Strengthen ND has been selected as one of four awardees of a $100,000 grant through the Mobility, Access, and Transportation Insecurity (MATI) program! Administered by the University of Minnesota’s Center for Transportation Studies in collaboration with the Federal Transit Administration, this funding supports community-driven projects designed to address transportation insecurity in rural areas.
Transportation insecurity refers to the lack of convenient, affordable, or reliable options to reach essential destinations such as jobs, schools, and healthcare services. This issue disproportionately affects small and rural communities, where traditional public transit options may be limited or unavailable. From a competitive pool, four projects were selected to receive $100,000 each for planning and piloting community-focused mobility solutions.
In North Dakota, Strengthen ND is leading a new Mobile Grocery Initiative in six rural counties: Benson, Cavalier, Eddy, Ramsey, Rolette, and Towner. The initiative leverages an existing electric vehicle and EV infrastructure to deliver fresh groceries and essential food items directly to residents with limited access to traditional grocery stores. The model seeks to fill a critical transportation gap while simultaneously addressing food insecurity.
The project team includes several key collaborators, including the Foundation for a Healthy North Dakota and Multi-Partner Health Collaborative. Together, they aim to create a service that is responsive to community needs, efficient in operation, and scalable for future applications. By using a clean transportation approach, the initiative also demonstrates how low-emission mobility options can play a practical role in rural service delivery.