2008 Annual Report Executive Summary

Southwest REAP Zone

The following statistics are reported for the SW REAP Zone for the 2008 calendar year:

  • 10 jobs were created by SW REAP assistance
  • $44,700 was granted, loaned, or invested in 13 different projects by SW REAP
  • 323 people were involved in the 13 REAP assisted projects
  • Total project costs for the 13 projects was $283,880
  • SW REAP dollars represent 15.5% of the total project costs
  • 5 projects are loans totaling $25,750 (58% of SW REAP dollars spent)
  • 8 projects are grants totaling $18,950 (42% of SW REAP dollars spent)
  • Of the 5 loans, four were for new businesses and one for an existing business
Most Significant Accomplishment
Micro Loans (Benchmark 76). The SW REAP Micro Loan and Small Business Incentives program addresses funding requests for businesses that employ 10 or fewer people or new ventures located within the SW REAP Zone. The SW REAP Board identified the need for a regional program five years ago. A regionally based and administered program was more efficient than eight small county- wide programs.

In 2008 the board approved five projects including marketing, equipment purchases, start up costs, renovations and production costs.

The applicants were from two of the eight counties in the zone. Two of the approved applications were for women-owned businesses. Businesses can receive loans for business plans, product development, research and development, marketing plans, marketing activities or other business tasks approved by the SW REAP Board.

Strategic Planning (Benchmark 68). SW REAP assists communities each year to develop strategic plans. The practice is significant in that it involves community residents making decisions identifying and prioritizing community needs. It enables residents to actively participate not only in the planning process but the actual attainment of recognized goals. The planning sessions involve not only the residents of a particular community but also the rural residents who identify with the community. The 2008 Strategic Planning communities were Beach, Reeder and Hettinger. Over 145 people participated in these planning meetings.
  • The Beach planning process identified seven community goals including the improvement of the community golf course, creating a path for walking and biking, developing a community agriculture site, and building a community and recreation center.
  • The Hettinger participants identified nine goals including creating a community recreation facility, restore the Hettinger Armory, create awareness and provide solutions to social issues impacting the community, and supporting entrepreneurship by improving business infrastructure.
  • Reeder identified four goals including entrepreneurship training, improving the city park, establish community classes and the development of a youth group.
Partners in these projects are the SW REAP, Bremer Foundation, and the communities involved. Workforce Fund

(Benchmark 64). Southwest North Dakota perennially experiences a shortage of skilled workers in many occupations including truck drivers, automobile and diesel mechanics, finish carpenters, welders, bricklayers, masons, plumbers, and electricians. The shortage of qualified laborers is exacerbated by the demands for laborers resulting from the increased oil exploration in the Williston Basin oil field. The SW REAP Board in 2004 started a scholarship program to assist adult students within the zone to take advantage of locally provided vocational training. In 2008 the board assisted 21 students. The partners in the program are SW REAP, Halliday Public School District, ND Department of Public Instruction-Career and Technical Education Division and the Dunn County Job Development Authority.

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