Heritage Stewards Academy
Learn how to care for our local assets.
Preserving our shared heritage is the collective work of residents, municipal leaders, and small organizations who care deeply about our community. The Heritage Stewards Academy videos equip these stewards with the skills and information needed to care for our region’s heritage assets.
Topics
Historic Tax Credits
Learn how you can use federal and state historic tax credits to support your historic building rehabilitation project, with Angelique Bamberg.
What is a historic tax credit?
A Historic Tax Credit or (HTC) is a federal or state tax incentive that encourages private investment in the rehabilitation of historic buildings for income-producing use. The federal program provides a 20% federal tax credit administered by the National Parks Service and the Internal Revenue Service. Pennsylvania (like many other states) also has a state HTC that can be combined with the federal HTC. Both programs require similar application processes and requirements.
Who is this video for?
- Non-profit and For-profit Leaders
- Developers
- Business Owners
- Property Owners
- Heritage stewards looking to preserve structures
What you’ll learn
- An introduction to the federal and PA’s Historic Preservation Tax Credit programs
- Benefits to property owners and developers
- Application process for Federal and PA tax credits
- Tips for a smooth application process
About Angelique Bamberg
Angelique Bamberg, Founder of Clio Consulting, LLC,is an independent consultant specializing in city planning and historic preservation and an instructor in the Department of the History of Art and Architecture at the University of Pittsburgh.
Additional Resources
❖NPS Tax Incentives for Preserving Historic Properties
❖PA Historic Preservation Tax Credit
❖IRS Frequently Asked Questions
❖More info on QREs
❖Novogradac Historic Tax Credit Resource Center
Saving Historic Places
Learn tips from Mindy Crawford, Executive Director of Preservation Pennsylvania, on how to save historic buildings and places that are important to you.
Why try to save older buildings?
Some places hold special meaning to a community or other groups. While not always possible, these places may be retained if enough people pull together and propose alternatives. Places like George Washington’s Mount Vernon, Paul Revere’s house, and Washington County’s own Moon Lorn property were saved because of public intervention. These places may go on to serve new purposes while retaining their historical and cultural significance.
Who is this video for?
- Heritage stewards trying to retain the heritage of their area
- Non-profit Organizations
- Developers and Property Owners of older buildings
- Municipal Leaders
What you’ll learn
- Real world examples of how significant places were saved in Pennsylvania
- Strategies to save these places
- When to pursue preservation efforts and when it may be too late
- Tips to stay informed about the status of historic buildings
About Mindy Crawford and Preservation Pennsylvania
Mindy Crawford has been the Executive Director of Preservation Pennsylvania since 2006. Preservation Pennsylvania is the Commonwealth’s only private statewide nonprofit organization dedicated to helping people preserve the historic places that matter to them.
Additional Resources
Preserving Your Stuff
Melinda Meyer, Public Historian, teaches you how to properly store and preserve your organization’s materials so that these important records and artifacts are safeguarded for the future.
Why spend time and money to preserve tangible materials?
While many organizations are digitizing their files, protecting physical items is just as important. Scanning and photographing items allows them to be utilized more safely, but the original items provide a direct connection to the past. Storing and organizing these valuable items will keep them safe and accessible for future uses.
This video is for entities that maintain historical records and items, including:
- Museums, historical societies, historic sites
- County and municipal government agencies
- Places of worship
- Clubs, groups, nonprofit organizations
- Schools and school groups
What you’ll learn:
- Proper storage methods for records and other materials important to your organization
- How to create the appropriate environment for historical items
- Handling techniques dos and don’ts
- Cataloging structure suggestions
- Software options for cataloging
About Melinda Meyer
Melinda Meyer is a public historian and Preservation Erie board member who has worked with and served the heritage and arts communities of Northwestern Pennsylvania for more than 20 years. She is experienced as an historian, educator, project consultant, grant writer and nonprofit administrator.
Additional Resources
Volunteer Recruitment
Learn the ins and outs of recruiting volunteers for your organization and keeping them engaged from Josh Sherretts, Executive Director of the Crawford County Historical Society.
How are volunteers significant for your organization?
Volunteers can help organizations by assisting with day-to-day operations, special projects, engagement, etc. Their time bolsters the organization by freeing staff to complete other tasks and may provide in-kind match for grants. With a bit of planning, volunteers can be a regular source of support to your group.
This video is for groups that rely upon volunteers, including:
- Museums, historical societies, historic sites
- Clubs, groups, nonprofit organizations
- Schools and school groups
- Places of worship
What you’ll learn:
- How to plan relevant and engaging activities for a variety of volunteers
- Communication strategies to keep volunteers informed
- Types of clearance checks needed for volunteers
- Engagement techniques to tell volunteers that they are valuable to the organization
- Volunteer benefit recommendations
About Josh Sherretts
Josh Sherretts is the Executive Director of the Crawford County Historical Society, which a nonprofit dedicated to helping people, locally and globally, connect with their past while also connecting our past with the present through a research archive, community programming, public museums, and historic interpretation as well as by the historic preservation of properties that contribute to the area’s economic development.
