North Dakota Assistance Programs and Benefits
Free help finding assistance programs, from the Red River Valley to the Badlands
A hard winter, a bad harvest or a layoff in the oil patch can leave a North Dakota household scrambling. We walk you through North Dakota assistance programs, from SNAP to LIHEAP heating help, and the office that handles each one.
Say what you need. We point you to the programs, the eligibility basics and the offices that serve your part of North Dakota.
Our guidance applies in all 53 counties in North Dakota. Home might be Fargo or Bismarck, Cass or Ward County, or a farm an hour from the closest town. Either way, it's free to you.
Help comes from North Dakota Health and Human Services (HHS), Human Service Zone offices, federal programs, food pantries and community action agencies. We help you figure out where to go.
Check Your Eligibility for Free
Each program uses its own rules. Household income, family size, age, disability, housing costs and work history can all change what you qualify for.
We help you narrow down the North Dakota programs that may fit and the office to contact first.
North Dakota Financial Assistance Programs
Lost work, an injury or a failed crop year can use up savings fast. North Dakota households have several kinds of financial help to check.
If paying for the basics has gotten tough, we help you find resources that fit and show you how to apply.
Helping Hands can help you locate information about programs and resources involving:
North Dakota Food Assistance and SNAP Benefits
Groceries cost more each year, and in rural North Dakota the store can be a long drive away.
For North Dakota households, we explain the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) and other North Dakota food assistance programs. You get SNAP benefits on an EBT card that works at approved stores.
Cutting back on meals to make ends meet? Checking your SNAP eligibility is a good first step.
You can apply for SNAP, cash help and Medicaid through North Dakota Health and Human Services (HHS) online in the Self-Service Portal, or at your local Human Service Zone office.
We can also help North Dakota residents locate:
North Dakota Utility Bill Assistance
North Dakota winters bring deep cold, and heating a house from October to April costs a lot. Falling behind on propane, gas or electric bills can leave you without heat.
Qualifying North Dakota households can get heating help, and we show you where to apply.
Resources may include information about:
North Dakota LIHEAP: Heating Help for Cold Winters
North Dakota Health and Human Services runs the federal Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program (LIHEAP) for the state.
You can apply through the Self-Service Portal, by mail or at a Human Service Zone office. Rules and benefit amounts change, so confirm the current details before you apply.
We help you find the right office and get your application started.
North Dakota Rental Assistance and Housing Assistance
Housing costs can jump in growing cities like Fargo and in the western oil counties.
If you owe rent, got an eviction notice, need an affordable place or worry about keeping your home, we help you find programs and groups that may help.
Helping Hands provides information about housing resources that may be available to qualifying North Dakota residents, including:
Section 8 and Housing Assistance in North Dakota
North Dakotans who need lower rent should learn about Section 8 Housing Choice Vouchers and other subsidized housing.
Local housing authorities run these programs, and wait lists vary by city and county.
Helping Hands can provide information and resources to help you understand:
North Dakota Eviction Assistance
Got an eviction notice or fallen behind on rent? Don't wait to act.
In North Dakota we can steer you to rental assistance, eviction prevention, emergency housing, legal aid and local resources.
The help may come from a nonprofit, a legal aid office, a local agency or a housing program, depending on your case.
Foreclosure Prevention Assistance in North Dakota
Homeowners who fall behind keep more options by moving early.
In North Dakota, we can refer you to foreclosure prevention and housing counseling services.
Call a housing counselor and your mortgage servicer as soon as a payment looks shaky.
North Dakota Assistance for Seniors
Older North Dakotans may qualify for help with health care, food, heating, rides and household bills.
For aging, disability and long-term care questions, call the Aging and Disability Resource-LINK at 1-855-462-5465.
Helping Hands provides information about resources that may be available to older adults, including:
North Dakota Medicaid and Medicare Resources
Seniors, people with disabilities and families with low incomes carry the heaviest medical bills.
Helping Hands helps you find information on Medicare, Medicaid, health-care assistance and other medical resources in North Dakota.
