Grand Forks, North Dakota, United States

🇺🇸 Grand Forks is the third-largest city in the state of North Dakota and the county seat of Grand Forks County. According to the 2020 census, the city's population was 59,166. Grand Forks, along with its twin city of East Grand Forks, Minnesota, forms the centre of the Grand Forks, ND-MN Metropolitan Statistical Area, which is often called Greater Grand Forks or the Grand Cities.

Located on the western banks of the north-flowing Red River of the North, in a flat region known as the Red River Valley, the city is prone to flooding. The Red River Flood of 1997 devastated the city. Originally called Les Grandes Fourches by French fur traders from Canada, who had long worked and lived in the region, steamboat captain Alexander Griggs platted a community after being forced to winter there. The post office was established in 1870, and the town was incorporated on February 22, 1881. The city was named for its location at the fork of the Red River and the Red Lake River.

Initially dependent on local agriculture, the city's economy has since broadened to include a wide variety of industries, including higher education, defense, health care, manufacturing, food processing, and scientific research. Grand Forks is served by Grand Forks International Airport and Grand Forks Air Force Base. The city's University of North Dakota is the oldest institution of higher education in the state. The Alerus Center and Ralph Engelstad Arena host athletic and other events, while the Empire Arts Center and Chester Fritz Auditorium are the city's largest cultural venues.

Economy The economy of Grand Forks is not dominated by any one industry or sector. While agriculture continues to play a role in the area's economy, the city of Grand Forks now has a relatively diverse economy that includes public and private employers in sectors such as education, defense, health care, manufacturing, and food processing. The state and federal governments are two of the largest employers in the Grand Forks area. The University of North Dakota, in the heart of the city, is the largest employer in the metropolitan area. Grand Forks Air Force Base, just west of the city, employs a large number of civilian workers in addition to its military personnel. Altru Health System is the largest private employer in Grand Forks.

Largest employers According to the City's 2018 Comprehensive Annual Financial Report, the largest employers in the city are: 1 Altru Health System; 2 University of North Dakota; 3 Grand Forks Air Force Base; 4 Grand Forks Public Schools; 5 LM Wind Power; 6 Valley Memorial Home; 7 City of Grand Forks; 8 Development Homes; 9 City of Grand Forks; 10 Hugo's; 11 J.R. Simplot; 12 Walmart; 13 Grand Forks County; 14 Grand Forks Herald.

Major manufacturers in Grand Forks include wind turbine manufacturer LM Wind Fiber and light aircraft manufacturer Cirrus Design. Major food producers include potato processor J. R. Simplot Company and the state-owned North Dakota Mill and Elevator, the nation's largest flour mill. Amazon.com and SEI Information Technologies both operate call centres in Grand Forks. Other large private employers in the city include the locally owned Alerus Financial branch of banks, Home of Economy, and the locally owned Hugo's chain of supermarkets.

The retail and service sector is also an important part of the economy. The historic centre of shopping in Grand Forks was the downtown area. Today, downtown is home to small shops, bars, and restaurants. The south end of Grand Forks has become another major retail district, with three large shopping centers. The oldest, Grand Cities Mall, is on South Washington Street and contains small, locally owned stores and two churches. With about 70 stores, the city's largest indoor mall is Columbia Mall, which is anchored by J.C. Penney and Scheels. The newest major shopping centre is the Grand Forks Marketplace power centre mall, which features Best Buy, Lowe's, Target and several smaller stores. Due to its proximity to Canada, the Greater Grand Forks area attracts many shoppers from Manitoba.

Economic development The city government is involved in the economic development process, helping firms grow and attracting new firms. A portion of sales tax revenues is set aside for this, some going into the Grand Forks Growth Fund. Companies can request low-interest loans or grants from this fund provided they meet certain criteria, such as paying a relatively high wage and doing most of their business outside the city's trade region. The city also contributes to the Grand Forks Region Economic Development Corporation (EDC), a public-private organization that receives funding from banks and other major businesses. The EDC plays a consulting role for businesses, such as identifying suitable sites for expansion or assembling public funding packages. Its other key role is to vet businesses to see if they are suitable for funding by the Growth Fund.

Community leaders have long seen UND as an "economic engine" for the city. Besides its regular faculty, it also has business-like components such as the Energy and Environmental Research Center. UND hosts a technology incubator called the Center for Innovation. More recently, the University has been working to commercialize its research. A major thrust in that direction is the construction of a research park on the western fringes of the campus. Another potential economic opportunity for the city is the addition of the unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) mission to Grand Forks Air Force Base.