Grants Available for America's 250th! | | |
The Washington State Historical Society is excited to announce two, one-time special grants to support public programs for America’s 250th and capacity-building efforts for history organizations.
Applicants must be official America's 250th community partners.
Open Now: America’s 250th Events Grant
- Awards up to $1,000 (no match required)
- Applications due May 29 at 5pm
This grant supports community-based organizations in planning and delivering public events for the commemoration of America’s 250th. The program is designed to encourage inclusive, locally driven activities that bring people together to reflect on our shared history. Priority will be given to projects that incorporate history and connect to an official Washington State America's 250th initiative.
Join us for a virtual grant workshop on May 8 at 10 a.m. Register HERE.
Coming Soon: History Assist Grant
- Awards up to $8,000 (no match required)
- Application opening summer 2026
To leverage the momentum generated around history by America’s 250th, this grant is designed to help organizations provide public access to history, particularly by growing their audiences. This grant will fund capacity-building and infrastructure that increases an organization’s ability to preserve, interpret, and share history with diverse audiences.
| | Media Partners Help Promote Events | | |
To help promote our partner events and activities we are soliciting in-kind promotional partnerships with media organizations around the state.
Several media groups have already signed up as in-kind partners (list is on the Partners page of the website) and we hope more will want to be part of America's 250th.
If there is a media organization in your community that would like to become an in-kind partner, please contact info@america250WA.org.
| | Independence Day Activations | | |
With fewer than 70 days until the Fourth of July, we want to remind our partners of a few simple things we hope every community in the state can do to commemorate this historic date:
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Issue a proclamation. Find a draft here.
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Host a public reading of the Declaration of Independence, ideally with young people. Find introductory remarks here.
- Wave flags at 2:50pm
- Participate in community potluck
Other suggestions for Fourth of July activities can be found here.
If you want to make the holiday even more meaningful this year, consider incorporating a charitable activity such as a service project or collecting food for a food banks, etc. into your event.
Don't forget to post your Independence Day events on our events calendar. We are compiling a list of events around the state to encourage engagement. Also, several members of the state 250 committee are interested in attending events; particularly those that are incorporating some of the elements above.
| New Searchable Layers
on Events Calendar | | |
To help promote our museum-specific initiatives, we have added three new layers to the online events map:
If your organization is participating in one of the above initiatives but is not listed on the events calendar yet, please contact Dylan High at dylan.high@wshs.wa.gov.
| | Buttons and Flags Available for Sale | | |
America's 250th buttons are now available for sale on our website under the "Online Store" tab. We hope to have flags available for sale soon.
These items are ideal for parades, community events, county fairs, special presentations, etc.
Some suggestions:
- Give buttons for free to the first 250 people to attend a community event (or to everyone if your budget allows!)
- Fly the America's 250th flag at city/town hall
- Give out handheld flags for free at parades or community events
Don't forget we have other America's 250th apparel and merchandise available for purchase as well.
| | Northwest Cherries Offers a "Cherry
twist' to America's 250th | | |
In addition to our popular commemorative apple pie recipe, we are happy to offer a commemorative cherry pie recipe courtesy of Northwest Cherries.
We hope both recipes can be incorporated into various events this year.
As an added bonus, Northwest Cherries would like to make your America's 250th event even sweeter by donating fresh cherries for official partner events. If you would like to include cherries in your event, please contact stonefruit@wastatefruit.com.
| Video Clips Now Available
for Social Media | | |
Here are some short clips of our popular promotional videos -- We The People, The Power of Place and Sharing History -- that can be used for social media.
| | Group Tours for Freedom Plane Exhibit | | |
The Freedom Plane is bringing nine original foudning documents to the Museum of History and Industry (MOHAI) in Seattle, a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity.
MOHAI will soon be releasing detailed plans for visiting the museum to see the exhibit, which will be open from July 30 - August 16. Organizations wanting to bring large groups to the museum are encouraged to reach out sooner rather than later. While the exhibit is FREE, timed tickets will be required. For more information, please contact info@mohai.org.
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May 4-5: Saving Local History Roadshow – Moses Lake
The Washington State Historical Society is hosting free workshops around the state for history organizations around digitization and capacity building. In partnership with the Washington State Library and the University of Washington Center for Advances in Libraries, Museums, and Archives (CALMA), this two-day workshop will train organizations on digitization of archival collections, gathering and sharing new stories from your community, and strengthen your overall organizational capacity.
The May workshop will be at the Moses Lake Museum & Arts Center. The content is designed for museums and libraries, but other groups can attend if space is available. Register HERE.
May 6-7: Saving Local History Roadshow – Spokane
The Washington State Historical Society is hosting free workshops around the state for history organizations around digitization and capacity building. In partnership with the Washington State Library and the University of Washington Center for Advances in Libraries, Museums, and Archives (CALMA), this two-day workshop will train organizations on digitization of archival collections, gathering and sharing new stories from your community, and strengthen your overall organizational capacity.
The May workshop will be at the Northwest Museum of Arts & Culture in Spokane. The content is designed for museums and libraries, but other groups can attend if space is available. Register HERE.
May 7: Partner Office Hours
NOTE: MONTHLY OFFICE HOURS ARE NOW CANCELED. If you have a question or need assistance about anything related to America's 250th , please contact info@america250WA.org.
May 8: America's 250th Events Grant Virtual Workshop (10 a.m.)
Webinar with information about applying for the America's 250th Events Grant. Register HERE.
May 15: RESCHEDULED Day 2 of Saving Local History Roadshow – Shelton
Day 2 of the Saving Local History Roadshow in Shelton has been rescheduled to May 15 and will be held in a new location: the McCleary Museum, 426 S 3rd St in McCleary.
