Top 10 | May 2026 | Grand Forks EDC

1. Northrop Grumman Awarded $325.5 Million RangeHawk Contract, Work to Be Performed at Grand Sky

The U.S. Army awarded Northrop Grumman a $325 million contract on May 14th for the development of the RangeHawk universal payload architecture prototype, a high-altitude, long-endurance airborne platform designed to collect telemetry and tracking data during hypersonic weapons flight tests. The contract covers prototype development, air vehicle modification, sensor integration, and logistics preparation through May 2031, with $65.6 million in fiscal year 2026 research, development, test, and evaluation funds obligated at award. Air vehicle modifications and flight operations will be conducted at Northrop Grumman’s Grand Sky facility in Grand Forks. RangeHawk is derived from the RQ-4 Global Hawk airframe and is the backbone of the Pentagon’s SkyRange program, which uses high-altitude unmanned aircraft to shadow hypersonic missile tests over vast distances, replacing the slower and more logistically complex ship-based tracking systems previously used. The new contract covers 4 additional aircraft and 4 years of operations from Grand Sky.

2. GFAFB Selected for Defense Program

Big news for the Grand Forks Air Force Base, which has been selected as one of four sites nationwide for a new advanced counter-unmanned aircraft systems (counter-UAS) program. This is a tremendous win for our region!

The program will test high-powered, directed energy technologies designed to detect, disable, and destroy hostile drones. GFAFB’s selection reflects years of deliberate investment in making Grand Forks a national leader in unmanned and autonomous systems. From the University of North Dakota’s UAS capabilities to the recently opened Point Defense Battle Lab, Camp Grafton’s testing range, and the recruitment of companies like AeroVironment to our region, this didn’t happen by accident.

Both of North Dakota’s U.S. senators praised the selection, with Sen. Hoeven calling GFAFB “the natural choice” and Sen. Cramer saying Grand Forks is “the perfect place” and that the community “is prepared for it.”

The Grand Forks region has built a robust ecosystem in the unmanned and autonomous systems space, and this announcement is proof that the rest of the country is taking notice.

3. Vorbeck Materials Opens Grand Forks Manufacturing Facility

EDC client Vorbeck Materials held a ribbon cutting on May 6th for its new 47,000-square-foot manufacturing facility in Grand Forks. The facility will produce up to 1 million gallons per year of a PFAS-free firefighting foam developed under a Defense Logistics Agency contract, along with graphene antenna technology with applications in drone and counter-drone systems. Sen. John Hoeven and Grand Forks Mayor Brandon Bochenski attended the ceremony, with EDC President Keith Lund also among those present. Vorbeck President and CEO John Lettow pointed specifically to Grand Forks Air Force Base, GrandSky, UND, the Center for Innovation, and GFREDC as factors in the company’s decision to locate here, crediting the region’s interconnected business ecosystem as what set it apart. The company has also embedded itself in the local talent pipeline, working with UND’s College of Engineering and Mines and hosting interns from the university.

4. Grand Forks Children’s Museum Breaks Ground

The Grand Forks Children’s Museum broke ground on May 20th at its South 42nd Street and 17th Avenue site, marking a milestone more than 40 years in the making. The 34,000-square-foot, $35 million facility is designed as a place “to learn, explore, and grow together,” where agriculture, innovation, and creativity will be celebrated daily, with completion expected in late summer or early fall 2027.

5. EERC and U.S. Department of Energy Renew $25 Million Cooperative Agreement

The University of North Dakota’s Energy and Environmental Research Center and the U.S. Department of Energy have renewed their cooperative agreement, securing $25 million over five years to support the center’s ongoing research projects. The agreement, originally established in 1983, had not been renewed previously, and Sen. John Hoeven worked with Energy Secretary Chris Wright and Under Secretary Kyle Haustveit to negotiate the new five-year award and secure short-term extensions while negotiations were underway. The renewed agreement supports EERC research including enhanced oil recovery work in the Bakken formation, which connects directly to the Crack the Code 2.0 initiative. Phase one of that initiative is now fully funded following a separate $36 million federal award earlier in May, with the cooperative agreement providing supplemental institutional support as the EERC looks toward future phases aimed at doubling oil recovery in the Bakken and extending the operational life of coal-fired power plants.

6. Staff Represent GF at State EDND Conference

EDC Director of Economic Development Becca Cruger and Marketing & Communications Manager Mark Maliskey attended the Economic Development Association of North Dakota’s SparkED training in Bismarck from May 5th through 7th. Maliskey led a breakout session titled “Know What You’ve Got: Marketing Your Community from the Inside Out,” covering community asset mapping, audience targeting, and translating local strengths into authentic messaging for economic development practitioners from across the state. As an EDND board member, Cruger also took part in the organization’s strategic planning session.

7. North Dakota Row Debuts at AUVSI XPONENTIAL 2026

The Grand Forks Region EDC joined UND, the North Dakota Department of Commerce, the Northern Plains UAS Test Site, NDeavor Tech Park, and the NSF AgTech Engine at AUVSI Xponential 2026 in Detroit from May 11th through 14th, where the group of North Dakota exhibitors shared adjacent floor space in what became known informally as “North Dakota Row.” EDC Director of Economic Development Becca Cruger and Marketing & Communications Manager Mark Maliskey represented the EDC, engaging with 321 attendees over the course of the conference. Additional regional visibility was secured through billboard placements at the expo hall entrance and throughout the venue, funded through RWIP grant dollars, promoting the Grand Forks Region as a destination for jobs and talent. Xponential draws more than 7,500 engineers, executives, policymakers, and procurement leaders from defense, aerospace, logistics, and public safety sectors annually, making it a key platform for positioning the region within the national UAS and autonomy ecosystem.

8. UND Receives $3.6 Million for Rural Health Information Hub

Congratulations to the University of North Dakota on $3.6 million in renewal funding for the Rural Health Information Hub!

The funding, announced by U.S. Sen. Kevin Cramer’s office, supports UND’s work providing technical assistance, information, and resources to improve healthcare in rural communities. The Rural Health Information Hub is funded by the Federal Office of Rural Health Policy to serve as a national clearinghouse on rural health issues — offering an extensive website, an email newsletter, and a resource and referral service for healthcare and population health in rural areas. The award is part of more than $12 million in federal funding announced for North Dakota entities.

9. Lund & Cruger Honored for CTE Commitment

EDC President & CEO Keith Lund and Director of Economic Development Becca Cruger were inducted as honorary members of the National Technical Honor Society at a recent ceremony at Grand Forks Central High School. The recognition, presented by Grand Forks Public Schools CTE Executive Director Eric Ripley, cited Lund and Cruger’s instrumental roles in planning, fundraising, and developing the Career Impact Academy, which opened in August, as well as their sustained support of district CTE programs through the Northern Valley Career Expo and work-based learning initiatives. Fewer than two dozen individuals have received honorary NTHS membership since the society’s founding in the district. The ceremony also inducted 33 Grand Forks Central juniors and seniors into this year’s NTHS class, the highest honor available to students excelling in CTE programs.

10. InternGF Summer Cohort Highlighted on ND Today

The InternGF Summer Intern Cohort Experience was featured on North Dakota Today in May, with EDC Workforce Development Specialist Kinley Anderson and UND Experiential Learning Center Coordinator Steffanie Young discussing the benefits of the program for interns and regional employers. Registration for the summer cohort is open through June 5th at GrandForks.org/Summer-Intern-Cohort-Series.