America 250 Celebration at Cotesworth
Website, Branding & Grant Success
A free community festival celebrating America’s semiquincentennial, powered by strategic digital presence and grant writing.
The Chakchiuma Chapter of the Daughters of the American Revolution (DAR) needed to establish a modern digital presence, secure funding for a signature event, and promote the America 250 Celebration at the historic Cotesworth Cultural and Heritage Center in Carrollton, Mississippi.
My role: end‑to‑end project lead – from website design and social media setup to grant writing and event photography.
The Challenge
The chapter had no official website or social media presence, no dedicated event page for the America 250 celebration, and no funding source for what would become a $10,000 community festival.
My Solutions
🌐 Website & Digital Presence – Squarespace website (chakchiumadar.org) with custom design, mobile optimization, officer page, blog, and integrated contact form. Also launched and managed the official Facebook page.
📝 Grant Writing – Authored the successful $5,000 America250 Mississippi grant proposal, including narrative, budget, and 1:1 match strategy. The grant was approved by the Mississippi Humanities Council.
📱 Social Media Strategy – Developed a 3‑post‑per‑week content calendar and a Facebook event page that drove hundreds of attendees.
🎨 Graphic Design – Created the event poster, handout schedule, and social media graphics.
🎭 Event Support & Photography – Documented the 5‑hour festival (10 AM–3 PM) with professional photography, resulting in a shareable album that continues to promote the chapter’s work.
Results
$10,000 total event budget ($5,000 grant + $5,000 match)
Free festival with living history, colonial dance, Patrick Henry & Thomas Jefferson portrayals, children’s activities, food trucks, and 200 free Pocket Constitutions
Ongoing digital assets – website, Facebook page, and photo archive for future chapter use
“Alicia was invaluable from start to finish – building our website, winning the grant, and capturing the event beautifully. I can’t imagine pulling this off without her.”
– Melanie Bowman, Regent, Chakchiuma Chapter NSDAR
