Administrative/Biographical History
The North Dakota Micro-Business Marketing Alliance was a three-year program set up in 1990 following a $140,000 grant from the Northwest Area Foundation to promote economic development. The Alliance's first press release states its four main goals: "1) to create a marketing network to bring North Dakota products to the urban marketplace, 2) to provide technical and product development assistance to create products designed to sell in the urban marketplace, 3) to use existing skills and resources at home-based or small town worksites to create new products, and 4) to develop a revolving loan pool for small rural enterprises."
The main headquarters were in Mandan, North Dakota with 17 production sites located throughout the state. The Alliance by-laws state that membership included, "any resident, corporation, partnership, or association in the state of North Dakota that engages in economic development, manufacturing, or other business." Most of the group's members were communities or counties hoping to stimulate economic growth. Annual membership dues were $1,000.
The Alliance was run primarily by a nine-person board of directors who were elected every year. These board members were required to be residents of the state of North Dakota. The Alliance held an annual meeting usually in the fall, at which the board members selected a four-person executive committee. The executive committee consisted of a president, vice president, secretary, and treasurer.
The Alliance has marketed more than 100 different products such as food, quilts, cookbooks, North Dakota souvenirs, woodcarving, jewelry, clothing, and crafts, in hopes of bringing more economic growth to the state.