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Ideas from our Partners
Need some inspiration about what you can do in your community for America's 250th? Check out some of our partner ideas.
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America250 Art Contest in Selah
The City of Selah (Yakima County) and other organizations is sponsoring a city-wide art contest for America250. Boards, paint and brushes are provided for free and winners will be displayed at various community events this summer.
Planting Trees in Mason County
The Mason County 250 Committee is planting not one, not two but 250 trees donated by a local timber company as part of its America's 250th activities.
Sing-along to Hamilton in Longview
The Longview Library (Cowlitz County) is planning to host a screening and sing-along of the award-winning Broadway musical Hamilton.
Community Drone Photo in Spokane Valley
A variety of groups including the City of Spokane Valley, the Daughters of the American Revolution, the Sons of the American Revolution and the Spokane County Library District are organizing a community photo to be taken by a drone during their America's 250th Picnic in the Park event.
"Window Tour" in Aberdeen
The Friends of the Aberdeen Museum/History 98250 have created an interesting walking tour of Aberdeen (Grays Harbor County). Each month a location is identified and a QR code takes visitors to the organization's website which contains photos and historical information about the location. Great way to share a community's history.
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There are now too many partner events to list each month, make sure to regularly check the events calendar for events near you.
Also, don't forget to post your event on our statewide calendar -- our tourism and media partners are using the calendar to help promote local events.
| | "Fly Your Flag" National Contest
for Students Ends May 19 | | |
Students in grade 5-12 are encouraged to "show us your America" and step into the story of our democracy—not as observers but as creators—by entering the "Fly Your Flag" contest.
To enter, students must submit a digital image of an American flag of their own unique design along with a short description. First-place winners will receive $1000, second-place winners $750 and third-place winners $500.
The deadline for submissions is May 19.
The contest is the first of three national contests called "Show Us Your America" that is sponsored by the Students United News Network (SUNN), a nonpartisan organization publishing the nation's best student journalism and civic media, in partnership with USAToday. The next two contests will be "Make Your Speech" where students will deliver their own presidential speeches and "Sing Your Anthem" where students will perform their own national anthems.
| History and Democracy
Virtual Summit in May | | |
The American Association for Small and Loal History is hosting a virtual summit May 27-28 to help leverage the vital role the history community plans in democracy and civic life, and to expand its impact.
History museums, historical societies, and related organizations are uniquely positioned to support a thriving democracy. History organizations do so by advancing essential historical knowledge and skills—and by promoting civic participation, fostering feelings of belonging, bridging divides, amplifying community voices, and addressing contemporary challenges.
| | Podcast will Explore
Native American History | |
As the United States commemorates the 250th anniversary of the Declaration of Independence, this podcast will reveal a buried truth and tell a more accurate story of native history and the formation of the United States.
Written and reported by award-winning journalist Rebecca Nagle (Cherokee Nation), First America is a timely and valuable resource to bring together indigenous scholars and historians to tell a more complete story of our country's origins and connects this history to where we are today.
Launching June 22, 2026!
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Welcome to the Team!
Seymour History, our unofficial America's 250th ambassador,
welcomes the following cities to the America250 WA Team!
| | Chehalis
(Lewis County) | Woodway
(Snohomish County) | Moses Lake
(Grant County) | White Salmon
(Klickitat County) | | Battle Ground
(Clark County) | | Des Moines
(King County) | West Richland
(Benton County) | Walla Walla
(Walla Walla County) | | |
America Gives portal
The national America250 Committee is donating $1 million toward volunteer projects. Log your volunteer hours on the national portal to become eligible for a chance to be one of 250 winners who will choose where that million goes.
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This planning guide for partners provides an overview of America's 250th in Washington and includes ideas, tips, and resources for any partner to be part of this important historic milestone.
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Marketing Toolkit
The marketing toolkit has templates for posters, flyers, street banners, social media, etc. All templates can be customized with your logo and our Washington 250 logo.
Note: Partners must sign the logo use agreement to access and use the marketing toolkit.
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This Week in Washington History
"This Week in Washington History" is a social media project in collaboration with our partner HistoryLink that will highlight interesting facts and significant dates in our state's history during 2026. Find our @America250WA accounts on Facebook and Instagram to follow along.
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Partner Reporting Form
Share your America's 250th photos, videos, or digital copies of flyers, posters, articles, proclamations, etc., with this simple form. These materials will be used to help create our final report for the entire state.
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25 for 250
Here is a list of 25 simple things anyone in the state can do to be part of America's 250th. This list is ideal for public engagement in your community.
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Day of Service: Sunday, June 14, 2026
Communities will organize local service projects such as helping digitize historical photographs at your history museum or participating in community cleanup events.
Independence Day: Saturday, July 4, 2026
Incorporate our official themes of America's 250th anniversary—We the People, Power of Place, and Sharing History—into your existing July 4th activities.
Washington Museum Day: Saturday, August 8, 2026
In collaboration with the Washington Museum Association, museums across the state will offer free or discounted admission and promote the “Out of Many, One” project.
Day of Civic Engagement: Thursday September 17, 2026
Communities are invited to plan activities to inspire civic participation such as hosting voter registration, meet-and-greets with civic leaders, or a civics-themed trivia night.
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Coming Up: 250 State Committee Meeting
July 9, 2026 at 1:00 p.m. (PT) | Online
State committee meetings are quarterly and open to the public.
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Previous Meetings
View on TVW
Watch recordings of previous meetings courtesy of TVW.
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Please share this newsletter with any organization that might be interested in becoming an America's 250th WA partner. | | | | |
