Walsh County Childcare Center Earns Statewide Community Development Award
The Walsh County Childcare Center has received the Economic Development Association of North Dakota’s (EDND) 2026 Community Development Award, recognizing a collaborative effort to address a critical childcare shortage and strengthen the foundation for local workforce and economic growth.
The EDND 2026 Community Development Award Video: https://youtu.be/gcL74r6Gz9U
Led by the Walsh County Job Development Authority (JDA) board and staff, the $1.38 million project transformed an existing 5,000-square-foot office building on Grafton’s Main Street into a childcare center licensed for 65 children. The project preserved 30 existing childcare slots while creating capacity for 35 additional children.
The award was initially presented at the EDND Fall Conference in Williston on October 7. EDND President Melissa Beach presented the award to the Walsh County JDA Board of Directors during the Red River Regional Council’s State of Region 4 event in Minto on October 28.
“This year, the Community Development Award was one of five awards to honor the efforts in creating positive change across the state,” said EDND Executive Director Laura Lacher. “This award is given for a development project that increases quality of life or otherwise brings about positive impacts in a community.”
In the award nomination, the Walsh County JDA was recognized for its leadership in addressing a critical childcare shortage affecting families, employers and economic growth. The nomination highlighted the extensive research, planning, collaboration and fundraising required to bring the project to completion.
“The Walsh County JDA organization stepped beyond its traditional role to lead the project from concept to completion,” the nomination stated, describing the result as “a lasting community asset and innovative solution” with meaningful and measurable impacts throughout Walsh County.
Addressing a Critical Workforce Barrier
The need for the project was underscored by childcare provider and parent surveys conducted across Region 4 in the summer of 2022. The surveys included respondents from Grand Forks, Nelson, Pembina and Walsh counties and documented how childcare shortages affect families and employers.
Among 84 childcare provider respondents, 61% identified a lack of funding and facilities as major barriers to increasing childcare capacity. Of 556 parent respondents, 79% said work was affected when childcare arrangements fell through, including missing work, arriving late or bringing a child to work. Another 37% reported being on childcare waitlists, with some waitlists extending up to three years.
Those findings reflected concerns repeatedly raised by Walsh County employers, who have identified childcare and housing as major barriers to business growth.
“Prior to and during this project we heard many, many specific examples from our employers about potential employees unable to accept job offers and move to Walsh County due to the inability to find childcare,” said Stacie Sevigny, Walsh County JDA Executive Director. “The lack of quality childcare capacity is literally affecting every sector of our business community.”
A Different Approach to Childcare Development
Recognizing that the cost and complexity of establishing a childcare business is a significant barrier for providers — especially in rural areas — the JDA took a different approach. Rather than operate a childcare business itself, the JDA led the development of a turnkey facility that a private provider could rent and operate from.
The model was designed to reduce facility costs for a childcare provider while creating a lasting community asset. The building’s ownership was transferred in early 2026 to the Red River Community Development Housing Organization (Red River CHDO), a nonprofit organization. Neither the JDA nor Red River CHDO operate the childcare business.
Separating the facility from the childcare business also supports long-term sustainability. If the current provider leaves the childcare profession, the building remains available for another provider to rent and operate from.
“The result is a lasting community asset that improves quality of life for families, supports workforce participation, helps employers recruit and retain employees, and strengthens the local economy,” said Julie Gemmill, Walsh County JDA Board Chair.
A Community-Wide Investment
Bringing the project to completion required extensive planning, fundraising and collaboration. The JDA assembled funding from 26 public and private sources, including state grants, local government contributions, employers, donor organizations and other local and national grant programs.
The funding included approximately $610,000 in North Dakota workforce and childcare grants; $431,000 from other public partners, including the City of Grafton and Walsh County JDA; $198,000 from employers and donor organizations; and $149,000 from other grants.
By the end of 2025, the building was debt-free.
The City of Grafton’s early funding commitment was critical to moving the project forward, along with the work of the JDA board and staff and the many partners who contributed financial resources, expertise and support.
Other key partners included local and statewide employers and organizations, Red River CHDO, Red River Regional Council, Child Care Aware of ND, the State of North Dakota and Rocking Horse Child Care, the center’s first tenant.
The project was recognized by EDND for the leadership and collaboration required to address a critical childcare shortage and bring a community development initiative from concept to completion.
Looking Ahead
For the Walsh County JDA board, the award represents more than the completion of a building project. It recognizes people willing to work together to address a challenge affecting families, businesses and the region’s future.
“None of us are beyond the impacts of a lack of quality childcare — it affects families, employers, and ultimately whether our communities can grow and thrive,” said Gemmill. “We are very proud of what we accomplished. It is a testament to what can be accomplished when people are willing to come together.”
The Walsh County Childcare Center demonstrates how economic development organizations can help address community needs by bringing partners together, identifying resources and developing solutions that support long-term growth.
