Committee sets higher-education capital and innovation funding, places $500,000 placeholder for federal-loss program

The Appropriations — Education and Environment Division reached agreement on several higher-education funding items, including increases to workforce-innovation and university-specific capital programs, and placed a $500,000 placeholder to cover part of a federal grant that ends in 2026.

Committee members discussed institutional capital recommendations and several specific items. The panel reached consensus on a funding package that included raising the Workforce Innovation grant pool (for smaller institutions) and allocating funds for program-specific projects at North Dakota State University (NDSU) and the University of North Dakota (UND). After negotiating alternate proposals, committee members approved a package that increased the Workforce Innovation grant from the current level to $12,000,000 and provided $12,000,000 allocations for NDSU and UND programs identified in the draft.

During the higher-education budget discussion committee members also considered a federal grant that ends in September 2026 and that had supported services for disabled students (the meeting record described the federal contribution as roughly $600,000 per year). Members discussed options including replacing the entire federal amount or providing a placeholder for the second year of the next biennium. The committee settled on a $500,000 placeholder for the second year of the biennium to keep the program alive while the other chamber and the institutions refine need and scope.

Committee members also confirmed, by consensus, approval for a UND land sale item tied to capital projects; the committee asked that proceeds be returned to capital projects as described in the draft.

What happens next: the committee will carry the agreed higher-education package and placeholders forward; the other chamber and subsequent appropriations stages may revise the amounts and program language.