Connecting Innovation to Community: UND’s IEP Designation and the ND SBDC

The University of North Dakota was recently recognized as an Innovation & Economic Prosperity (IEP) University, a designation that reflects a strong commitment to supporting economic growth, strengthening partnerships, and expanding impact across North Dakota. This recognition is the result of a collaborative, multi-year effort to better understand and enhance how UND engages with businesses and communities. You can read more about the announcement and what it means in UND Today.

Being part of the IEP committee gave me a valuable opportunity to reflect on how UND supports economic growth across our state and where the ND SBDC fits into that broader picture. The process challenged us to look closely at how the university connects with businesses and communities, and it reinforced just how important those connections are to building a strong, resilient economy.

The ND SBDC is already deeply embedded in this work. Every day, our team works directly with small business owners and entrepreneurs across the state, helping them start, grow, and adapt. That frontline perspective brings an important dimension to UND’s economic engagement efforts. We see where businesses need support, where gaps exist, and where partnerships with the university can make a meaningful difference. The IEP process helped highlight how essential that connection is and how it can be strengthened.

What stood out to me throughout this effort was the opportunity to be even more intentional about aligning resources. UND has incredible assets in research, talent development, and innovation. The ND SBDC helps translate those assets into practical support for businesses at every stage by connecting them to the right expertise, tools, and opportunities. Strengthening that bridge is key to ensuring that innovation does not stay on campus but reaches communities across North Dakota.

Looking ahead, I see even more opportunity for the ND SBDC to play a central role in this work. As UND continues to build on the IEP designation, we can expand how we collaborate, deepen our engagement with faculty and programs, and create more pathways for businesses to benefit from university resources. At the same time, we can continue to bring the voice of small business into these conversations, helping ensure that economic development efforts remain grounded in real-world needs.

This designation is an important milestone, but the real impact will come from how we implement the plan. I am excited about the role the ND SBDC can continue to play in strengthening connections, supporting entrepreneurs, and helping drive economic prosperity across North Dakota.

Tiffany Ford, State Director
And all the Staff of the ND Small Business Development Network