As semiquincentennial celebrations continue to be underway or planned ahead of the 250th anniversary of the signing of the Declaration of Independence, grants are beginning to be doled out for community events.
The America250 Mississippi Commission and the Mississippi Humanities Council recently opened the application process to nonprofits, educational organizations, and local governments to apply for grants. The funds are reserved for 2026 programming that “highlight Mississippi’s history, its innumerable contributions to the United States, and foster exploration of America’s founding ideals,” according to a news release.
On Tuesday, the America250 Commission and the Mississippi Humanities Council announced that two applications have been accepted – one in Natchez and the other in Kosciusko – so far.
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The Natchez Literary and Cinema Celebration will receive a program grant, which is up to $10,000. The Kosciusko-based Mid-Mississippi Regional Library System will receive a mini-grant, which is up to $5,000.
The awardees and project descriptions were provided by the America250 Commission and the Mississippi Humanities Council:
Natchez Literary and Cinema Celebration
The Natchez Literary and Cinema Celebration has, for more than three decades, positioned Mississippi’s voices, places, and stories within the wider American narrative. The 2026 event theme, “Stories of American Freedom,” will highlight how the pursuit of liberty, justice, and equality has shaped the nation and how Mississippi, and Natchez in particular, has played a vital role in that story.
Events will feature topics ranging from Revolutionary-era tavern songs to Native American code talkers, to the Civil Rights struggles of Fannie Lou Hamer and the Mississippi Freedom Movement. By drawing nationally recognized authors and scholars into the conversation with Mississippi history and culture, the NLCC situates Natchez not as a backdrop but as a focal point of America’s ongoing struggle for freedom.
Voices of Mid-Mississippi
With the “Voices of Mid-Mississippi: A Community Time Capsule” project, the Mid-Mississippi Regional Library System in Kosciusko will create and install a time capsule to capture and preserve residents’ reflections on American ideals and the library’s role in communities across its five-county region.
Patrons will contribute handwritten note cards responding to prompts such as “What does America mean to you in the context of our local history?” and “How has the library shaped your pursuit of knowledge and community connection?” The time capsule will also include small mementos like library bookmarks, historical photos of the town, and a proclamation from local officials, including the mayor, affirming the library’s enduring place in service to the area’s story.
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America250 grants are still open, with applicants encouraged to develop projects that explore at least one of the following themes: We the People, The Power of Place, Mississippi in the American Story, and Mississippi Traditions. The application portal can be accessed here, with grants reaching up to $20,000.
