YOUNGSTOWN — Youngstown received the designation as an America 250-Ohio City, which gives city organizations the opportunity to receive grants of up to $5,000 to plan activities and events in preparation for the celebration of the 250th anniversary of the nation’s founding.

Youngstown joins Braceville in Trumbull County and Salem and East Liverpool in Columbiana County in obtaining the designation, which requires communities to sign a resolution. Youngstown is the first community in Mahoning County to receive the designation.

Other communities can join online at America250-ohio.org.

Local organizations in designated communities can receive state grants of up to $5,000 for activities and events to celebrate the anniversary on July 4, 2026. They also receive digital toolkits and work with other participants to plan the event.

Youngstown Councilwoman Samantha Turner, D-3rd Ward, is on the 29-member America 250-Ohio Commission. She is the only Mahoning Valley representative on the commission that also includes Sharon L. Kennedy, chief justice of the Ohio Supreme Court and former Gov. Ted Strickland, as well as museum directors and a number of current and former elected officials.

Youngstown Mayor Jamael Tito Brown said: “As America embarks on its 250th anniversary, we are honored to be part of the celebration by sharing Youngstown’s part in our country’s journey.”

America 250-Ohio is a multi-year commemoration that works to put Ohio in the spotlight for the nation’s semiquincentennial.

State Rep. Lauren McNally, D-Youngstown, said: “Youngstown has an incredibly rich history from everything to art and manufacturing, and I’m thrilled the state is honoring that history with this designation. I’m looking forward to working with our local leaders to celebrate this momentous time in our history.”