Celebrating Milestones and Inspiring Momentum
Small City, Big Aspirations
The story of our city is one of vision, perseverance and people who never give up. From our earliest days, we’ve been powered by bold ideas and hard work. GR A250 reflects the entrepreneurial, hands-on spirit that defines us — and it’s what will carry us forward.
Our Guiding Principles
People
Purpose
Progress
The People Who Make It Happen
A250 Steering Committee
Subcommittee Chairs
Preserve GRA 250 efforts and coordinate access and display of past historical documents and records.
Updates
Coordinate with area sports teams and leagues for A250 events and showcasing principles.
Updates
Coordinate with City & County governments for communication and event organization.
Updates
Develop and implement strategies to effectively share information.
Updates
Coordinate and align community civic groups (Rotary, Kiwanis, etc.).
Updates
Coordinate with faith-based communities to increase civic engagement.
Updates
Making a connection between health and safety and community well-being.
Updates
Assess the effectiveness and scale of GRA 250.
Updates
Engage students and educators in GR A250 programs that enahnce awareness and engagement in civics.
Updates
- On October 1, the Bill of Rights Institute will be at the GR Ford Museum for a professional development seminar for teachers on presenting lesson plans about the Bill of Rights and other historical documents.
- Discussion with the National Constitution Center about bringing a teacher development seminar to Grand Rapids sometime in January or February.
- Discussions with Jeff Brenaman, WMU's We Talk, about bringing this program to Grand Rapids. We Talk is an initiative designed to foster respectful civic, social, political, and policy engagement.
Collaborate with manufacturing leaders to highlight importance of civic engagement for community and employee success.
Updates
Coordinate with military to honor contributions to advancing founding principles.
Updates
Partner with museums for exhibits, programming, and awareness.
Updates
Grand Rapids Art Museum:
- In 2025, their June Discovery Day will be the same day as Grand Rapids’ 175th birthday and themed to match, while the 2026 event will be themed around A250.
- Planning a new exhibit which will be thematically tied to A250. They will also develop a tour (with options for guided or self-guided) of approximately 10 pieces of art, which will tie into the anniversary celebrations.
- Themed lectures to accompany the celebrations.
The Hauenstein Center
- A250 will be the highlight of programming in 2026
- This will include their Common Ground programs, with focus on presenting civil discourse from a variety of viewpoints, broadening their current Presidential programming to include A250 content and working with the GVSU Art Museum to bring in art for a multisensory experience.
GVSU Art Musuem
- They are developing an art tour for the fall of 2025, which will be a walking tour using mobile phones. They will have a blog series that will focus on art they are not displaying, whether it is in storage or in other city locations.
-
The fireworks and parade celebration during ArtPrize, Sept 2025, is proposed as the conclusion of GR175 and a launch of GR250 with co-branding across all three assets. Marketing and promotion will begin this summer.
Celebrate the contributions of immigrants and opportunity for civic engagements.
Updates
Mobilize philanthropic support and partnerships.
Updates
Engage local restaurants in the celebrations through themed menus and events that promote community pride and engagement.
Updates
Strengthen international relationships by involving sister cities in the anniversary celebrations.
Updates
Coordinate and align high school and colllege age students.
Updates
General Inquiry
Let’s make this milestone unforgettable.
July 4, 2026