National Initiative Tracker
The listings below offer a broad view of many of the national initiatives currently being planned by private nonprofits, federal agencies, and other organizations in the museum, history, civics, and education space. We hope this tool will help practitioners better understand the national context for the Semiquincentennial commemoration as they advance their own plans. You can filter the initiatives using the tags on the right and click any initiative title to get more information! Click here to return to the main AASLH 250 page.
Do you know of a project that should be included in the National Initiative Tracker? Send us information here!
America’s Field Trip
This nationwide scholastic competition will ask elementary, middle, and high school students to submit art, poems, essays or videos responding to the prompt “What does America mean to you?” – the submissions will be judged by a panel of educators, and 25 students in each age group will be awarded airfare and hotel accommodations to experience once-in-a-lifetime / behind-the-scenes field trips provided by our federal and private partners at iconic American historic sites and destinations.
Organization: America 250
Resources Available for Planners: Yes
America’s Field Trip
This nationwide scholastic competition will ask elementary, middle, and high school students to submit art, poems, essays or videos responding to the prompt “What does America mean to you?” – the submissions will be judged by a panel of educators, and 25 students in each age group will be awarded airfare and hotel accommodations to experience once-in-a-lifetime / behind-the-scenes field trips provided by our federal and private partners at iconic American historic sites and destinations.
Organization: America 250
Resources Available for Planners: Yes
Celebrating 250 Years of Service and Beyond
“We mutually pledge to each other our Lives, our Fortunes, and our sacred Honor.”
How can museums across our nation participate in the 250th celebration in a way that unifies and inspires while strengthening our democracy for many years to come? The American spirit of service is fundamental to our character and essential to our democracy. By honoring the American spirit of service in ALL its forms, a spirit so powerfully expressed in the closing words of the Declaration. Service may be America’s best and most important story, but that story is not being told as it can and should be. Together, we can change that.
A national grass roots coalition of service organizations, museums, schools, and libraries is working to create inspiring, inclusive, and enduring exhibitions of service in nearly every community by 2026. Every community has three essential resources to make this possible:
- People and organizations dedicated to service
- Places, including museums, where people already go and exhibitions can be installed
- Local skills and resources to tell the stories of and connect visitors with how they can participate.
In September 2024, live and online, we will share resources and examples demonstrating how state and local museums can co-create service exhibitions by the 2026 celebration and enduring for many years beyond.
Organization: National Museum and Center for Service
Partner Organizations: Independent Sector; National Youth Leadership Council; Campus Compact; Americas Service Commissioners; MLK Jr. Memorial Library
Resources Available for Planners: Yes
Celebrating 250 Years of Service and Beyond
“We mutually pledge to each other our Lives, our Fortunes, and our sacred Honor.”
How can museums across our nation participate in the 250th celebration in a way that unifies and inspires while strengthening our democracy for many years to come? The American spirit of service is fundamental to our character and essential to our democracy. By honoring the American spirit of service in ALL its forms, a spirit so powerfully expressed in the closing words of the Declaration. Service may be America’s best and most important story, but that story is not being told as it can and should be. Together, we can change that.
A national grass roots coalition of service organizations, museums, schools, and libraries is working to create inspiring, inclusive, and enduring exhibitions of service in nearly every community by 2026. Every community has three essential resources to make this possible:
- People and organizations dedicated to service
- Places, including museums, where people already go and exhibitions can be installed
- Local skills and resources to tell the stories of and connect visitors with how they can participate.
In September 2024, live and online, we will share resources and examples demonstrating how state and local museums can co-create service exhibitions by the 2026 celebration and enduring for many years beyond.
Organization: National Museum and Center for Service
Partner Organizations: Independent Sector; National Youth Leadership Council; Campus Compact; Americas Service Commissioners; MLK Jr. Memorial Library
Resources Available for Planners: Yes
Civic Season
From Juneteenth to July 4th, annually since 2021, Civic Season empowers young people to skill-up and school-up to shape the nation’s future. Co-designed by institutions and young adults, Civic Season’s local events and public activations are made to educate, inspire and welcome our newest active citizens: Gen Z.
We’ve been building year over year towards our nation’s 250th anniversary, testing on-the-ground approaches, materials and programming that is appealing, accessible and compelling to young adults ages 18-30. Civic Season is the ultimate “test kitchen” for the 250th, trialing our capacity for coordination and impact!
Organization: Made By Us
Partner Organizations: 500+ Nationwide Partners
Resources Available for Planners: Yes
Civic Season
From Juneteenth to July 4th, annually since 2021, Civic Season empowers young people to skill-up and school-up to shape the nation’s future. Co-designed by institutions and young adults, Civic Season’s local events and public activations are made to educate, inspire and welcome our newest active citizens: Gen Z.
We’ve been building year over year towards our nation’s 250th anniversary, testing on-the-ground approaches, materials and programming that is appealing, accessible and compelling to young adults ages 18-30. Civic Season is the ultimate “test kitchen” for the 250th, trialing our capacity for coordination and impact!
Organization: Made By Us
Partner Organizations: 500+ Nationwide Partners
Resources Available for Planners: Yes
How We Became America: The Untold Story
How We Became America: The Untold History is the result of a partnership between the American Battlefield Trust and the Driving Force Institute for Public Engagement (DFI). It is associated with DFI’s larger Untold initiative, which is produced and distributed by Makematic and the University of Southern California’s Center for Engagement-Driven Global Education (EDGE). How We Became America is filled with eye-catching animation based on iconic period images, plus a slightly irreverent attitude designed to show that history is dynamic.
Made for students and teachers, but easy-to-consume by all, the series is designed to fill in the gaps and bring new stories to life. Our goal with the videos is to complement existing civics-related articles, primary sources, and videos. Video is a compelling way for people to learn and made even more important in the age of distance learning. It’s an extremely portable format that works at home, in a classroom, on TV, and on a mobile phone.
