More communities are encouraged to apply for designation by the Dec. 31 deadline to be eligible for grants

Columbus, OH (December 11, 2024)— America 250-Ohio (AM 250-OH), the official state commission responsible for spearheading Ohio’s celebrations and commemorations around America’s semiquincentennial in 2026, announced today that 102 counties, cities, towns, and villages in the state have been granted the official “America 250-Ohio” designation. This milestone shows ongoing momentum towards honoring at least 250 communities as official AM 250-OH designees by July 2026.

Todd Kleismit, Executive Director of America 250-Ohio

“It is inspiring to see over 100 communities across Ohio earn this distinction for a once-in-a-generation event honoring our state’s great contributions to our nation’s history. Ohioans are proud of their neighborhoods, towns, and cities. Every community has an interesting history and story to tell, and we think the America 250-Ohio Communities designation is a way to get involved to share that story that celebrates our culture and rich history.” 

With the designation, communities will receive access to resources like digital toolkits, an online community platform, regular check-ins with other AM 250-OH Communities, recognition of participation in AM250-OH celebrations and commemorations, and the opportunity to develop and grow professionally and personally. Plus, each community will receive an Ohio-made, America 250-Ohio Community flag.

In addition, communities with the official designation may apply for grants up to $5,000 to help plan, organize, and implement programs that align with AM 250-OH’s storytelling and education initiatives. The grants are reserved for designated America 250-Ohio Communities who need to have received their designation by December 31, 2024. The community-focused grants for designated communities are aimed at funding local activations to supplement the programs that AM 250-OH is producing statewide. America 250-Ohio is partnering with Ohio Humanities to help manage the grants program and assist applicants as needed. In addition, Neighborhood Strategies, a consulting firm focused on community development, is a financial supporter of the AM 250-OH Communities program.

For more details about becoming an AM 250-OH community and a list of accepted communities, please visit https://america250-ohio.org/communities/. For more details about the AM 250-OH Community Fall 2024 Grants, visit https://america250-ohio.org/grants/. Communities must receive their designation by Dec. 31, 2024, to apply for the grants, which must be submitted by January 31, 2025.

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About America 250-Ohio:

In 2026, the United States will celebrate its semiquincentennial, which is the 250th anniversary of the Declaration of Independence. Each state has been encouraged to create a celebration and commemoration of this anniversary to reflect the unique character and contributions of each state to the nation over the past 250 years. Ohio is fully embracing this opportunity. The Ohio Commission for the Semiquincentennial (aka America 250-Ohio Commission or AM250-OH) was created by the Ohio legislature and launched on March 1, 2022. The charge of the AM250-OH Commission is “…to plan, encourage, develop, and coordinate the commemoration of the two hundred fiftieth anniversary of the founding of the United States and the impact of Ohioans on the nation’s past, present, and future.” — Ohio Revised Code (149.309). More information can be found at America250-Ohio.org.