It isn’t the easiest time to raise funds for community projects. A tight economy and escalating concerns about taxation combine to foster an environment where charitable causes can conflict with some would-be donors’ ability to address their own personal needs.

Yet, as Minot Daily News pointed out a few weeks ago in regard to a substantial donation to the Roosevelt Park Zoo, there are projects and causes that find ample support even in tough times.

Such as the case with the Magic City Discovery Center, a new children’s museum to be built on Minot Park District land on North Hill in Minot.

Recently the MCDC board announced that Ackerman-Estvold has donated the architectural and civil engineering design service for the new museum. The investment in excess of $200,000 from Ackerman-Estvold has allowed the project to be ahead of the curve on two key items, the pre-design work related to location selection and early design associated with the beginning stages of the MCDC Capital Campaign.

Ackerman-Estvold’s generous donation is a shot in the arm for the museum project, which already has been moving along at a surprisingly successful pace given the economic slowdown. The donation demonstrates once again that financial support can still be found for new initiatives; and that business interests in town remain committed to the community. Since its 2003 founding, Ackerman-Estvold has supported numerous campaigns, causes and events.

There are plenty of reasons to be discouraged with the current economic environment. But there are reasons to be optimistic as well.

Kudos to MCDC and Ackerman-Estvold in bringing this project closer to realization.