North Dakota Nonprofits Receive More State Funding to Fight Homelessness

Attendees speak with social service providers. (Photo by Mary Steurer/North Dakota Monitor)

(North Dakota Monitor) – Nonprofits serving North Dakota’s homeless were recently awarded an unprecedented $5 million from the state — a move advocates welcomed, though some cautioned that the need for assistance in their communities is still acute.

The money supports services including emergency shelters and transitional housing, as well as homelessness prevention programs like rent and utility assistance.

“It’s a positive step in the right direction,” said Michelle Erickson, executive director of the Abused Adult Resource Center in Bismarck, which received two grants totaling $125,000. “But it’s not gonna solve the issue.”

Erickson said that most of the Abused Adult Resource Center’s grant funding will go toward covering operational costs.  “We operate on very much a shoestring budget,” she said.