Fueling the Future: Northern Plains Rail Steps Forward With a $250,000 Commitment

Some gifts arrive with a story of family legacy. Others come from individuals who have watched a dream take shape and want to help carry it forward. And then there are gifts like this one, a powerful investment from a company that understands, perhaps better than anyone, what it means to build pathways for the next generation.

We are thrilled to announce that Northern Plains Rail (NPR) has committed $250,000 to the Grand Forks Children’s Museum’s anonymous donor match, doubling the impact of their generosity and bringing us one step closer to creating a space where curiosity, creativity, and community can thrive for decades to come.

Northern Plains Rail is a company rooted in the region and invested in its future. NPR has long been woven into the fabric of the Upper Midwest. Their work keeps communities connected, industries moving, and opportunities growing. But beyond the rails and right‑of‑way, NPR has consistently shown up as a partner in strengthening the places they call home.

Their leadership team shared that supporting the Grand Forks Children’s Museum felt like a natural extension of their mission: investing in infrastructure that moves people forward. Only this time, the cargo isn’t grain or freight, its imagination, learning, and investing in the limitless potential of our children.

With NPR’s commitment, the anonymous donor match is gaining momentum. Their $250,000 gift becomes $500,000 in impact, a surge of support that helps accelerate construction, expands exhibit planning, and brings us closer to opening our doors.

This donation also sends a message: that the business community sees the Grand Forks Children’s Museum not as a luxury, but as a cornerstone of regional vitality…a place where families gather, where children discover who they are, and where the next generation of thinkers, makers, and leaders begins to take shape.

Source: NPR website

Northern Plains Rail knows that strong communities don’t happen by accident. They’re built, intentionally, collaboratively, and with an eye toward the future. Their investment reflects a shared vision of generational impact and a belief that when we create spaces for children to explore and grow, we strengthen the entire region.

We are deeply grateful for their partnership, their leadership, and their commitment to helping us build something extraordinary for the families of today and tomorrow.

NPR has helped lay the tracks, but it’s the community that will carry this project the rest of the way.

Together, we’re building more than a children’s museum. We’re building a legacy.

Thank you, Northern Plains Rail.

Katie Mayer, Executive Director, Grand Forks Children's Museum