America 250-ohio Commission

What America 250-ohio Commission does

America 250-Ohio Commission is a state government commission established in 2022 to coordinate Ohio's celebration of the United States' 250th anniversary (Semiquincentennial) throughout 2026. Headquartered at 41 S. High Street, Suite 250, Columbus, Ohio, the commission operates with 11-50 employees under Executive Director Todd Kleismit and works across all 88 Ohio counties to organize statewide programming. Its mission is to preserve and promote Ohio's unique contributions to American history through events, educational programs, and community engagement initiatives.

The commission delivers its programming through a portfolio of signature initiatives, including six curated Trails & Tales driving routes, the Ohio Goes to the Movies film program (250+ events in 2026), the Murals Across Ohio interactive map, the Under-Told Stories Initiative, the Underground Railroad Gathering, the Northwest Ordinance Conference, and the Rev. War Veterans Graves Documentation project. Educational offerings include the 4th Grade History Pass Plus and Next Generation Citizens of Ohio programs targeting K-12 students and educators. The commission holds a trademark license from the U.S. Semiquincentennial Commission for the 'America 250' brand in Ohio and operates as a wholly independent state entity.

The commission's funding model combines state appropriations, corporate sponsorships (Cenovus Energy as Visionary Sponsor, with additional sponsors including Columbus Brewing Company, ProMedica Memorial Hospital, and Albrechta & Liebold), donations through its website, event admission fees ranging from $2.50 to $75, and official merchandise sales through an e-commerce store. Its primary go-to-market motion is event-driven: coordinating with local communities, historical societies, museums, schools, and partner organizations to host hundreds of festivals, historical reenactments, author talks, concerts, and community gatherings. Customer segments include Ohio residents and the general public, K-12 students and educators, historical societies and museums, and corporate sponsors.

Name

America 250-ohio Commission

Legal name

America 250-Ohio Commission

Website

https://america250-ohio.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

2026

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

America 250-Ohio Commission is a state government commission that coordinates Ohio's 2026 celebration of the United States' 250th anniversary across all 88 counties through events, educational programs, and historical programming for residents, students, museums, and corporate sponsors.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Cultural Heritage Commemoration Services

NAICS

Museums, Historical Sites, and Similar Institutions (712)

SIC

Services-Amusement & Recreation Services (7900)

akta.pro primary industry

National/Seasonal Holiday Festivals (New Year, Harvest, Winter Markets) (MPAGAEAD)

akta.pro secondary industries

Cultural Centers & Community Cultural Organizations (BPAGAHAD), Arts Education & Community Arts Programs (BPAGAHAC)

Keywords

• Statewide anniversary celebration
• Historical education programs
• Community event coordination
• Heritage preservation initiatives
• Public history programming

Headquarters

HQ city

Columbus Junction

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Others

Revenue model

1. Government Funding: The commission operates as a state government entity with funding from the state of Ohio to support the semiquincentennial celebration activities.
2. Corporate Sponsorships: Cenovus Energy and other corporate sponsors provide financial support, with Cenovus listed as Visionary Sponsor.
3. Donations: The commission accepts donations through its website to support America 250-Ohio programming and events.
4. Event Revenue: Some events charge admission fees ranging from $2.50 to $75 per person for programming, lectures, and special experiences.
5. Official Merchandise: The commission sells official America 250-Ohio merchandise including commemorative products.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels7 records

Core offering

America 250-Ohio Commission coordinates and promotes statewide events, educational programs, and community celebrations marking the United States' 250th anniversary (Semiquincentennial) across all 88 Ohio counties throughout 2026. Its core deliverable is a unified programming slate that combines an online events calendar with signature initiatives like Trails & Tales driving trails, Ohio Goes to the Movies film events, Murals Across Ohio, and the Under-Told Stories Initiative, supplemented by educational resources for schools and an official merchandise store.

