Made By Us
Made By Us is a nonprofit coalition of 500+ museums, historic sites, libraries, and archives that connects American young adults ages 16-30 to civic life through the Youth250 initiative and annual Civic Season, funded by foundation grants and headquartered at the Atlanta History Center.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded2019
- HeadquartersAtlanta, United States
- Headcount51–100
- GTM typeB2B and B2C
- OfferingServices
What Made By Us does
Made By Us is a privately held nonprofit coalition, founded in 2019 and headquartered at the Atlanta History Center (its fiscal sponsor), that operates a national network of 500+ museums, historic sites, libraries, and archives with a single functional purpose: connecting American young adults ages 16-30 to civic life and history. The organization positions itself as a platform bridging disengaged youth and trusted cultural institutions, with primary anchor institutions including the Smithsonian National Museum of American History (founding board), the National Archives Foundation, Atlanta History Center, Colonial Williamsburg, and the Charles H. Wright Museum of African American History.
The core product surface is organized around the Youth250 initiative built for America's 2026 Semiquincentennial and the annual Civic Season (Juneteenth through July 4). Youth250 includes a Bureau of 100 paid youth advisors ages 18-30 representing 45 states (delivering free consulting, pulse checks, materials reviews, and focus groups to institutions), a Content Corps of 300+ young creators, the Gen Z Scorecard (a benchmark assessment completed by 480+ organizations), the YouthSync Rubric, the Youth250 Toolkit/Teen Toolkit/Gen Z Workbook resource suite, Wish Walls (250+ pop-up installations), Letters to America (a national youth content initiative), Slice of History Pizza Parties (57 host sites), and 60-Second History short-form social video. Technology is digital-first but conventional: Airtable-based assessment forms, Substack newsletter, Framer-hosted website, and standard social media distribution on TikTok and Instagram Reels, with no proprietary AI/ML components documented.
Made By Us operates a community-led coalition/distribution model rather than a commercial SaaS model. It does not charge partner institutions for Youth250 Bureau services, toolkit downloads, or Scorecard assessments; instead it is funded primarily through philanthropic grants from foundations and federal sources (Institute for Museum and Library Services, PolicyLink, Hearthland Foundation, Bezos Family Foundation) plus individual donations routed through Atlanta History Center. Go-to-market relies on inbound institutional demand, partner referrals through the 500+ coalition members, events (Civic Season, National Youth Takeover Day), and earned media coverage in outlets such as Teen Vogue and the Washington Post. The organization reached 85M Americans cumulatively through Civic Season since 2021 and reports a 47% average increase in youth engagement among partner institutions using its framework.
Made By Us firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Made By Us
- Legal name
- Made By Us
- Website
- https://historymadebyus.org
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 2019
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 51–100 employees
- Short description
- Made By Us is a nonprofit coalition of 500+ museums, historic sites, libraries, and archives that connects American young adults ages 16-30 to civic life through the Youth250 initiative and annual Civic Season, funded by foundation grants and headquartered at the Atlanta History Center.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Made By Us industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Youth Civic Engagement Coalition Services
- NAICS
- Civic and Social Organizations (81341), Child and Youth Services (62411), Social Advocacy Organizations (8133)
- SIC
- Services-Social Services (8300), Services-Membership Organizations (8600)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Civic, Citizenship & Community Engagement Education (EDAAAEAI)
- akta.pro secondary industries
- Civic Participation & Leadership Development (Voting, Advocacy, Community Leadership) (EDAAADAL), Youth Leadership, Oratory & Civic Speaking Programs (EDAMAOAH), Nonprofit, Social Services & Community Development Congresses (THAHAJAO)
Keywords
Where Made By Us is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Atlanta
- HQ country
- United States
- HQ region
- North America
Offices4 records
Markets served
Made By Us business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2B and B2C
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Personnel, Marketing or Sales, Operations, Technology or R&D, Others
Revenue model
- Grants and Philanthropic Funding: Made By Us operates as a nonprofit coalition funded primarily through grants from foundations and government agencies. Major funders include Institute for Museum and Library Services, PolicyLink, Hearthland Foundation, Bezos Family Foundation. The organization is hosted by Atlanta History Center.
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Freemium | Pay-as-you-go | Free advisory services for institutions |
| Unit Pricing | One time/ perpetual license | Youth250 Microgrants |
Go-to-market motion1 record
Distribution channels4 records
Marketing channels7 records
Made By Us product offering
Product offeringCore offering
Made By Us operates a national coalition of 500+ museums, historic sites, libraries, and archives that delivers youth civic engagement programs for Americans ages 16-30. Its flagship offerings are the Youth250 initiative for America's 250th anniversary (including the Youth250 Bureau of 100 paid youth advisors that provides free consulting to institutions, the Gen Z Scorecard assessment, and the youth-written "Our Declaration" document), the annual Civic Season program spanning Juneteenth through July 4, and supporting programs such as Wish Walls, Letters to America, Slice of History Pizza Parties, 60-Second History videos, and the "Can We Talk? It's Gen Z" Substack.
