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StateAmerica250 task force outlines $2 million tourism grants, local planning in Park County
Summary
A state-appointed America's 250 task force described a $2 million appropriation from the tourism reserve account and local plans in Park County for 2026 commemorative events, including grant rules, eligibility and a $10,000-per-county set-aside.
A state task force preparing Wyoming's 250th anniversary events said the governor-appointed committee secured a $2,000,000 appropriation from the state's tourism reserve account and is offering county- and community-level grants for legacy projects and events.
The committee chair of the America's 250 task force told the Powell City Council the appropriation came from the statewide lodging-tax-funded tourism reserve. The chair said the committee set aside $10,000 for each county and tribe (a total of $250,000) to support local planning committees and that roughly $1.1 million would be available to communities and nonprofits for grants ranging from $2,500 to $25,000.
The chair said those county-level awards require a county proclamation and a single county committee designated to apply for grants; communities may also compete for open grants for events or legacy projects. The task force is overseeing statewide programming including a documentary, a commemorative book, educational trunks for schools and a media campaign run through the Office of Tourism, the chair said.
Sandy Newsome of Cody and a Park County official (identified in the meeting as Ryan) described local planning and proposed events. Ryan said Park County intends to boost July 4 programming around Cody and Powell with legacy projects such as trail enhancements at the Buffalo Bill Center of the West, public-art efforts, a chuckwagon competition, a farm-to-table event on Powell's Main Street, a cattle drive and other community-focused activities timed around late June and early July 2026.
Ryan said Park County will publish a county website (parkcounty250.com) with traveler- and industry-facing content, submission tools for local event proposals and toolkits for volunteer committees.
The task force chair emphasized the grants are intended for long-lasting projects rather than routine event costs. The chair specifically noted fireworks are ineligible for the grant funds because communities already raise funds for fireworks annually, and the appropriation's intent is to support legacy investments.
Council members did not take formal action on the task force presentation at the meeting. The chair encouraged communities to form committees and submit proposals early; Ryan and local museum staff were listed as points of coordination for Powell and Cody projects.
The task force presentation and Park County examples are part of broader statewide planning ahead of Wyoming's 250th anniversary.
