Delco Semiquin Plan

Delco Semiquin Plan

In 2026, America celebrates the 250th anniversary of the founding of our nation. It isn't just a party thrown for us, it's a party thrown by us!

As a community, we get to decide how Delco will co-create the ‘Delco Semiquincentennial Celebration Plan’. 

All kinds of programs that inspire Americans to renew and strengthen our democracy, elevate our diverse history, or inspired service in our communities are eligible to partner.  

Every hand raised, every voice heard, every story shared shapes this celebration into a reflection of who we are as a community right now.

Get involved, own your piece of history, and let's show the world the power of Delco pride!

Key Points of Stakeholder Engagement Planning Grant 

In 2024, we undertook a stakeholder planning process to:

  1. Raise awareness of the oncoming national milestone with local stakeholders and provide them with resources for planning, 
  2. Align the local project with regional, state and national initiatives, and 
  3. Create a ‘Delaware County Semiquincentennial Celebration Plan’ that defines a scope of celebration that is inclusive of the broader Delco community.

Who did we ask to participate?

Audience: Stakeholders from 49 municipalities inclusive of all the groups, organizations, businesses and municipalities whose missions and activities centers on history, education, labor, arts & culture, the environment, civic engagement, veterans, faith, immigrant, ethnically defined social groups, LGTBQ, and disability social communities. 

What was the Process?

•     We created a website and survey to advertise activities and a Community Stakeholder Survey for potential participants to collect information about themselves, their mission, their current activities, what they want to do for extra special programs, projects or events in 2026, and what help they might need to achieve their project. We shared this information through email, partner emails, and social media. We started monthly virtual chat group and one-on-one meetings which will continue through March 2026.

•     We registered 298 participants representing 154 groups and recorded 68 surveys and focus group notes from 11 focus group meetings. 

•     From those participants, 28 organizations submitted out electronic Community Program Partners forms and 87 offered verbal confirmation. Confirmed partners grow every day.

Key Findings:

•     There is enthusiasm for a celebration centered on all 250 years of American history with an intention to learn from our past, to inform the present, and to inspire the future through civic participation at the hyper local community level. 

•     115 projects, programs and events are currently on our radar across 49 municipalities. 

•     Flexibility is going to be key to a successful celebration. Some organizations are prepared to design the entire America 250 project, others want to spend 2024 and 2025 getting input from their community before committing or building something into their regular course of activities. 

•     Creating an inclusive celebration means putting the time in to develop relationships, acknowledging and addressing complex histories that complicate idealized versions of history, including opportunities for creative expression, recognizing the history of places and residents, and implementing resident-driven programs.

•     Community partners say they need the following resources to conduct their activity:

  • Collaborative marketing 
  • Connection to new organizational collaborators 
  • Fundraising advisement and support 
  • Connection to volunteers 
  • Flags, bunting, swag, and promotional materials 
  • Improved visitor readiness

Anticipated Outputs:

  • County-wide A250 Marketing Campaigns
  • Community Program Partner Toolkit
  • Calendar of A250 Events, Programs, and Projects
  • K-12 Education Toolkit
  • DelcoVolunteers platform
  • Visitor Readiness Education
  • Mini-grants for Community Program Partners (contingent on fundraising)


We are keeping the the 1-minute Survey open to continually gather your input! Your Feedback matters!

If you would like to host a planning session in your community, please contact  Andrea@america250padelco.org.

This community-based listening process was made possible by a generous planning grant from the Philadelphia Funding Collaborative for the Semiquincentennial.