News
Forget Boston. Philly was where the Revolutionary War really went down.
The American Philosophical Society’s new exhibit for the 250th birthday of America documents daily life in Philadelphia during the fevered days of the Revolutionary War. Boston may have lit the fuse, but Philly is where the Revolution really went down. Caught in the middle of all the fury and foment were roughly 40,000 everyday Philadelphians […]
...Philly will host 52 parties to celebrate 52 historic firsts in 2026
The weekly, citywide, yearlong celebration, organized by the Philadelphia Historic District 250th Committee, will honor America’s 250th birthday Philadelphia is home to a lot of American firsts. First Slinky. First ice cream soda. First Thanksgiving Day Parade. First Mummer. Totally us. First Zoo. First penitentiary. First children’s hospital. First flower show. First African American Methodist […]
...Artifacts from Frederick Douglass, Martin Luther King, and Gandhi are coming to Philly for America’s 250th
Many of the new artifacts carry the weight of history, but also the freedom stories and intimate histories of the families that long preserved them. Kenneth B. Morris Jr.’s family treasures have always been American treasures. Morris, 62, is the great-great-great-grandson of abolitionist and orator, Frederick Douglass, and great-great-grandson of famed educator and founder of […]
...Announcements
announcements
Press Release - 07/09/2025
The Philadelphia Funder Collaborative for the Semiquincentennial, a consortium of foundations, companies, and trusts committed to funding the nation’s semiquincentennial, has awarded 125 grants totaling $15 million to support Philadelphia-area nonprofits as they prepare and implement programs commemorating the 250th birthday of the United States on July 4, 2026. The Funder Collaborative includes seven Philadelphia-area institutions: the William Penn Foundation, the Connelly Foundation, The Pew Charitable Trusts, the Neubauer Family Foundation, the Knight Foundation, the Hamilton Family Charitable Trust, and Comcast NBCUniversal. Each of the seven partner organizations has committed at least $1 million to the Funder Collaborative, which has raised a total of more than $16 million. Including their contributions to the Funder Collaborative, the seven partners have made total philanthropic awards worth more than $42 million to 2026 programming in Philadelphia. The Connelly Foundation has served as the administrator of the Funder Collaborative since its inception.
announcements
Press Release - 08/08/23
The Connelly Foundation, the William Penn Foundation, the Pew Charitable Trusts, and the Neubauer Family Foundation today announced the launch of a philanthropic initiative: the Philadelphia Funder Collaborative for the Semiquincentennial. The four grantmakers have committed $9 million to the Funder Collaborative, which is intended to provide financial support to Philadelphia-region nonprofits as they prepare and implement programs commemorating the 250th birthday of the United States on July 4, 2026.