The cass county north dakota historical society, doing business as bonanzaville USA, will undertake a project to enhance access to its historical collections, archives, and educational programs

The Cass County North Dakota Historical Society, operating as Bonanzaville USA, received a $172,416 Project Grant from the Institute of Museum and Library Services (IMLS) under the Museums for America program (CFDA 45.301) effective October 1, 2025. Over a three-year performance period concluding September 30, 2028, the organization will enhance public access to its historical collections and archives by hiring additional staff to inventory, assess, and catalog approximately 30,000 artifacts. This collections stewardship initiative directly supports the Museums for America program's core objectives of expanding community engagement and strengthening institutional capacity to serve researchers, visitors, and the local community in West Fargo, North Dakota.

The cataloging effort will improve internal operational efficiencies and enable broader accessibility to Bonanzaville USA's historical materials and educational programming. By systematizing its collections management processes, the museum will strengthen its ability to serve diverse audiences while aligning with current best practices in museum stewardship and curation. The project represents a strategic institutional investment in collections management, a priority focus area within the Museums for America program for museums of all sizes and disciplines.

Key activities include hiring additional staff who will inventory, assess, and catalog close to 30,000 artifacts over three years. These improvements will ensure widespread access to the collections, supporting broad engagement with their local history. By cataloging the museum's collections and improving internal efficiencies, staff will better serve visitors, researchers, and the community.