and funded Spirit Lake Reservation’s request for training on the tribal network

• Endorsed and funded Anamoose’s community computer training classes 

Goal 4: Increase the Diversity and Quality of Economic Opportunities in our Region. 

Objective 1: Increase jobs available in CONAC communities

Objective 2: Recognize tourism as the second leading industry in North Dakota

• Endorsed and funded Coghlan Castle’s emergency stabilization

Objective 3: Encourage retention, expansion and start-up of entrepreneurial businesses

• Endorsed and funded 2007/2008 requests to provide Small Business Development Council services to Benson, Rolette and Towner Counties

• Endorsed and funded the renovations necessary to bring Noridian Administrative Services to Leeds, ND 

• Endorsed the REAP Zone Technical Assistance RBOG request

• Endorsed the Anishinabe Trading Post renovations by Turtle Mountain Community College in their effort to create a hand’s on learning/teaching environment for entrepreneurial students.

Objective 4: Attract international investment to local businesses

• Approved a loan to Tenderfoot Sock’s for R&D and International Marketing

Objective 5: Support value added agriculture

• Endorsed and funded the North Prairie Farmers Markets in Velva, ND

• Mitch Monson, director of Northwest Venture Communities Inc, was a guest speaker on poverty reduction through promotion and collaborative marketing of Farmers Markets.

• Created grant funding guidelines for Farmers Markets

• Endorsed and funded the Entrepreneurial Center of Excellence for Horticulture at MSU Bottineau

• Endorsed and offered loan funds to A-1 Hay Grinding in York, ND.