New ALICE Data Coming to North Dakota This Year

United Way executive director says the data will be 'very important' for the Grand Forks community.

Feb. 4, 2026 at 7:23am

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The United Way organization is preparing to release new financial hardship data for North Dakota and its individual counties this fall through its ALICE (Asset Limited, Income Constrained, Employed) research project. Heather Fuglem, executive director of the United Way of Grand Forks, East Grand Forks & Area, says the localized data will be 'very important' for understanding the needs of families in the Grand Forks community and motivating community members to get involved in solutions.

Why it matters

The ALICE data aims to provide a more accurate representation of financial insecurity than the federal poverty level, which does not account for the varying costs of living across different regions. This data can help nonprofits, government, businesses, and academic institutions better understand the scale of the problem and develop targeted solutions to support ALICE households struggling to afford basic necessities like housing, childcare, and healthcare.

The details

The ALICE research project was established by the United Way of Northern New Jersey over a decade ago after staff discovered the 4% poverty level in Morris County did not accurately reflect the number of people struggling financially. The project has since expanded to include at least 40 states. The data considers the costs of housing, childcare, food, transportation, healthcare, technology, taxes, and unexpected expenses to create a 'survival budget' that shows the minimum wage necessary to meet basic needs in each state and county.

  • The ALICE data for North Dakota and its counties is expected to be released by the fall of 2026.
  • The United Way of Northern New Jersey launched the ALICE project over a decade ago.

The players

Heather Fuglem

The executive director of the United Way of Grand Forks, East Grand Forks & Area, a division of the United Way organization that assists community members facing financial insecurity.

United For ALICE

A research project established by the United Way of Northern New Jersey to measure financial hardship and provide more accurate data than the federal poverty level.

Laura Bruno

The senior director of marketing and communications at the United Way of Northern New Jersey.

Stephanie Hoopes

The director of United For ALICE.

Christine Aromando

The director of brand engagement and strategic communications for United For ALICE.

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What they’re saying

“It's very important data for our Grand Forks community, and for the families that we're specifically working with.”

— Heather Fuglem, Executive Director, United Way of Grand Forks, East Grand Forks & Area

“Our mission is for the ALICE threshold to become the standard measure used by nonprofits, government, businesses and academic institutions alike to define financial insecurity, and to move away from the outdated federal poverty level.”

— Christine Aromando, Director of Brand Engagement and Strategic Communications, United For ALICE

“This is a structural economic problem. Wages don't match costs.”

— Stephanie Hoopes, Director, United For ALICE

What’s next

The United Way of Grand Forks, East Grand Forks & Area plans to partner with United For ALICE to help collect and analyze the data for North Dakota, which is expected to be released by the fall of 2026.

The takeaway

The forthcoming ALICE data for North Dakota will provide a more comprehensive understanding of financial hardship in the Grand Forks community, empowering local organizations, businesses, and policymakers to develop targeted solutions that address the structural economic challenges facing ALICE households.