Product overview

America 250-Ohio Commission offers a unified events and programs platform for celebrating the United States' 250th anniversary (Semiquincentennial) in Ohio. The core offering consists of an events calendar with filtering capabilities, combined with signature programs including Trails & Tales (6 curated driving trails), Ohio Goes to the Movies (250+ film events), Murals Across Ohio (interactive map), Under-Told Stories Initiative, and Ohio & The Revolution Webinar Series. Additional programs cover education (4th Grade History Pass Plus, Next Generation Citizens), community engagement (Homecoming & Picnic Program, Declaration Readings), and heritage preservation (Rev. War Graves Documentation, Heritage Trees). The commission also operates an official merchandise store and grants program for community support.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• America 250-Ohio Events Calendar
• Trails & Tales Program Six curated driving trails across Ohio showcasing historical and cultural sites, including Ohio Air & Space Trail, Ohio Creativity Trail, Lake Erie to Ohio River Trail, Ohio Innovation Trail, Ohio Transportation Trail, and regional heritage trails.
• Ohio Goes to the Movies Film event program featuring 250+ movie events in 2026 celebrating Ohio's contributions to American cinema history, with a dedicated calendar at ohiogoestothemovies.org.
• Murals Across Ohio Interactive map program documenting murals across Ohio counties celebrating the nation's 250th anniversary, with categories including Arts, Culture & Literature, Industry & Innovation, and Veterans & Those Who Serve.
• Under-Told Stories Initiative Storytelling program highlighting lesser-known historical narratives including contributions of minorities, women, indigenous peoples, and overlooked figures in Ohio's history.
• 4th Grade History Pass Plus Educational program providing history-related resources and experiences for fourth-grade students in Ohio, launching in July 2026.
• Declaration of Independence Community Reading Program encouraging community-wide readings of the Declaration of Independence across Ohio communities.
• Heritage Trees: Planting History Tree planting initiative celebrating Ohio's natural and historical heritage.
• Next Generation Citizens of Ohio Educational resources and programs for educators and students focused on Ohio and American history.
• Northwest Ordinance Conference Conference program examining Ohio's role following the Northwest Ordinance.
• Ohio & The Revolution Webinar Series Free webinar series examining Ohio's connection to the American Revolution, featuring panel discussions with historians and experts.
• Ohio's Homecoming & Picnic Program Signature program encouraging communities across Ohio to gather for homecoming picnics and celebrations.
• Rev. War Veterans Graves Documentation Initiative to document and preserve Revolutionary War veterans' gravesites throughout Ohio.
• Underground Railroad Gathering Program exploring Ohio's role in the Underground Railroad and connected historical narratives.
• Official Merchandise Store Online store offering official America 250-Ohio commemorative merchandise and products for purchase by the public.
• Grants Program Grant funding opportunities for communities and organizations to host America 250-Ohio celebrations and events.

Quantifiable outcome

• Celebrating America's 250th anniversary with events across all 88 Ohio counties in 2026
• +1 more outcomes

Named customers4 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

Seven partnerships are on record, tiered flagship, core and minor.

• U.S. Semiquincentennial CommissionflagshipStrategic or Co-development PartnerNational governing body that owns the 'America 250' trademark and licenses it to state commissions including Ohio for the semiquincentennial celebration.
• Ohio History ConnectioncoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPrimary partner organization providing historical expertise, resources, and infrastructure for America 250-Ohio programming. Executive Director Todd Kleismit previously served as director of community and government relations for the Ohio History Connection.
• Columbus Brewing CompanyminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCollaboration to create a special America 250-Ohio IPA for National Beer Day celebration and ongoing partnership for events.
• 88 Ohio CountiescoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerAll 88 Ohio counties participate in the America 250-Ohio celebration through local events, historical programming, and community gatherings.
• Ohio Goes to the MoviescoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerSpecial program featuring 250+ movie events celebrating Ohio's cinematic history and Ohio-made films.
• Youngstown State UniversityminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartner for author events including the John Scalzi author visit through the Beeghly College of Liberal Arts, Social Sciences, and Education.
• Ohio State Parks FoundationminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCo-presenting the Douglas Brinkley lecture on the Battle of Lake Erie at Camp Perry.

Scale indicators5 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Broad incumbents

• Smithsonian Institution: The largest museum, education, and research complex in the U.S., with comparable focus on American history programming, educational outreach, and exhibition-style content that parallels America 250-Ohio's storytelling initiatives.
• National Trust for Historic Preservation: The largest U.S. private nonprofit dedicated to historic preservation, operating nationally across advocacy, education, and site-based programming. Comparable as a heritage and history education organization that partners with state and local entities.

Direct peers

• U.S. Semiquincentennial Commission: The federal 'America 250' commission that owns the trademark licensed to America 250-Ohio and coordinates semiquincentennial programming nationally. It is the parent governing body for state-level commissions like Ohio's.
• America 250-New York Commission: Sister state commission coordinating New York's America 250 programming under the same federal trademark licensing framework, operating with comparable statewide event and education portfolio.
• America 250-Virginia Commission: Sister state commission coordinating Virginia's semiquincentennial programming under license from the U.S. Semiquincentennial Commission, with the same statewide-event-coordination mission as America 250-Ohio.
• America 250-Massachusetts Commission: Sister state commission coordinating Massachusetts' 250th anniversary programming, with comparable statewide event calendar, education programs, and federal trademark licensing model.
• America 250-Pennsylvania Commission: Sister state commission coordinating Pennsylvania's America 250 programming, with analogous statewide event coordination, sponsor model, and educational programming as Ohio's commission.

Regional players

• Ohio History Connection: Ohio's state historical society and core operational partner for America 250-Ohio (the Executive Director previously led its community and government relations work). Comparable in mission as a statewide heritage programming and preservation organization.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/america250ohio
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/america-250-ohio-commission
• Instagraminstagram.com/am250ohio

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles2 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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M&A

Investments

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Frequently asked questions about America 250-ohio Commission