The State Investment Board (SIB) is responsible for the investment of the assets of funds identified in state law including the Legacy Fund and the Public Employees Retirement System and Teachers’ Fund for Retirement. The SIB may also provide investment management services to, and manage the money of, any agency, institution, or political subdivision of the state, subject to agreement with the Industrial Commission. The SIB ensures the prudent investment of the funds to achieve the best returns possible while appropriately managing risks. North Dakota’s Retirement and Investment Office is overseen by the SIB and administers the investment program on its behalf.
More information about the SIB is available on the board’s webpage.
A sovereign wealth fund, the Legacy Fund was created by a constitutional amendment that was initiated by the state legislature and approved by voters in November 2010. It was established to manage and invest a portion of North Dakota’s tax revenue from oil and gas production to ensure long-term financial stability and wealth for the state. At the end of each biennium, fund earnings, as defined by North Dakota Century Code, are transferred to the state's general fund where they are used to finance state projects and provide tax relief.
More information about the Legacy Fund is available on the fund’s webpage.
Established by state legislation in 2021, North Dakota’s in-state investment program requires a portion of Legacy Fund assets be invested in the state. The program is administered by the Retirement and Investment Office on behalf of the State Investment Board (SIB), with guidance from the Legacy and Budget Stabilization Fund Advisory Board. Currently, the program consists of private-market and fixed-income investments.
To implement a portion of the program, the SIB created the North Dakota Growth Fund (NDGF). The NDGF focuses on driving innovation and supporting private-market investments that deliver strong risk-adjusted returns while bolstering the state’s entrepreneurial ecosystem. These investments help North Dakota attract and retain talent, encourage cutting-edge research and development, and create high-quality jobs.
In addition, fixed-income investments supported by the program are designed to attract financially robust companies to the state. This is achieved through a match loan program administered by the Bank of North Dakota. The program also supports the bank’s infrastructure loan initiatives, supporting community growth by providing affordable financing for critical infrastructure improvements.
More information about the In-state Investment Program is available on the program’s webpage.
Per state law, the State Investment Board applies the “prudent investor rule” when investing for funds under its supervision. The prudent investor rule means that in making investments the fiduciaries shall exercise the judgment and care, under the circumstances then prevailing, that an institutional investor of ordinary prudence, discretion, and intelligence exercises in the management of large investments entrusted to it, not in regard to speculation but in regard to the permanent disposition of funds, considering probable safety of capital as well as probable income.
More information about the SIB is available on the board’s webpage.
Each State Investment Board (SIB) client, including the Legacy Fund, has a board or staff that is responsible for establishing a fund’s asset allocation and investment policies. The Legacy Fund’s client fund board is the Legacy and Budget Stabilization Fund Advisory Board. Each fund’s asset allocation and the investment policies are established in an Investment Policy Statement that is approved by both the client and the SIB.
Overseen by the SIB, the Retirement and Investment Office (RIO) manages the investment program. RIO posts monthly performance reports on its website for all the SIB’s clients including the Legacy Fund. These reports include each fund’s market value and investment returns.
More information about the Legacy Fund is available on the fund’s webpage.