New Rockford, Sheyenne among communities to receive Main Street Initiative Vibrancy Grant

The Department of Commerce recently awarded $16,500 in Main Street Initiative Vibrancy Grant dollars to 12 North Dakota Communities, including New Rockford, Sheyenne, and Carrington.

The Main Street Initiative Vibrancy Grant Program seeks to assist in adding a spark of activity and energy to communities across North Dakota. This program helps provide small investments to community projects or events that encourage public art, activate underutilized space or promote walking and biking.

Grant applicants were notified of their awards on Jan. 25. Each of the following applications were recommended to receive $1,500 of grant funding:

• New Rockford will upgrade the lighting in their downtown Centennial Park.

• Sheyenne will make restorations to Main Street buildings and enhance the placement of flower pots on Main Street.

• Carrington will design and display banners and flowering baskets for Main Street.

• Jamestown will hold a community arts event and festival known as Chalkfest.

• Valley City will install benches and garbage cans for the community orchard.

• Rugby will relocate a clock to Pocket Park on Main Street.

• Minot will invest in downtown geocaching activities.

• Bismarck will install lighting for Art Alley to highlight these works in the winter months as well as make the underutilized alley space more inviting for events, the public and visitors.

• West Fargo will implement a community art project.

• Fargo will rely on the cooperative effort between Fargo Lions Club and Parks to place art to commemorate the city’s resiliency.

• Grand Forks will develop downtown and UND alleyway murals.

• Colgate will enhance the park located in the center of town.

• Columbus will install planters and plants for Main Street.

• Gilby will install an outdoor mural on the wall of the city-owned hardware store.

• Foreman will convert open space into park area.

• Watford City will cooperate with the preschool to install a diversity mural.

“This grant is a great opportunity to inspire others to engage and contribute to their community’s quality of life for both visitors and residents,” Interim Commerce Commissioner Shawn Kessel said.

Grant funding supports nonprofit organizations and/or local governments in vibrancy projects such as public events, public art, cultural celebrations, activating underutilized space, community gathering spaces, promoting active transportation, mitigating impacts of vacant or deteriorated infrastructure and more.