American Battlefield Trust Celebrates Successful Completion of Ambitious, $165 Million Capital Campaign
(Washington, D.C.) — Just 15 months after entering the public phase of a capital campaign timed to commemorate the nation’s 250th birthday, the American Battlefield Trust has declared victory in the most ambitious fundraising effort in the history of the battlefield preservation movement. Our Enduring Legacy: The Campaign to Preserve, Educate and Inspire was initially announced as a $125 million goal, but the generosity of Trust donors prompted an extension up to $145 million. The total amount raised by the nation’s 250th anniversary reached an incredible $165 million, surpassing even the expanded goal.
The initiative could not have come at a better time — and not just because of the milestone anniversary. Historic battlefield landscapes are disappearing at an alarming rate due to relentless development pressure and a generational shift in land use patterns. Demand for huge swaths of raw land for massive solar farms, data centers and distribution infrastructure is driving land prices up exponentially, threatening to price preservation groups out of key markets. The fund has already been put to use, saving more than 3,000 acres of potentially at-risk land.
“I can think of no better, more permanent or tangible legacy of our nation’s semiquincentennial than ensuring the protection of places where we can reflect upon the service and sacrifice of the Patriot ancestors who secured our independence,” said Trust President David Duncan. “When our grandchildren gather to mark the nation’s 300th birthday, our work will ensure they can stand in the footsteps of history to do so.”
A centerpiece of the campaign was the creation of a first-of-its-kind Battlefield Readiness Fund, a targeted ready reserve of capital that gives the organization the power to act quickly and compete effectively against developers to save endangered historic land, especially at 40 top-priority battlefields. It also fostered confidence to proactively cultivate transactions that include ambitious restoration and rehabilitation projects, confident in the ability to complete work that returns properties to more closely resemble their wartime appearance without sacrificing future acquisition efforts.
Meanwhile, the Trust also sought to create interpretive opportunities that transform fields and forests into outdoor classrooms. Important but underappreciated sites, like New Jersey’s Revolutionary War Princeton Battlefield, received a customized portfolio of interpretive resources ensuring a deep, immersive experience for visitors. From mobile apps to animated maps, interactive signage and more, the package is tailored to the unique needs of each particular battlefield, making visits inspirational, not just informative.
The American Battlefield Trust is dedicated to preserving America’s hallowed battlegrounds and educating the public about what happened there and why it matters today. The nonprofit, nonpartisan organization has protected more than 63,000 acres associated with the Revolutionary War, War of 1812 and Civil War across 160 sites in 25 states. Learn more at www.battlefields.org.
###
