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Growth Initiative Fund (GIF)

GREATER FARGO MOORHEAD ECONOMIC

Foundation Rolling (Quarterly) Small Business GrantsGrants for StartupsCommunity Development Grants
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Funding Amount

Varies by loan; GIF loan approvals ranged from $372,000 to $1,015,000 in recent years

Deadline

Rolling / Open

Grant Type

foundation

Overview

Growth Initiative Fund (GIF)

Overview: The Growth Initiative Fund is a loan program administered by the Greater Fargo Moorhead Economic Development Corporation that supports primary-sector business expansions in Cass County, North Dakota.

Geographic Scope: Cass County, North Dakota (primarily Fargo, West Fargo, Mapleton area)

Focus Areas:

  • Primary sector companies

  • Manufacturing

  • Engineering services

  • Contract fabrication

  • Distribution

  • Composite manufacturing

  • Value-added agriculture

    • Key Features:

  • Loans provided in conjunction with Bank of North Dakota's PACE/Flex PACE program, which provides lowered interest rates

  • Loan approvals provide access to additional state interest-buydown grant funds (approximately $2-3 in state grants per $1 in GIF loans)

  • Recent loan approvals have resulted in capital investments of $8-28+ million, job creation of 20-60+ positions, and utilization of 25,000-116,500+ square feet of space

    • Recent Performance (as of 2026):

  • Managing 89-92 active loans with total loan balance of $6.94-$7.56 million

  • Over lifetime: funded 303 loans totaling $20.5+ million

  • Enabled approximately $35.5 million in matching state grant funds

  • Supported approximately $700 million in total capital investments by companies

    • Eligibility:

  • Primary-sector businesses located in Cass County

  • Businesses seeking to expand operations

  • Must be registered in North Dakota

    • Contact: Greater Fargo Moorhead Economic Development Corporation, 51 Broadway North, Suite 500, Fargo, ND 58102 | (701) 364-1900

    How to Apply

    Application Process

    Detailed application procedures not provided in available materials. Contact GFMEDC directly at (701) 364-1900 or visit gfmedc.com for complete application requirements and process steps.

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    Focus Areas & Funding Uses

    Fields of Work

    small-businessesstartupscommunity-development

    Categories

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