Bismarck Public School District No.1

Bismarck Public School District No.1, a U.S. local government entity based in Bismarck, North Dakota, operates as a federal grant recipient, holding prime grants from the Department of Health and Human Services and the Department of Education while serving as a sub-recipient on a larger volume of pass-through funding from North Dakota state agencies. The district does not hold federal contracts. The vast majority of its federal footprint (85% of awards) consists of sub-recipient grants flowing through the North Dakota Department of Public Instruction, the North Dakota Department of Human Services, and the North Dakota Department of Commerce.

The district's grant portfolio centers on K-12 education and early-childhood services. As a direct prime recipient, Bismarck Public School District No.1 holds a five-year Head Start and Early Head Start project grant (CFDA 93.600) awarded by the Department of Health and Human Services Administration for Children and Families on July 1, 2026, totaling $2,175,900 and running through June 30, 2031. The grant funds comprehensive Head Start services for 3- and 4-year-old children in preschool settings and Early Head Start services for infants, toddlers, and pregnant women, with services tailored to local family needs. The district also holds prime Indian Education Formula Grants (CFDA 84.060) from the Department of Education Office of Elementary and Secondary Education, including a $397,943 award on July 1, 2026 covering July 1, 2026 through June 30, 2027, and prior awards of $389,172 (2025–2026), $397,145 (2024–2025), $397,288 (2023–2024), and $355,591 (2022–2023). These formula grants support comprehensive educational programs addressing the unique cultural, language, and academic needs of Native American students, including teacher professional development, cultural programming, and targeted student support services designed to meet state academic standards while preserving cultural heritage.

The district's sub-recipient footprint is concentrated in child nutrition and K-12 education programs. The Department of Agriculture Food and Nutrition Service accounts for 160 awards (64% of total awards), flowing primarily through child nutrition programs including the National School Lunch Program (NSLP), School Breakfast Program (SBP), Child and Adult Care Food Program (CACFP), Summer Food Service Program (SFSP), and Fresh Fruits and Vegetables Program (FFVP). The Department of Education Office of Elementary and Secondary Education represents 55 awards (22% of awards), comprising Title I grants, Title II professional development transfers, Title III English language learner support, Special Education Idea grants (IDEA-B and IDEA Preschool 619), McKinney-Vento Homeless Education assistance (CFDA 84.196), Neglected and Delinquent Title I funding, and adult education programs (CFDA 84.002). The Department of the Interior Bureau of Indian Affairs contributes 7 awards; the Department of Education Office of Special Education and Rehabilitative Services adds 5 awards; and the Department of Health and Human Services Administration for Children and Families provides 4 awards. Additional sub-recipients include pass-throughs from the North Dakota Department of Human Services for refugee cash and medical assistance (CFDA 93.566) and comprehensive community mental health services for children with serious emotional disturbances (CFDA 93.104), and one sub-award from the North Dakota Department of Commerce for a lighting upgrade.

Recent activity has grown and stabilized. The district received 7 awards in 2022, 37 in 2023, 61 in 2024, 55 in 2025, and 56 through August 2026. The district's 250 total awards carry a combined potential value of $16 thousand and combined dollars obligated of $101.1 million, reflecting the pass-through nature of sub-recipient awards where obligated amounts reflect actual meal reimbursements, education spending, and program delivery rather than award ceiling values. Only one award reaches ultimate completion within the next twenty-four months, indicating minimal near-term recompete exposure. The district's federal engagement is driven by federal child nutrition entitlements tied to eligible student enrollment and Indian education formula allocations tied to Native American student counts, both of which recur annually and do not require competitive procurement.