National Commander Wiley will present special plaques on stage at national convention to the top fundraising departments in six categories of the USA 250 Challenge.
American Legion National Commander Dan K. Wiley is encouraging departments to finish the USA 250 Challenge strong, issuing a fundraising challenge — raise $150,000 by the close of the campaign, July 4.
Wiley will present special plaques on stage at national convention to the departments with the highest fundraising totals at the conclusion of the challenge.
Not only are the fundraisers and donors helping their department, they are also contributing toward a worthwhile cause. Donations for the USA 250 Challenge go toward the Veterans & Children Foundation, which benefits disabled veterans and military families in need.
As of April 1, the leading departments in each category are Indiana, California, Tennessee, North Carolina, New Mexico and France. In the past month, France pushed ahead to claim the top spot in its category.
Category 1, comprised of departments with the highest membership totals, is not only the smallest category but the closest one. With more than three months remaining, the races are close enough that any department could win its respective category. The categories are:
Category 1: California, Florida, New York, Ohio and Pennsylvania.
Category 2: Illinois, Indiana, Maryland, Michigan, Minnesota, Texas, Virginia and Wisconsin
Category 3: Arizona, Georgia, Iowa, Massachusetts, Missouri, Nebraska, New Jersey and North Carolina.
Category 4: Alabama, Colorado, Connecticut, Kansas, Kentucky, Louisiana, Maine, New Hampshire, North Dakota, Oklahoma, Oregon, South Carolina, South Dakota, Tennessee, Washington and West Virginia
Category 5: Alaska, Arkansas, Delaware, Idaho, Mississippi, Montana, Nevada, New Mexico, Utah and Vermont.
Category 6: District of Columbia, France, Hawaii, Latin America, Puerto Rico, Rhode Island and Wyoming.
All funds raised from July 4, 2025, through July 4 of this year will count toward the department totals.
How to fundraise
We have simplified the fundraising process and also created reward tiers for fundraisers who achieve certain benchmarks.
To start your fundraising campaign, head to your participant account page and log in. From there, check out this handy FAQ that will walk you through a few steps to get started.
Rewards for fundraising participants
You can now earn special commemorative items by hitting various fundraising tiers. They are:
• Participants who raise at least $250, receive a USA 250 Challenge hat pin.
• Participants who raise at least $500, receive a USA 250 Challenge coin and a personalized certificate of appreciation.
• Participants who raise at least $2,500, receive a personalized plaque signed by National Commander Dan K. Wiley.
For assistance or questions, please email: donorservices@legion.org
- USA250 Challenge