Cramer: USDA approves nearly $160,000 for rural business development

The Spirit Lake Tribe was among awardees named when Congressman Kevin Cramer announced the U.S. Department of Agriculture Rural Development approved grants totaling $157,950 for various commercial and manufactural development projects in North Dakota under the rural business development grant program.

Spirit Lake Tribe was approved for a grant of $8,950, which will fund a feasibility study of clothing manufacture at the tribe’s current industrial building in Fort Totten. If this project is viable, it would enable the residents of Spirit Lake Tribe to manufacture Native American designed denim jeans to be sold for profit locally and online.

Hettinger County Job Development Authority received $99,000 in federal funding to be used for improvements to Oien Grocery store located in Mott. This investment will finance the leasing of new refrigeration and freezer equipment to the grocery store, replacing the older system installed before 1965, which is no longer cost-effective. This will allow for the betterment of service to the surrounding communities and support of current employees.

Standing Rock Sioux Tribe has been granted $50,000, which will finance the architectural designing of a new strip mall to be constructed in Fort Yates. The full cost of the architectural service is $100,000. Standing Rock has designated the remaining $50,000 for this project.