(The Lion) — French visitor Alexis de Tocqueville famously cited early-American philanthropy as a unique strength of the young republic.

These many years later, American altruism is an even greater strength – a fact that will be celebrated and explored at the nonprofit Center for Civil Society’s “Givers, Doers, & Thinkers Conference: America at 250” Nov. 5-6 in Philadelphia.

The center’s fifth annual GDT conference will see some 300 nonprofit leaders, donors and businessmen gather to share ideas and innovations and “explore the role that civil society – and freedom of association – has played, and will play, in shaping and driving American culture.”

America’s semiquincentennial in 2026 will take center stage this year “to discuss America at 250.”

Registration, available here, is open until Nov. 2.

After an optional historic tour the afternoon of Nov. 5 and evening cocktail reception with keynote speaker Dr. Kevin Roberts, president of the Heritage Foundation, the actual conference Nov. 6 from 7:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., followed by a closing reception, will examine:

• The Founding Fathers: What role did the Founding Fathers think civil society – and civil action – should play in shaping American culture?
• The Policy Perspective: What could, or should, the current administration do to promote the revivification of civil society and the art of association?
• The Religious Landscape: Just how crucial are religious institutions in furthering civil society, historically and today—and what threats do they face in filling this role?
• Supporting Families: As the most basic unit of civil society, what is the state of the American family? And what more can, or should, be done, publicly and privately, to support families?
• What Comes Next: How is the charitable sector, especially philanthropists and philanthropic institutions, finding innovative ways to set America up for another 250 years of exceptionalism?

America’s 250th celebration, already under way, is an even more momentous occasion than 1976’s bicentennial – especially given the rise in recent decades of corrosive America bashing in education, says Jack Fowler, senior director of strategic partnerships for AmPhil, a leading fundraising consulting firm that gave rise to the Center for Civil Society.

“As a high-school student, I remember vividly how important our widespread Bicentennial celebrations were to teaching American kids about our history, our civic makeup, the distinct greatness of our nation, and the courage it took to create and sustain this Republic,” Fowler said in a statement to The Lion.

“It’s an understatement to say America’s current generation of students are facing radically different circumstances: We live at a time where ‘1776’ has been vilified by ideologues, many who teach such from kindergarten through senior year of high school.

“That’s why the forthcoming ‘Semiquincentennial’ of America’s founding is a most-timely opportunity to engage in serious and widespread public efforts to truthfully educate our youth – and indeed all Americans – about the critical whats and whys of the founding of this great Republic, about our Creator-endowed unalienable rights, and about all that flourished from our declaring Independence.

“With July 4th, 2026 fast approaching, the Center for Civil Society’s America at 250 conference in Philadelphia is an important setting for patriots and citizens, for ‘givers, doers, and thinkers’ – and particularly for educators, maybe especially those in Christian and faith-based schools – to make the most of the looming anniversary’s great opportunity by gathering to discuss and reflect upon the vital ways in which ‘We the people,’ through charitable organizations and voluntary associations and faith-based institutions, have played – and must continue to play – a vital role in defining the exceptional character of what Abraham Lincoln, the son of the Founders, rightly described as ‘the last best hope of earth’ which ‘God must forever bless.’”

The Center for Civil Society (C4CS) “exists to renew the American culture of generosity, fellowship, and liberty that fosters vibrant communities across the nation. We do this by conducting programs and activities that increase the knowledge and efficacy of America’s nonprofit organizations, charitable foundations, and individual donors.”