The University of North Dakota’s Center for Innovation and the Grand Forks Region Economic Development Corporation (EDC) has awarded funding for seven Grand Forks-based companies. Now in its fourth year, the program is designed to increase the number of local internships, aiding employers’ workforce recruitment and retention efforts by introducing UND students to career and entrepreneurial opportunities in the greater Grand Forks region.
Over $16,000 in awards have been granted for cycle 2 of 2021. This brings the total funding for both cycles of 2021 to $40,000. The companies awarded funding for fall semester include:
- The Other Half – marketing intern
- Smiling Moose Deli – leadership intern
- Timber & Ash Design – assistant sawdust maker
- Fenworks – digital media intern
- UND Aerospace Foundation – UAS operations intern
- Countrywide Sanitation – customer service/operation support coordinator
- Three Farm Daughters – marketing & support intern
InternGF offers up to $3,500 to offset an intern’s salary. Employers can apply for up to two internships per year. Eligible applicants must be an early-to-mid-stage startup or a member organization of the EDC that can offer an internship not routinely found in the greater Grand Forks region. Startup companies are eligible for a match of 50% and EDC member companies are eligible for a match of 33%.
InternGF aligns with the One UND Strategic Plan’s charge to provide experiential learning opportunities for its students, creating a talented and experienced pool of graduates who have the skills that employers demand.
Since launching in 2018, the program has funded 47 internships across a spectrum of fields including unmanned systems, engineering, health information technology, and supply chain management.
The Grand Forks Region EDC works collaboratively to foster an environment that attracts innovative people and business investment to Grand Forks County and the surrounding region, enhancing economic vitality for long-term prosperity and growth.