November 13-14, 2024
Herndon, Virginia
Sponsored by Americana Corner and American Battlefield Trust
The Preserving America Conference is designed to empower battlefield park partners and historical sites with the tools needed to achieve greater sustainability.
The two-day workshop, sponsored by Americana Corner and the American Battlefield Trust, is tailored to small but motivated organizations with modest budgets, and will showcase best practices in development, marketing, and programming. Attendees will receive expert guidance on how to improve fundraising efforts, maximize public awareness of their site’s historical significance, and increase community engagement through an exchange of knowledge, resources, and real-world experiences.
With assistance from Americana Corner and the American Battlefield Trust, participating organizations will develop and implement a comprehensive action plan containing specific objectives and key performance indicators that will help guide them to success. Attendees will receive priority during the 2025 Preserving America Grant selection process to fund action plan initiatives up to $10,000.
Participation is limited to twenty organizations to cultivate an environment for meaningful dialogue and collaboration. Once selected to attend the Preserving America Conference, participants will receive registration information. See below for more details.
The online application will be available July 1-31, 2024. Applicants invited to participate will be notified on or before September 17, 2024.
Agenda
Presenters
Travel
Conference Details
There is no cost to apply, but accepted attendees must pay a $250 registration fee.
Participation limited to 20 organizations, two attendees per organization.
Meals provided; travel and accommodations are the responsibility of the attendee.
Attendees are encouraged to apply for an Americana Corner Preserving America Grant, valued at up to $10,000, to fund action plan items. The online grant application will be available November 15 to December 15, 2024, and grant recipients will be announced on February 22, 2025. Attendee applications will receive priority during the grant selection process.
APPLICATION CRITERIA
Attendees must represent a battlefield park partner or friends group or related historical site including forts, encampments, armories, trails and landmarks or other early American history organizations focused on our nation’s Founding Era (1607) through Reconstruction (1876).
Organization must be recognized by the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) as tax-exempt under section 501(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code.
Organization must be non-partisan and non-political.
The organization’s historic site and its buildings must be open to the public a minimum of three days per week between Memorial Day and Labor Day.
Preference given to organizations that have:
Successfully completed an Americana Corner Preserving America Grant project and /or
Participated in the American Battlefield Trust’s annual Park Day volunteerism event.
ATTENDANCE CRITERIA
Application must be submitted by July 31, 2024, but does not guarantee acceptance to event.
Applicants invited to attend will receive a registration link on September 17, 2024. Registration must be completed by September 30, 2024, or your seat(s) will be released.
Organization agrees that the Preserving America Conference shall have full discretion regarding the timing, requirements, and all other aspects of the event.
Oganization agrees to allow Americana Corner and the American Battlefield Trust to share its contact information with fellow attendees and other groups so they can collaborate as opportunities develop.
Organization agrees to participate as follows:
Complete an online survey prior to the event to provide insight into organization objectives and goals.
Develop a post-conference plan during the conference with assistance from Americana Corner and American Battlefield Trust.
Post updates to social media on post-conference plan action items where appropriate, acknowledging both Americana Corner and the American Battlefield Trust. (A media kit will be provided to assist with this.)
The application window is closed. Applicants invited to participate will be notified on or before September 17, 2024.