Additional Resources
Consulting Under Section 106
Learn what it means and how your organization can be a consulting party for PennDOT projects that include historic resources, such as buildings, bridges, and archaeological sites.
What are Section 106 and Consulting Parties?
Section 106 of the National Historic Preservation Act of 1966 requires projects using federal funds or needing federal permits to review the project area for potential effects on historic properties. Consulting parties include those with a legal, economic, or historic preservation interest for these projects.
This video is for those who may be consulting parties, including:
- Museums, historical societies, historic sites
- Owners of historic properties
- Owner of property with a historic district
- Municipal government representatives
What you’ll learn:
- Background of the National Historic Preservation Act
- Definitions of common terms associated with these projects
- How to register with PennDOT to be alerted to projects with your area of interest
About Keith Heinrich
Keith Heinrich is an above Ground Cultural Resources Professional for PennDOT Districts 9 and 12, which includes 10 counties in southwestern PA. He previously worked for the PA State Historic Preservation Office as a Historic Preservation Specialist.
Additional Resources
Board Recruitment and Development
All nonprofit organizations need a Board of Directors, but identifying good candidates to fill those positions can be complicated. In this video, you will learn best practices for recruiting board members and keeping them engaged in the organization’s mission.
What is Nonprofit Board Governance?
Nonprofit organizations need Bylaws, Policies, and a Board of Directors to acquire and keep nonprofit status with the IRS. Organizations may function differently from each other, but overall need to follow predetermined bylaws, policies, and roles.
This video is for:
- Board of Directors members
- Nonprofit staff members
- Anyone considering joining a Board
- Emerging nonprofit groups
What you’ll learn:
- What should be included in an organization’s Bylaws and Policies
- Types of Governing Boards
- Roles of Board members
About Wendy Burtner
Wendy Burtner, co-founder of Nonprofit Sidekick, is a nonprofit leader, ally, and coach with more than 25 years of experience leading organizations through transitions and building solid foundations for growth. She brings the “nuts & bolts” of nonprofit management to the nonprofit sector.
Download Wendy’s slides here >>
Additional Resources
Board Governance
Learn about bylaws, policies, and the people who make nonprofit organizations function appropriately as well as types of boards and the roles board members should play to make organizations successful.
What is Nonprofit Board Governance?
Nonprofit organizations need Bylaws, Policies, and a Board of Directors to acquire and keep nonprofit status with the IRS. Organizations may function differently from each other, but overall need to follow predetermined bylaws, policies, and roles.
This video is for:
- Board of Directors members
- Nonprofit staff members
- Anyone considering joining a Board
- Emerging nonprofit groups
What you’ll learn:
- What should be included in an organization’s Bylaws and Policies
- Types of Governing Boards
- Roles of Board members
About Wendy Burtner
Wendy Burtner, co-founder of Nonprofit Sidekick, is a nonprofit leader, ally, and coach with more than 25 years of experience leading organizations through transitions and building solid foundations for growth. She brings the “nuts & bolts” of nonprofit management to the nonprofit sector.
Download Wendy’s slides here >>
Additional Resources
Fundraising
Learn the basics of successful fundraising techniques for your small nonprofit organization as well as fundraising terminology, types of income, and how to strategize to keep your goals on track.
How should my group fundraise?
Of course not all organizations are the same, and they should not have the same fundraising goals or plan. This video will help you understand the types of income your organization may receive, limitations of funding sources, and the basic process of successful fundraising.
This video is for:
- Nonprofit staff members and volunteers
- Board of Directors members
- Emerging nonprofit groups
What you’ll learn:
- Types of contributed income sources
- Earned revenue sources, limitations, and possibilities
- Diversification of funding considerations
- Basics of the fundraising process
About Wendy Burtner
Wendy Burtner, co-founder of Nonprofit Sidekick, is a nonprofit leader, ally, and coach with more than 25 years of experience leading organizations through transitions and building solid foundations for growth. She brings the “nuts & bolts” of nonprofit management to the nonprofit sector.
Download Wendy’s slides here >>
Additional Resources
Succession Planning
Learn how to best be prepared for planned and surprise departures of staff, directors, and board members from your organization. Succession planning for these scenarios will allow your group to operate more effectively during transition periods.
What is Succession Planning?
People, including directors, staff, and board members, may leave organizations for various reasons. Succession plans lay out how to address filling needed positions effectively, whether departures are planned ahead or are unexpected.
This video is for:
- Board of Directors members
- Nonprofit executive directors
- Other nonprofit staff members
What you’ll learn:
- How succession plans can benefit your organization
- Why these plans are important
- How to plan for various types of departures (short and long notice)
- How to plan for board turnover due to term limits
About Wendy Burtner
Wendy Burtner, co-founder of Nonprofit Sidekick, is a nonprofit leader, ally, and coach with more than 25 years of experience leading organizations through transitions and building solid foundations for growth. She brings the “nuts & bolts” of nonprofit management to the nonprofit sector.
Download Wendy’s slides here >>
Additional Resources
This project was financed in part by a grant from the Community Conservation Partnerships Program, Pennsylvania Heritage Areas Program, under the administration of the Pennsylvania Department of Conservation and Natural Resources, Bureau of Recreation and Conservation.