Product overview
Made By Us is a national coalition of more than 500 museums, historic sites, libraries, and archives that operates as a platform connecting young adults (ages 16-30) with civic life and history. The core product is Youth250, a comprehensive initiative for America's 250th anniversary that includes the Youth250 Bureau (a paid advisory body of 100 young adults offering free consulting to institutions), the Youth250 Toolkit (featuring the Gen Z Scorecard and YouthSync Rubric assessments), and the Youth250 Content Corps. Supporting programs include Civic Season (an annual Juneteenth-July 4 tradition reaching 85M Americans since 2021), Wish Walls (pop-up installations at 250+ locations), Letters to America (youth content creation initiative), Slice of History Pizza Parties, 60-Second History video series, and Youth Takeover Day. The organization also publishes the Youth250 Substack and the youth-written 'Our Declaration' document traveling to museums nationwide. All offerings work together to activate history institutions as bridges to active citizenship for the next generation.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Brands
- Youth250: National initiative placing young people at the center of America's 250th anniversary, including a Bureau of 100 youth advisors, Gen Z Scorecard, and youth-led programs
- Civic Season
- Wish Walls
- Letters to America
Products and services
- Youth250 National Youth250 initiative for America's 250th anniversary that coordinates the Youth250 Bureau, Gen Z Scorecard, Content Corps, Our Declaration, and nationwide activations across partner institutions to engage Gen Z in civic life.
- Youth250 Bureau America's first national youth advisory body providing free consulting services (pulse checks, materials reviews, focus groups, idea jams, co-creation sessions) to qualifying cultural institutions planning for America's 250th anniversary.
- Youth250 Toolkit A comprehensive resource package with science-backed assessments (Gen Z Scorecard, YouthSync Rubric), tip sheets, case studies, and templates to help institutions drive youth engagement, including the Teen Toolkit and Gen Z at 250 Workbook.
- Gen Z Scorecard An assessment tool enabling cultural institutions to measure their youth-readiness and external impact; over 480 organizations have taken the scorecard to establish baselines and identify improvements.
- Civic Season An annual tradition held between Juneteenth and July 4th for learning history and civic upskilling, featuring events, celebrations, and conversations at hundreds of historic sites, museums, and communities nationwide; has reached 85M Americans since 2021.
- Wish Walls Pop-up installations inviting communities to share wishes for America's 250th birthday and future, hosted at 250+ locations nationwide including the Smithsonian, with more than 20,000 wishes collected.
- Letters to America A national content initiative inviting young people ages 14-30 to put the American story in their own words through essays, videos, speeches, and art; selected submissions are shared by media partners and museums for National Youth Takeover Day.
- Slice of History Pizza Parties Local social gatherings hosted with Pizza to the Polls where participants learn something new and meet others over pizza; held at 57 host sites across the country for community civic engagement.
- Youth Takeover Day A dedicated day (June 27) during Civic Season to spotlight youth leadership where institutions make commitments to the future, share youth Letters to America, and put young people in charge.
- Youth250 Content Corps A volunteer community of 300+ young creators ages 14-30 producing videos, dispatches, and stories across platforms as part of a broader Content Corps movement for youth voice.
- Youth250 Substack ("Can We Talk? It's Gen Z") A bimonthly Substack dispatch bringing Gen Z's vision, hopes, and tools directly to national leaders through written content.
- Youth250: Our Declaration A youth-written declaration drafted and signed at the National Constitution Center in February 2026, outlining young people's commitments and vision for America's next 250 years; the physical document travels to museums nationwide.
- Youth250 Microgrant Program Youth250 Community Microgrant program funding young leaders to host original civic events in their communities during Civic Season; $1M invested to date, with nine inaugural recipients announced April 2026.
Quantifiable outcome
- 47% average increase in youth engagement for partner institutions
- +4 more outcomes
Companies that use Made By Us
Customer profileNamed customers10 records
Segments2 records
Ideal customer profiles3 records
Made By Us technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Feature5 records
Made By Us partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
13 partnerships are on record, tiered flagship and core.
- National History DayflagshipPartnership on key Youth250 initiatives for America's 250th anniversary, including student engagement programs.
- Smithsonian InstitutioncoreFounding partner; National Museum of American History serves as founding board member. Joint workshops and Youth250 programming.
- National Archives FoundationcoreCoalition leadership partner providing archival expertise and institutional network for youth engagement.
- Teen VogueflagshipOpen Letter to America published July 4, 2025 with 30+ co-signers calling on institutions to 'bring us in'. Media partnership for youth voice amplification.
- National Constitution CenterflagshipHost venue for Youth250: Our Declaration event February 2026; Traveling Declaration tour stops.
- DoSomethingcoreYouth organization partner in Youth250 Bureau launch, providing youth network and engagement infrastructure.
- CoGeneratecorePartner supporting Youth250 Bureau; intergenerational programming collaboration.
- PBScoreMedia partner for Youth250 programming and youth voice content distribution.
- American Association for State and Local HistorycoreBoard leadership partner providing network of state and local history institutions.
