Opportunity Overview
The North Dakota Department of Commerce Workforce Development Division is accepting applications for the Relocation Opportunity for Outstanding Talent (ROOT) Grant Program. ROOT helps North Dakota employers recruit out-of-state workers for difficult-to-fill, full-time permanent positions by sharing eligible relocation and hiring incentive costs. Commerce expressly identifies healthcare and education among the industries for which relocation support can address workforce shortages.
Funding and Deadline
The current program period is March 4, 2025 at 12:00 p.m. CST through June 20, 2027 at 5:00 p.m. CST. Funding remains available until all funds are obligated and spent, so applicants should not rely on the final date if funds are exhausted sooner. Employers may access up to $5,000 in matching funds per approved candidate. A 1:1 employer match is required. An additional $500 per candidate is available when the candidate is identified through the Find the Good Life Candidate Marketplace; that additional $500 is not subject to match. Awards are for six months and may be renewed case by case.
Employer and Position Eligibility
Eligible employers must be located and registered in North Dakota. State agencies are not eligible. The position must be located in North Dakota, the work must be performed in North Dakota, and the job must be a full-time permanent position with an expectation of at least one year of employment. ROOT primarily supports public and private employers hiring out-of-state job seekers into in-demand occupations, with other high-demand roles considered case by case.
Employer application limits are based on workforce size: organizations with 5 to 20 employees may request up to 5 candidates; 20 to 50 employees up to 10; 50 to 100 employees up to 15; and employers with 100 or more employees up to 20 candidates.
Candidate and Relocation Rules
Out-of-state candidates must relocate to North Dakota and cannot currently live within 100 miles of the job site. Eligible relocation assistance may address moving costs, transportation, temporary or rental housing-related expenses, transfer of occupational licensure, examinations, and other relocation or job-entry requirements tied to the position. Commerce recommends that candidates be U.S. citizens or have permanent legal immigration status and meet applicable North Dakota licensure requirements.
Application and Documentation
Applications are submitted through the North Dakota Commerce portal and should be completed before the employer posts or reposts the covered position or before an employment offer is made. Portal questions require employer identification, EIN, workforce size, requested positions, industry, occupation, vacancy history, recruitment efforts, relocation barriers, and prior incentives. Supplemental documentation includes existing job descriptions or postings and documented commitment of required match when provided by a third party.
Healthcare and Education Relevance
The official application identifies Healthcare and Education as selectable industries. Hospitals, clinics, long-term care organizations, behavioral health providers, EMS-related employers, school districts, educational organizations, and other qualifying North Dakota employers may have a legitimate pathway when they are recruiting eligible full-time permanent workers for difficult-to-fill roles and can satisfy the match, relocation, and program requirements.
Atlas Analysis
Atlas Opportunity Score: 78/100. ROOT is a long-running, clearly documented workforce program with direct healthcare and education relevance, a defined per-candidate incentive, and a concrete use case for rural and hard-to-staff employers. Its utility is limited by the 1:1 match, per-candidate ceiling, employer-size caps, and the requirement that covered candidates be relocating from outside the local area.
N9+ Fit Score: 0/100. ROOT funds workforce relocation and hiring incentives, not clinical devices, telehealth platforms, diagnostic technology, or patient-care equipment. Atlas should not force the Nonagon N9+ device and platform into this opportunity.
Submission Controls
Employers should apply before making an employment offer for the covered position, preserve documentation of relocation and match expenses, maintain wage and compensation records, and submit required funding documentation after the employee has relocated and completed the first pay period. The employer is responsible for retaining the employee for at least one year and for required reporting.