CWRT PRESERVATION MISSION SURVEY ANALYSIS

When asked CWRTS whether or not preservation was in the mission statement, most stated it was part of their mission statement. Others said it was not and provided a reasoning why that was omitted by their founders. And, still others said it was not part of their mission statement, but they practices preservation during their operation months.

• CWRTs should seriously consider adding preservation and conservation to their mission statements and incorporate supporting activities. CWRTs should do this for several reasons: It demonstrates a commitment to public history education; It can deepen the understanding of American history; and it enhances our ability to tell the story of war and its aftermath.

• CWRTs could expand their understanding of the terms preservation and conservation beyond battlefields to include projects involving monuments, headstones, flags, mementos, diaries and memories of all those who contributed to their war effort.

• Preservation is most often associated with “battlefield” preservation. And, most CWRTs simply make an annual donation to a an annual donation to a national or regional organization.

• Those CWRTs nearest to a Civil War battlefield or military park have the ability become park partners, i.e., “Park Day Maintenance” projects and use that as an opportunity to tell the story of their CWRT and attract new members.

• Fundraising for preservation is most often successful given the following factors:
• The project is specific
• The benefits of the project are known
• A reasonable fundraising goal is established
• Partner organizations are developed and utilized
• A comfortable methodology is used
• The above is widely communicated
• The effort has rewards for participants and is fun!

• A combined fundraising and membership campaign is the best way to become attractive to others. When potential members see that the organization is concerned enough to develop and seek funding for a worthwhile and historical project, that the members are having fun doing it and that they are also recruiting new members, the attractiveness is unmistakable.

• CWRTs with a positive presence in their communities attract more involved members, have an easier time bringing in top-notched speakers and have more fun in the monthly meetings, their extra-curricular meetings and their preservation projects.