How Budget Departments Are Organized Across North Dakota

North Dakota has roughly 780,000 residents, 53 counties, and several hundred incorporated cities. Budget work follows that pattern. No single office handles every budget question in the state. The state government, each county, each city, and each school district prepares its own budget and answers to its own governing board.

Our directory currently lists one budget office here: the Bismarck Budget Department at 600 East Boulevard Avenue in Bismarck, Burleigh County. The phone number on file is 701-328-2680. That street address is the one used by the State Capitol, which suggests the listing reflects the state-level budget function rather than a city finance counter. Either way, it is a useful starting point for questions about how public money is planned.

This page explains who does what. Knowing whether your question belongs with the state, your county auditor, or your city hall can save you several phone calls.

The State Budget Office at the Capitol in Bismarck

At the state level, budget preparation is led by the Office of Management and Budget, known as OMB. It is part of the executive branch and works with the governor. OMB collects spending requests from state agencies, reviews them, and helps assemble the executive budget recommendation. It also houses related central functions such as fiscal management and state procurement.

North Dakota budgets by biennium rather than by single year. A biennium runs from July 1 of an odd-numbered year to June 30 two years later. The Legislative Assembly meets in regular session in odd-numbered years only, for no more than 80 legislative days. The appropriations bills it passes set agency spending for the full two years.

The cycle follows a predictable order:

Between sessions, interim legislative committees and the Budget Section of Legislative Management monitor spending. The Emergency Commission handles certain urgent transfers and spending authority. These meetings are open to the public, and agendas are posted ahead of time.

Because appropriations are set for two years, a change to a state-funded program usually waits until the next session unless one of those bodies acts. If you want to influence funding, the months before and during the January session are the time to contact your legislators and testify at hearings.

OMB does not resolve individual complaints about local taxes or run local programs. If your concern is a specific agency's funding, start with that agency and then ask OMB how the request moved through the process.

County and City Budgets Across North Dakota

Most residents feel the effects of a local budget more directly than the state's. North Dakota does not levy a state property tax, so property tax dollars go to counties, cities, school districts, and other local taxing districts. That makes local budget hearings the place where tax rates are actually debated.

Counties are run by elected boards of county commissioners. The county auditor, or the combined auditor and treasurer in some smaller counties, typically keeps the books and helps prepare the preliminary budget. The commission adopts the final budget after public notice and a hearing. For the county that holds the state capital, see our Burleigh County page.

Cities set budgets through their own governing bodies. Bismarck and Fargo use city commissions, while other cities operate with a city council and mayor. A city auditor or finance officer prepares the numbers. In a town of a few hundred people, that job may be part-time and shared with other duties.

Local property taxes are expressed in mills. One mill is one dollar per $1,000 of taxable value, and budget hearings usually focus on whether the levy will rise or fall. When you read a proposed budget, compare requested spending with last year's actual spending, and look at how much is being drawn from reserves.

School districts, park districts, water resource districts, and similar bodies also adopt budgets and levy taxes. Your property tax statement lists each one separately, which helps you see where your money goes and which board to contact.

Most counties and cities budget on the calendar year, so preliminary budgets are typically drafted in late summer and fall. School districts generally follow a July-to-June fiscal year. Check dates with the specific body, because notice and hearing schedules differ.

Metro, Oil Patch, and Rural Differences in North Dakota

Bismarck-Mandan and the Red River Valley

Larger cities such as Bismarck, Fargo, Grand Forks, and Minot have dedicated finance staff. They often post budget documents online and hold workshops before final votes. In Bismarck, state and Burleigh County offices sit close together, so one trip downtown can cover several errands. Fargo, in Cass County, and Grand Forks anchor the eastern side of the state, where growth in housing and services drives much of the budget debate.

Western North Dakota's Oil Counties

Oil and gas tax revenue is shared with producing counties and cities under state formulas. In places like Williston and the surrounding area of Williams County, budgets can swing with oil prices and drilling activity. Road wear, housing demand, and emergency services are recurring budget topics there.

Small Towns and Rural Counties

Rural counties often have a courthouse with a handful of staff who wear several hats. You may not find a separate budget department at all; the county auditor fills that role. Notices of budget hearings are usually published in the county's official newspaper, so check that paper or call the courthouse. Websites for small jurisdictions can be sparse, so a phone call is often faster than searching.

Steps for Reaching the Right North Dakota Budget Office

A little preparation makes any contact smoother. Use this checklist before you call or visit:

For records, North Dakota's open records law, found in section 44-04-18 of the Century Code, gives you the right to request public records. Put the request in writing, describe the documents precisely, and name the fiscal year. If an entity refuses, you can ask the Attorney General's office to review the dispute.