Organization: American Battlefield Trust
Partner Organizations: Driving Force Institute for Public Engagement (DFI), Center for Engagement-Driven Global Education (EDGE), and Makematic
Resources Available for Planners: Yes
How We Became America: The Untold Story
How We Became America: The Untold History is the result of a partnership between the American Battlefield Trust and the Driving Force Institute for Public Engagement (DFI). It is associated with DFI’s larger Untold initiative, which is produced and distributed by Makematic and the University of Southern California’s Center for Engagement-Driven Global Education (EDGE). How We Became America is filled with eye-catching animation based on iconic period images, plus a slightly irreverent attitude designed to show that history is dynamic.
Made for students and teachers, but easy-to-consume by all, the series is designed to fill in the gaps and bring new stories to life. Our goal with the videos is to complement existing civics-related articles, primary sources, and videos. Video is a compelling way for people to learn and made even more important in the age of distance learning. It’s an extremely portable format that works at home, in a classroom, on TV, and on a mobile phone.
Organization: American Battlefield Trust
Partner Organizations: Driving Force Institute for Public Engagement (DFI), Center for Engagement-Driven Global Education (EDGE), and Makematic
Resources Available for Planners: Yes
National Constitution Center: Plans for America’s 250th
The NCC is developing projects and a series of partnerships to disseminate resources for the 250th. This will include:
- A new gallery on America’s founding as the anchor for 2026 activities at the NCC’s museum in Philadelphia, PA, the preeminent convening and educational space in our nation’s birthplace steps from Independence Hall.
- A leadership role in Philadelphia’s Historic District, planning an annual July 2 festival and city-wide social media activation among historic sites, museums, and attractions to engage residents and visitors in exploring America’s most historic square mile.
- An Interactive Declaration of Independence to serve as a learning tool for the public and a centerpiece of America’s 250th. It will allow learners of all ages to engage directly with the text, historical significance, and modern relevance of the Declaration, guided by essays/videos developed by and with consultation from experts from across the ideological spectrum. The Interactive Declaration will also be integrated into a broader online Civic Toolkit that will serve as a guide to America’s founding principles and provide a hub for the NCC’s America 250 resources.
- Expanding outreach/distribution of our NCC educational resources, including the Constitution 101 curriculum and new Khan Academy course, to reach millions more students by 2026.
- A series of convenings about the American idea across the country, hosted in collaboration with national partners.
Organization: National Constitution Center
Resources Available for Planners: Yes
National Constitution Center: Plans for America’s 250th
The NCC is developing projects and a series of partnerships to disseminate resources for the 250th. This will include:
- A new gallery on America’s founding as the anchor for 2026 activities at the NCC’s museum in Philadelphia, PA, the preeminent convening and educational space in our nation’s birthplace steps from Independence Hall.
- A leadership role in Philadelphia’s Historic District, planning an annual July 2 festival and city-wide social media activation among historic sites, museums, and attractions to engage residents and visitors in exploring America’s most historic square mile.
- An Interactive Declaration of Independence to serve as a learning tool for the public and a centerpiece of America’s 250th. It will allow learners of all ages to engage directly with the text, historical significance, and modern relevance of the Declaration, guided by essays/videos developed by and with consultation from experts from across the ideological spectrum. The Interactive Declaration will also be integrated into a broader online Civic Toolkit that will serve as a guide to America’s founding principles and provide a hub for the NCC’s America 250 resources.
- Expanding outreach/distribution of our NCC educational resources, including the Constitution 101 curriculum and new Khan Academy course, to reach millions more students by 2026.
- A series of convenings about the American idea across the country, hosted in collaboration with national partners.
Organization: National Constitution Center
Resources Available for Planners: Yes
NPS Semiquincentennial Grant Program
The Semiquincentennial grant program was created by Congress in 2020 to honor the 250th anniversary of the United States by restoring and preserving sites and structures listed on the National Register of Historic Places that commemorate the founding of the nation. Historic resources supported by this program may include those associated with the political ideas, well-known individuals, pivotal events, or sites of conflict typically thought of in conjunction with this period of American history. For the purposes of this grant program, the “founding of the nation” is defined as the period ending December 31, 1800. This end date corresponds to the election of 1800, as the peaceful transfer of power following the contested election between John Adams and Thomas Jefferson represents a hallmark of democracy and a pivotal moment in American history. The founding of the nation does not have a defined starting period to be inclusive of the many cultures that combined to create the America of today.
Eligible applicants include non-profits, local, state and tribal governments. Non-federal match is not required. Congress has appropriated $7 million for the program in FY2024. Applications are anticipated fall 2024 and will be due winter 2025.
Organization: National Park Service
Resources Available for Planners: Yes
NPS Semiquincentennial Grant Program
The Semiquincentennial grant program was created by Congress in 2020 to honor the 250th anniversary of the United States by restoring and preserving sites and structures listed on the National Register of Historic Places that commemorate the founding of the nation. Historic resources supported by this program may include those associated with the political ideas, well-known individuals, pivotal events, or sites of conflict typically thought of in conjunction with this period of American history. For the purposes of this grant program, the “founding of the nation” is defined as the period ending December 31, 1800. This end date corresponds to the election of 1800, as the peaceful transfer of power following the contested election between John Adams and Thomas Jefferson represents a hallmark of democracy and a pivotal moment in American history. The founding of the nation does not have a defined starting period to be inclusive of the many cultures that combined to create the America of today.
Eligible applicants include non-profits, local, state and tribal governments. Non-federal match is not required. Congress has appropriated $7 million for the program in FY2024. Applications are anticipated fall 2024 and will be due winter 2025.