- National Park ServicecorePartner in Youth250 Bureau launch, connecting youth engagement to national parks and historic sites.
- History Co:LabcoreCo-developed Youth250 Toolkit with science-backed assessments for institutions.
- Pizza to the PollscorePartnership for Slice of History Pizza Parties - community gatherings combining pizza, history learning, and civic engagement at 57+ host sites.
- America's 250th Commission (America's Potluck)flagshipPartnership with Utah History Museum and America's 250th for America's Potluck gatherings bringing neighbors together through food and conversation.
Scale indicators16 records
Recent moves6 records
Expansion highlights6 records
Made By Us competitors and assessment
Company assessmentBroad incumbents
- New America: A major public policy think tank with civic identity and US@250 programming (where Made By Us's ED is a Senior Fellow). Comparable intellectual and programmatic territory on civic identity, democratic participation, and the 250th — but operates as a much larger, broader policy institution.
- Points of Light: A larger, established nonprofit focused on volunteerism and civic service across all age groups. Overlaps with Made By Us on civic engagement and is an actual Made By Us partner, but operates as a much broader incumbent spanning corporate volunteering, disaster response, and global service.
- National Constitution Center: A chartered civic education institution focused on the U.S. Constitution and civic learning. Made By Us's strategic partner and host venue for Our Declaration, but operates as a much larger, brick-and-mortar established institution with comparable civic education mission.
- Aspen Institute (Education & Society Program): Runs citizenship, civic identity, and education programs at scale through convenings, research, and fellowships. Compares to Made By Us on the civic identity and democratic participation themes but is a much broader, established policy institution with multiple program areas.
Direct peers
- Mikva Challenge: Chicago-based youth civic engagement nonprofit that empowers youth to become informed and active citizens through civic participation programs in schools and communities. Similar youth-demographic focus and civic-participation mission to Made By Us.
- Generation Citizen: Works directly with schools and colleges to bring civic engagement and action-based learning to young people. Closely comparable model — youth-focused, action-oriented civic education with measurable institutional outcomes.
- iCivics: Founded by Justice Sandra Day O'Connor, iCivics is the leading civic education nonprofit providing curriculum, games, and teacher resources to engage young people in civics. Highly comparable to Made By Us's mission of using structured programs to build civic knowledge and engagement among youth.
- Civic Nation: A civic engagement nonprofit that builds and runs national initiatives to inspire and mobilize young people across issue areas (voter registration, education, equity). Operates large-scale coalition-style campaigns aimed at Gen Z, similar to Made By Us's Civic Season approach.
- DoSomething: A major youth civic engagement nonprofit mobilizing young people around social causes. Both organizations target Gen Z for civic participation, run large-scale digital campaigns, and operate as national nonprofits — making DoSomething the closest direct peer, despite also being a Made By Us partner.
Emerging players
- The Civics Center: A smaller, emerging nonprofit focused specifically on pre-registration of young voters and civics education. Niche overlap with Made By Us on Gen Z civic participation, though narrower in scope (voter pre-registration) and smaller in scale.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat5 records
Key risks6 records
Key highlights7 records
Customer concentration
Made By Us social profiles
Digital presenceMade By Us financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Made By Us leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles4 records
Made By Us funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Made By Us M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about Made By Us
What does Made By Us do?
Made By Us operates a national coalition of 500+ museums, historic sites, libraries, and archives that delivers youth civic engagement programs for Americans ages 16-30. Its flagship offerings are the Youth250 initiative for America's 250th anniversary (including the Youth250 Bureau of 100 paid youth advisors that provides free consulting to institutions, the Gen Z Scorecard assessment, and the youth-written "Our Declaration" document), the annual Civic Season program spanning Juneteenth through July 4, and supporting programs such as Wish Walls, Letters to America, Slice of History Pizza Parties, 60-Second History videos, and the "Can We Talk? It's Gen Z" Substack.
Is Made By Us a public or private company?
Made By Us is a private company. It is classified as nonprofit foundation owned and is currently operating.
When was Made By Us founded?
Made By Us was founded in 2019. It employs 51 to 100 people.
Where is Made By Us based?
Made By Us is headquartered in Atlanta, United States, in the North America region.
How does Made By Us make money?
One revenue line is on record: grants and Philanthropic Funding.
Who are Made By Us's main competitors?
Broad incumbents on record are New America, Points of Light, National Constitution Center and Aspen Institute (Education & Society Program). Direct peers are Mikva Challenge, Generation Citizen, iCivics, Civic Nation and DoSomething. The Civics Center is listed as an emerging player.
Does Made By Us have an API?
No public API is recorded for Made By Us.
What industry is Made By Us in?
Made By Us's product category is Youth Civic Engagement Coalition Services. Its primary akta.pro industry code is EDAAAEAI, Civic, Citizenship & Community Engagement Education, with a secondary code of EDAAADAL, Civic Participation & Leadership Development (Voting, Advocacy, Community Leadership). Its NAICS code is 81341 and its SIC code is 8300.