American Battlefield Trust Launches the Most Ambitious Fundraising Campaign in the History of the Battlefield Preservation Movement
(Washington, D.C.) — In recognition of the nation’s imminent 250th birthday, the American Battlefield Trust has launched the most ambitious effort in battlefield preservation history: a $125 million capital campaign that will revolutionize the organization’s ability to proactively pursue its mission. Our Enduring Legacy: The Campaign to Preserve, Educate, and Inspire will enable the Trust to safeguard our nation’s historic battlefields for future generations by providing the critical resources needed to expand preservation efforts, meet today’s challenges, and seize tomorrow’s opportunities. Thanks to the generosity of early donors, the Trust is already more than 80 percent of the way to its comprehensive fundraising goal and looks to secure the balance by July 4, 2026.
“We safeguard hallowed grounds entrusted to us by previous generations. They did the best they could to preserve them but it is now up to us,” said Trust President David Duncan. “It is our duty to enhance them with modern tools for a modern audience. Every contribution made to this cause is another step toward ensuring that these historic places endure.”
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. Although the campaign is timed to align with the Revolutionary War’s milestone and it will materially advance a pledge to protect 2,500 acres of Revolutionary War battlefields during the 250th anniversary, Civil War and War of 1812 sites will also benefit from the influx of financial resources.
The campaign’s centerpiece is the creation of a Battlefield Readiness Fund, which will enable the Trust to move quickly and compete effectively against deep-pocketed developers who can make compelling cash-forward offers. It will also foster 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.
It will also supercharge programs that transform how people connect and interact with history. From traditional wayside signs and classroom lesson plans to innovative augmented and virtual reality productions, the Trust’s education materials are deeply rooted in the power of place. Our Enduring Legacy will focus on the creation of interpretive bundles for 40 prioritized battlefields, ensuring high-quality physical and digital interpretation that will inspire curiosity and connection to the places where history unfolded. This customized mix of digital resources and traditional storytelling is designed to create a deep, immersive experience for every visitor particular to the unique aspects of that site. Highlighting the Trust’s commitment to K-12 education, the campaign will enable 10 million students to experience the power of a battlefield visit, either through our History Field Trip Grant Program or our award-winning Virtual Field Trips.
Further details on specific goals and metrics of the campaign are available at www.ourenduringlegacy.org.
From a grassroots organization started by historians 30 years ago, the American Battlefield Trust has grown into one of the most successful private heritage land preservation organizations in the nation. The 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 nearly 60,000 acres associated with the Revolutionary War, War of 1812 and Civil War, representing more than 160 sites in 25 states. Its 350,000 members and supporters believe in the power of place and the continued relevance of history as a means to fully understand our rights and responsibilities as Americans. Learn more at www.battlefields.org.
###