Our Impact

Grand Forks has achieved Blue Zones Community® certification, making it the first to earn the designation in the state of North Dakota. The certification recognizes Grand Forks’ measurable success in well-being transformation through the effective implementation of Blue Zones Project®, a pioneering population health initiative that integrates evidence-based best practices in built environment, policy, and social connection within participating communities.

Brought to Grand Forks by Altru Health System with support from the North Dakota Department of Health and Human Services, the well-being improvement initiative has optimized environments in ways that make healthy choices more accessible—helping people live longer, healthier, and happier lives.

Grand Forks earned the designation by meeting Project benchmarks in categories including resident and employer engagement rates, well-being scores, and community policies. As a result of the community-wide effort led by the local Blue Zones Project team, Grand Forks’ overall community well-being score improved by 3.5 points since 2022. Each point increase in well-being for a population leads to approximately a two percent reduction in ER visits and hospital utilization, and to approximately a one percent reduction in total health care costs. In addition

• 37.8% more residents now report they are thriving in daily life. 
• The obesity rate dropped 17.7% in the Near North neighborhood, during a time when obesity rates grew across the Midwest.
• 59.1% of residents report engaging in regular physical activity, up from 54.8% at baseline.
• Residents report an impressive reduction in high cholesterol, a key risk factor, showing a 20.8% decline.
• Nearly $64 million in grant funding has been awarded to the community for Blue Zones Project–aligned initiatives.
• The past three years have yielded over $1.8 million in direct savings by avoiding medical and lost productivity costs. Further, based on the trend and the transformational changes to policy and places, the cumulative direct savings is projected to grow to $4 million in Year 4 and $7.9 million in Year 5, producing a greater than 2:1 ROI on these direct savings alone. Over the remaining 10-year analysis and projections, the impact is expected to exceed $40 million in medical and lost productivity savings, generating a “10x” effect. 

 These impressive measures are the direct result of the participation of at least 4,245 individuals and 28 organizations who implemented Project programs, activities, and best practices. Thirty-nine new community policies, plans, and initiatives that were implemented as part of the Project have improved built environment infrastructure, food systems, and tobacco use across Grand Forks to support better health among residents.