NRABC awarded North Dakota Bush Prize

The New Rockford Area Betterment Corporation (NRABC) has been awarded a prestigious prize reserved for only the best community organizations in North Dakota.

For their work supporting and developing the community of New Rockford, The "Bush Prize: North Dakota," has been awarded to the NRABC, giving them a healthy sum of new funding that they can reinvest into New Rockford.

The grant was awarded jointly by Strengthen ND and the Bush Foundation, two organizations that promote community development and creative ideas by providing various funding opportunities, such as the Bush Prize.

A second community organization, Ministry on the Margins of Bismarck, N.D., was also awarded the Bush Prize: North Dakota, alongside the NRABC.

Their reward? Flexible funding that the two organizations can use to continue supporting their communities in the best way possible.

"This award is a testament to all of the current and past board members and directors who have laid the foundation of integration to move our community forward" NRABC Executive Director Amanda Hegland said Tuesday. "It's very humbling to be recognized for our work that we've done, and the culture that the NRABC has created over the many years it's been in operation."

The amount of funding provided by the award is up to 25 percent of the organization's most recent fiscal year expenses.

For the NRABC, that amounts to approximately $25,000 that they can now put towards the community of New Rockford, and they're already discussing how to spend it.

"I think we have quite a few ideas of how we'd love to use this prize money," said Hegland. "I think we will use our due diligence to consider how we can make the most use of the award. I know the theater is at the top of our list. We are working on the beginnings of that project right now, and I think that could make a big impact for the community."

The NRABC and Ministry on the Margins were selected for the award after a rigorous due diligence and deliberation process by a community-based grantmaking committee, which evaluated 46 total applicants.

Among those applicants, Heartview Foundation and Northern Cass School District were selected as finalists, each receiving an unrestricted grant of $10,000 to support their continued efforts.

In a press release, Bush Foundation President Jen Ford Reedy said, "Bush Prize winners are doing big things in partnership with their communities. I love that the Bush Prize gives flexible funding to organizations that are highly valued by their own communities."

The NRABC is one such organization, as they've long supported New Rockford in numerous ways, from supporting businesses through summer street markets, supporting local youth through activities like the recent youth track meet, or making recreational activities such as bowling a possibility in New Rockford – just to name a few.

"With this award we've shown that we have a track record of a culture of innovation," said Hegland. "We are actively trying to promote community and economic development by tackling issues that are relevant to rural communities. We are so honored to be recognized and to have the status of the Bush Prize winner be a part of our accolades."

The announcement was made in a video posted to social media Tuesday. The video can be viewed at https://app.frame.io/presentations/c28de02c-5c97-4635-90bc-054736a28bd2?fbclid=IwAR20AemlcMa9051V0ikWK-seLQWPimtgDPLx4WqyShI9qSYu26ORicBBcuE_aem_AQqiJAWGRs3P-8t253Kbl_klPyspDRN1PCbmE23XzA6edYTuvFu_jMsRaJ1nc_6xchg&mibextid=Zxz2cZ.