NEH Announces Celebrate America! Grant Program to Support Projects Commemorating America’s 250th Anniversary

The National Endowment for the Humanities (NEH) is pleased to announce a special funding opportunity for projects that commemorate the 250thanniversary of American Independence and engage the public with American history. 

The agency has issued a call for proposals for Celebrate America!, a new initiative to recognize the nation’s semiquincentennial on July 4, 2026. Through this program, NEH will award 250 challenge grants of up to $25,000 each for projects that focus on the founding of the American nation, key historical figures, and milestones that reflect the exceptional achievements of the United States. The agency aims to award Celebrate America! grants in every U.S. state and jurisdiction. 

“The upcoming 250th anniversary of the signing of the Declaration of Independence in 2026 is a historic milestone for our nation,” said Acting NEH Chairman Michael McDonald. “As a federal grantmaking agency charged with supporting education, research, and public programs on history and culture, the National Endowment for the Humanities is pleased to be able to offer this special funding opportunity to help organizations across the country develop resources and programming that will help students and the public celebrate, study, and reflect on our nation’s founding and history of exceptionalism.”

Celebrate America! NEH Chairman’s grants will support a wide variety of public-facing humanities projects and activities that honor the founding of the country and the principles of the Declaration of Independence. Eligible proposals might include speakers, film screening, or discussion series; exhibitions and site interpretations; community events and family programs; educational or curricular materials and resources; digital projects, websites, and virtual tours; meetings, conferences, or symposia; professional development and training; or research for books, documentary films, exhibitions, or other products that reach the general public. 

Successful applicants will be required to match every dollar of NEH Celebrate America! grant funding with a dollar of nonfederal funds. 

NEH’s Celebrate America! funding opportunity responds to the January 29, 2025 Presidential Executive Order “Celebrating America’s Birthday,” and is part of the agency’s larger A More Perfect Union initiative focused on exploring America’s story and celebrating its 250 years of cultural heritage. 

Applications for Celebrate America! NEH Chairman’s grants will be accepted and reviewed on a rolling basis. Consult the NEH website and request for proposals for additional information on the funding opportunity and how to apply. Interested applicants may direct questions to @email. 

National Endowment for the Humanities (NEH): Created in 1965 as an independent federal agency, the National Endowment for the Humanities supports research and learning in history, literature, philosophy, and other areas of the humanities by funding selected, peer-reviewed proposals from around the nation. Additional information about the National Endowment for the Humanities and its grant programs is available at neh.gov.