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North Dakota responses to the federal grant review process survey, 2021
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States employ a variety of processes to apply for and administer federal grants. Ballotpedia's 2021 state survey of the federal grant review process examined the general processes applied by the 50 states in order to seek and distribute federal funds.
Research from the Pew Charitable Trusts found that federal funds made up 32% (roughly $639 billion) of all state revenue in 2017, making them the second-largest source of state revenue behind state tax collections.[1] States direct federal funds to government programs related to education, healthcare, transportation, infrastructure, and other policies.[1]
This page features North Dakota's responses to Ballotpedia's 2021 survey.
Background
From August 5, 2021, to September 27, 2021, Ballotpedia staff contacted the executive and legislative budget offices of all 50 states via email and/or telephone to update a publicly available 2016 survey on state approaches to the federal grant review process.
Our staff contacted state officials with the following survey questions:
- Approval processes for federal grants
- What is your state’s process for federal grant applications and the approval process?
- What is your state’s approval process when the legislature is not in session?
- How does the legislature monitor the intent of federal grants? What legislative rules allow the state greater oversight of federal funds in the budgets?
- Contingency plans for the loss or decline of federal funds
- What is your state’s contingency plan in the case of a decline or loss of federal funds?
- Quality control processes for federal grants
- What is your state’s quality control process for tracking the effectiveness of federal funds?
- Does your state attempt to estimate the cost of federal fund requirements? If so, how?
- How does your state prioritize federal funds to best meet the needs of constituents?
- If your state doesn’t appropriate key federal funds like food stamps and unemployment benefits, are your state’s federal funds off-budget? How do you track this information?
Our staff also contacted state officials with the following two new survey questions regarding federal funds made available in response to the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic:
- Coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic funds
- Who has decision rights over American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) State Fiscal Recovery Fund allocations in your state?
- Who has decision rights over Elementary and Secondary School Emergency Relief (ESSER) Fund allocations in your state?
North Dakota 2021 survey responses
What is your state’s process for federal grant applications and the approval process?
"State agencies apply for federal funds. Through the legislative hearing and budget process, the Legislative Assembly receives information from each state agency regarding federal funds the agency anticipates receiving during the next budget cycle. The Legislative Assembly approves the federal funding by including it in the agency's appropriation."
What is the approval process when the legislature is not in session?
"During the interim, the authority to accept and expend additional federal funds is considered by the Emergency Commission and the Budget Section, according to North Dakota Century Code Section 54-16-04.1. The Emergency Commission, upon a finding that an emergency exists and with the advice of the Office of Management and Budget, may authorize a state officer to receive federal funds, not otherwise appropriated by the legislative assembly. All requests of more than $50,000, but less than aggregate amount of $50.0 million can be approved by the Emergency Commission, the requests also receive approval from the Budget Section. The Budget Section consists of 43 members of the Legislative Assembly including leadership and appropriations committee members, who receive certain reports, approve transfers, and approve acceptance of certain funds to state agencies during each interim. If the aggregate amount of funding requested exceed $50.0 million then any additional request to receive and expend funds must be approved during a regular legislative session or a special legislative session called by the governor. The aggregate amount limit does not apply to federal highway administration emergency relief funds or disaster or emergency recovery funding received by the state."
How does the legislature monitor the intent of federal grants?
"While there are no specific legislative rules regarding monitoring the intent of federal grants, the Legislative Assembly is informed of federal fund activity through the legislative hearing and budget process. In addition, when proposed bills have a fiscal impact on the state, a fiscal note is prepared, which reviews the fiscal effect on the state and the source of funding, including from federal funds."
What is your state’s contingency plan for state financing in the case of losses or decline in federal funds?
"Each Legislative Assembly, through the development of the state budget, would consider changes necessary due to a decline or loss of federal funds. Between legislative sessions, the North Dakota Century Code specifically addresses the potential termination of various federal programs, see applicable sections of the Century Code below.
"Section 50‑06‑05.1(16) provides, subject to Budget Section approval, the Department of Human Services may terminate the food stamp program if the rate of federal financial participation in administrative costs is decreased or if the state or counties become financially responsible for the coupon bonus payments.
"Section 50-06-05.1(18) provides, subject to Budget Section approval, the Department of Human Services may terminate the energy assistance program if the rate of federal financial participation in administrative costs is decreased or if the state or counties become financially responsible for the energy assistance program payments.
"Section 50-24.4-22 provides that in the event that the state is determined by the federal government to be no longer eligible for federal share of medical assistance payments made to a nursing home under this chapter, the department may cease medical assistance payments to that nursing home.
"Section 50-24.1-37 provides that the department shall inform new enrollees in the medical assistance expansion program that benefits may be reduced or eliminated if federal participation decreases or is eliminated.
"Section 50-29-05 provides that notwithstanding any other provisions of this chapter, the department may not expend funds for purposes of this chapter which exceed the federal funds available and the corresponding nonfederal share, and if federal children's health insurance program funding decreases, or if federal funding expires, the department may decrease the income eligibility limit to operate within the federal funding available or may terminate the program if federal funding expires."
What is your state’s quality control process for tracking the effectiveness of federal funds?
"Each agency is responsible for tracking the effectiveness of federal funds received by them and responsible for any reporting to federal agencies."
Does your state attempt to estimate the cost of federal fund requirements? If so, how?
"Generally, as part of the legislative process, each state agency is responsible for estimating the cost of federal fund requirements for their agency, if applicable."
How does your state prioritize federal funds to best meet the needs of constituents?
"The needs of constituents are considered throughout the legislative process. Information presented during legislative hearings and through public testimony are considered when determining the need for and use of federal funds."
If your state does not appropriate key federal funds like food stamps and unemployment benefits, are your state’s federal funds off budget? How do you track this information?
"The North Dakota Legislative Assembly appropriates these federal funds."
Who has decision rights over American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) State Fiscal Recovery Fund allocations in your state?
"Since the aggregate amount of ARPA funds exceed the $50.0 million threshold identified in North Dakota Century Code Section 54-16-04.1; any request to receive and expend those funds must be approved during a regular legislative session or a special legislative session called by the governor."
Who has decision rights over Elementary and Secondary School Emergency Relief (ESSER) Fund allocations in your state?
"The legislature appropriated the funding to the North Dakota Department of Public Instruction, which will allocate the funding to local education agencies based on the Title I allocation formula. Local education agencies will have decision rights regarding the use of the ESSER funding."
Other state survey responses
Click on a state below to view its responses to the 2021 survey on the federal grant review process:
- Alabama
- Alaska
- Arizona
- Arkansas
- California
- Colorado
- Connecticut
- Delaware
- Florida
- Georgia
- Hawaii
- Idaho
- Illinois
- Indiana
- Iowa
- Kansas
- Kentucky
- Louisiana
- Maine
- Maryland
- Massachusetts
- Michigan
- Minnesota
- Mississippi
- Missouri
- Montana
- Nebraska
- Nevada
- New Hampshire
- New Jersey
- New Mexico
- New York
- North Carolina
- North Dakota
- Ohio
- Oklahoma
- Oregon
- Pennsylvania
- Rhode Island
- South Carolina
- South Dakota
- Tennessee
- Texas
- Utah
- Vermont
- Virginia
- Washington
- West Virginia
- Wisconsin
- Wyoming
See also
- State survey of the federal grant review process, 2021
- State responses to the federal grant review process survey, 2021
- State responses by question to the federal grant review process survey, 2021
- Federalism
External links
Footnotes
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