Medicare and Medicaid have separate rules, so check the current requirements for the program you need.
Disability Assistance in North Dakota
North Dakotans with a disability may qualify for specialized programs, home services and community support.
Every program sets its own qualifications, so take them one at a time.
Helping Hands can help North Dakota residents locate information about resources involving:
Legal Assistance for North Dakota Residents
A benefit denial, a housing dispute or a debt collector can leave you needing legal advice.
We point qualifying North Dakotans to legal aid and free legal resources across the state.
Legal aid groups in North Dakota set their own limits on free or low-cost cases.
Legal assistance may be particularly relevant for issues involving:
Education, Employment and Training Assistance
Training for a better job can steady a household for years.
Helping Hands also shares education, job training and workforce resources that help North Dakotans build skills and earn more.
Resources may include:
North Dakota Food Banks and Emergency Food Resources
Need food today? Food pantries and meal programs serve North Dakota cities and small towns.
Helping Hands helps you find food close to home, with options for families, seniors, people with disabilities and anyone facing a short-term crisis.
Short on food or heat right now? Dial 2-1-1 in North Dakota to reach FirstLink, which answers day and night.
Assistance Available Throughout All 53 North Dakota Counties
Williston to Wahpeton, we offer program information for all 53 counties in North Dakota.
Our North Dakota resources cover cities, small towns and farm country, including:
- Fargo
- Bismarck
- Grand Forks
- Minot
- West Fargo
- Williston
- Dickinson
- Mandan
- Jamestown
- Wahpeton
- Devils Lake
- Valley City
- Watford City
- Grafton
- Beulah
- Cass County
- Burleigh County
- Grand Forks County
- Ward County
- Williams County
- And communities throughout North Dakota
A student renting in Grand Forks and a rancher out near Dickinson can find different help, since it depends on your household and the programs in your area.
How Helping Hands Can Help
State offices, zone offices, forms and long drives can make getting help feel like a second job.
Helping Hands does the sorting, so you can see the options open to North Dakotans.
Our goal is to help you:
- Identify programs that may match your situation.
- Understand basic eligibility requirements.
- Find the appropriate agency or organization.
- Learn where and how to apply.
- Locate additional resources if one program does not meet your needs.
North Dakotans can use all of our help and resource information free of charge.
Need Help in North Dakota? Start Here.
Behind on food, rent, heat or medical bills? You don't need to track down every program alone.
Helping Hands helps you look over your options and points you to the agencies and organizations that may help.
Common North Dakota Assistance Programs
Food & Nutrition
- SNAP / Food Stamps
- EBT information
- Food banks
- Food pantries
- Emergency food assistance
Housing
- Rental assistance
- Section 8
- Low-income housing
- Eviction assistance
- Foreclosure prevention
- Emergency housing
Utilities
- LIHEAP
- Electric assistance
- Gas assistance
- Utility bill assistance
Financial Assistance
- Emergency financial assistance
- Cash assistance
- Family assistance
- Single-parent resources
- Community grants and assistance
Health & Senior Services
- Medicare
- Medicaid
- Senior assistance
- Disability resources
- Health-care assistance
Other Resources
- Legal assistance
- Education
- Job training
- Workforce resources
- Community services
Immediate North Dakota Assistance
Need help right now? Dial 2-1-1 to reach FirstLink for local help with food, shelter, heating bills and other emergencies.
For SNAP, LIHEAP and Medicaid, contact North Dakota Health and Human Services (HHS) or your Human Service Zone office.
For aging and disability questions, call the Aging and Disability Resource-LINK at 1-855-462-5465.
Helping Hands puts North Dakota's programs in one spot so you can plan your next call.
Begin your search for North Dakota assistance programs today, before the next cold snap.
Helping Hands is a resource and information service. Program eligibility, availability, funding, and application requirements are determined by the applicable government agency, nonprofit organization, housing authority, or other program administrator. Providing information about a program does not guarantee eligibility or approval.