State government gets busiest from January through April, when the Legislative Assembly is in session. Parking and hallway space at the Capitol fill up during appropriations hearings, so plan extra time. Ask legislative staff about options for submitting written testimony if you cannot attend in person.

The state budget department in North Dakota is responsible for coordinating the governor's executive budget proposal, managing the state's fiscal year appropriations process, monitoring agency spending, and reporting on the state's financial condition to the legislature and the public.

Budget Departments locations are available in 1 cities across North Dakota. They are spread across 1 counties.

Cities with the highest concentration include Bismarck, where larger municipal governments maintain dedicated budget offices to manage complex multi-department expenditure plans and capital improvement programs.

Residents of North Dakota interested in participating in the budget process can attend public budget hearings, review draft budget documents posted online, and submit written comments to their local government budget office during the public comment period before budget adoption.

Bismarck Budget Department

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Bismarck Budget Department

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Nonprofit organizations, contractors, and grant recipients working with North Dakota government programs should contact the relevant budget department for information about current fiscal year appropriations, spending freeze notifications, and any mid-year budget adjustments that may affect funding levels for ongoing programs or contracts.

Browse Budget Departments by county across North Dakota to find the nearest location.

Budget Offices in Bismarck and Burleigh County, North Dakota

Bismarck is the capital of North Dakota and the seat of Burleigh County, so it holds the state's densest cluster of budget-related offices. Our listing, the Bismarck Budget Department at 600 East Boulevard Avenue, phone 701-328-2680, is the only entry in the directory today. Because that address is the State Capitol, many questions there concern agency appropriations rather than individual tax bills.

If you are asking about city spending in Bismarck, the City of Bismarck's own finance staff and city commission are the right contacts. For county spending, go to the Burleigh County auditor and county commission. Visit the Burleigh County page to see what else we list there. City and county offices may be in different buildings, so confirm the address before you drive.

Knowing what you want to ask helps you choose the right door. A few examples of what each level can answer:

Because our database holds a single North Dakota entry, residents of other counties may need to call their courthouse or city hall directly.

Questions About Budget Departments in North Dakota

North Dakota plans state spending in two-year bienniums. Each one begins on July 1 of an odd-numbered year and ends on June 30 two years later. The Legislative Assembly meets in regular session in odd-numbered years for up to 80 legislative days, usually starting in January, and passes appropriations bills for each state agency. Agencies prepare their requests the year before, working with the Office of Management and Budget. That timing means a funding change you want for a state program normally has to be raised before or during the session, though interim legislative bodies can approve limited adjustments in between.

Start with the Bismarck Budget Department listed in our directory, at 600 East Boulevard Avenue in Bismarck, phone 701-328-2680. That address is the State Capitol, and the listing appears to reflect the state-level budget function. Be ready to say which agency, program, or biennium you are asking about, since staff can direct you faster with specifics. If your question concerns a particular grant or state-funded service, you may also need to contact that agency's own budget or finance staff. Call before visiting to confirm hours and the right person.

Contact your county auditor's office at the courthouse. The auditor typically prepares the preliminary budget and can tell you when the county commission will hold its public hearing. Notices are usually published in the county's official newspaper, and larger counties may also post documents online. Ask for the proposed budget, last year's actual spending, and the proposed mill levy so you can compare them. In Burleigh County, you can begin with the Burleigh County page in this directory and then call the courthouse in Bismarck to confirm the schedule.

Not usually. The state works on a July-to-June biennium. Most North Dakota counties and cities budget on the calendar year, so their preliminary budgets are generally drafted in late summer and fall for the year that starts in January. School districts commonly run July to June. Because these calendars differ, the same tax dollar can show up in several budgets at different times. When you ask a budget question, always say which fiscal year you mean, and confirm the dates with the specific entity because practices can vary between jurisdictions.

Local budget hearings are public meetings, and taxpayers who pay into that budget routinely speak at them. Each governing body sets its own procedures, so ask the auditor or clerk whether there is a sign-up process or a time limit. At the state level, the House and Senate appropriations committees take testimony on agency bills during the legislative session, and members of the public may generally testify or submit written comments. Prepare a short statement, name the specific line item you care about, and bring copies if you plan to hand out materials.

North Dakota's open records law, in section 44-04-18 of the Century Code, makes most records of public entities available to the public. Send your request in writing to the entity that holds the record, such as a county auditor, city finance office, or state agency. Describe what you want, name the fiscal year or biennium, and say whether you prefer paper or electronic copies. An entity may charge reasonable copying costs. If your request is denied, you can ask the Attorney General's office to review the dispute.