Preservation Resource Center of New Orleans

What Preservation Resource Center of New Orleans does

The Preservation Resource Center of New Orleans (PRC) is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit founded in 1971 and headquartered at 923 Tchoupitoulas Street, focused on the preservation of New Orleans' historic architecture, neighborhoods, and cultural identity. The organization operates a multi-program portfolio spanning advocacy (working with the Historic District Landmarks Commission and World Monuments Fund), public education (Preservation in Print magazine, classes, travel programs), direct financial support (Revival Grants), and experiential programming (a rotating calendar of themed home tours including the Spring Home Tour, MidMod Tour, Holiday Home Tour, Architecture Tour, and Cemetery Tour, plus Beams & Brews). PRC also runs a retail shop and the Bridge to Crafts Careers workforce-development initiative training preservation trades such as masonry and carpentry.

PRC's business model is a diversified nonprofit revenue stack: individual memberships, charitable donations, ticketed tour and event revenue, shop merchandise sales, grants, and corporate/institutional sponsorships. Notable institutional partners include the Louisiana Department of Insurance, Smart Home America, and Travelers Insurance on insurance-market and resilience issues, in addition to HDLC and World Monuments Fund. In March 2025 PRC acquired Save Our Cemeteries, extending its programmatic scope to the city's above-ground cemeteries.

The organization is led by Executive Director Kristin Gisleson Palmer with Directors of Advocacy/Education (MaryNell Nolan-Wheatley) and Conservation/Education (Michelle Shoriak). Headcount is in the 11-50 range. Financials are not publicly disclosed in the input; typical comparable preservation nonprofits of this size operate in the low single-digit millions of dollars in annual revenue, though PRC's M&A activity and insurance-sector partnerships suggest episodic larger fundraising events.

Name

Preservation Resource Center of New Orleans

Legal name

The Preservation Alliance of New Orleans, Inc.

Website

https://prcno.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

1971

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

The Preservation Resource Center of New Orleans is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit founded in 1971 that advocates for and educates the public on New Orleans' historic architecture, neighborhoods, and cultural identity through home tours, grants, publications, workforce training, and partnerships with regulators and insurers.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Historic Preservation Services

NAICS

Historical Sites (71212), Museums, Historical Sites, and Similar Institutions (712)

akta.pro primary industry

Historic Preservation & Landmarks Conservation (BPAGAHAE)

akta.pro secondary industries

Cultural Heritage Institutions (Archives, Historic Houses, Monuments Foundations) (THAJADAI), Cultural Heritage & Historic District Tours (THAJAAAB)

Keywords

• Historic preservation services
• Architecture tours
• Cemetery preservation
• Community advocacy
• Heritage education

Headquarters

HQ city

New Orleans

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D

Revenue model

1. Memberships: PRC generates revenue through annual and ongoing membership programs where supporters join to support preservation efforts.
2. Donations: Direct charitable contributions from individuals, foundations, and corporations supporting the preservation mission.
3. Event Tickets and Tours: Revenue from guided architecture tours, cemetery tours, home tours, Beams & Brews events, and educational classes.
4. Shop Sales: E-commerce sales of apparel, home decor, books, and other merchandise through the PRC shop.
5. Sponsorships: Corporate sponsorships for events including Spring Home Tour (tiers from $250 neighborhood sponsor to $10,000 presenting sponsor) and other PRC events.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels5 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

PRCNO delivers historic preservation advocacy before the HDLC and City Council, operates public home and architecture tours (Spring Home Tour, Mid-Mod Home Tour, Holiday Home Tour), preserves historic cemeteries through the Save Our Cemeteries partnership, awards Revival Grants to low- and moderate-income homeowners for repair and weatherization, and publishes Preservation in Print, the organization's longstanding preservation magazine. Educational offerings include classes, workshops, the Bridge to Crafts Careers workforce program, and curated heritage travel.

Product overview

The Preservation Resource Center of New Orleans is a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization operating as a single unified organization focused on preserving historic architecture, neighborhoods, and cultural identity in New Orleans. The organization offers a portfolio of interconnected programs and services including: historic home tours (Spring Home Tour, MidMod Home Tour, Holiday Home Tour, Beams & Brews), cemetery preservation and tours through Save Our Cemeteries, architecture tours of historic neighborhoods, the Revival Grants Program providing free home repairs to income-qualified homeowners, professional development via the Bridge to Crafts Careers Program, the Preservation in Print monthly magazine, the Jazz Plaques Program installing historic markers, travel programs, advocacy services, and educational classes. Revenue-generating tours and events fund the organization's grant programs and advocacy work.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Historic Home Tours (Spring, Mid-Mod, Holiday) Ticketed, recurring neighborhood tours showcasing owner-restored historic homes in New Orleans; flagship Spring Home Tour, Mid-Mod Home Tour, and Holiday Home Tour events for tour-goers and cultural visitors.
• Architecture Tours Guided tours exploring New Orleans' architectural history, styles, and neighborhoods for tourists, residents, and design enthusiasts.
• Cemetery Tours (Save Our Cemeteries) Ticketed guided tours of historic New Orleans cemeteries operated through a partnership with Save Our Cemeteries, supporting cemetery preservation.
• Beams & Brews Construction Site Events Ticketed social events held at active historic restoration sites across New Orleans, blending preservation education with food and beverage.
• Revival Grants Program Competitive grant funding awarded to income-qualified homeowners of historic properties for weatherization and repair work, administered by PRCNO.
• Fortify Homes Program PRCNO grant funding program assisting historic homeowners with insurance-mitigation and storm-related improvements to their properties.
• Preservation in Print Magazine Longstanding PRCNO publication covering New Orleans' historic architecture, neighborhoods, and preservation news; distributed to members and broader public.
• Bridge to Crafts Careers Program Workforce-development training program preparing new craftspeople for careers in historic preservation trades, addressing labor shortages in restoration work.
• Travel with PRC (Heritage Travel) Curated heritage travel programs produced by PRCNO that extend the organization's preservation focus into group trips beyond New Orleans.
• Educational Classes and Workshops Public-facing classes and workshops on preservation topics offered through PRCNO headquarters and the Illana Firestone and Daniel C. Thompson Preservation Center.
• PRCNO Merchandise Shop E-commerce storefront at prcno.org/shop selling branded merchandise and preservation-related goods to members and supporters.

Quantifiable outcome

• More than 65 jazz landmark plaques installed throughout New Orleans neighborhoods
• +1 more outcomes

Named customers2 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration1 record

Partnerships

17 partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Historic District Landmarks Commission (HDLC)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPRC partners with HDLC to offer free courses (Navigating the HDLC) designed to help property owners understand the HDLC application process and avoid frustrations. Yvette Jett, HDLC Senior Architectural Historian, teaches these sessions. PRC also advocates in HDLC proceedings on demolition and renovation applications.
• World Monuments FundcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPRC and World Monuments Fund co-host the Bridge to Crafts Careers program - one-week sessions exploring historic building trades through hands-on learning at cemetery sites.
• Louisiana Department of InsurancecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership to administer gap funding for the Louisiana Fortify Homes Program, providing grants up to $10,000 for roof hardening. PRC helps qualified low- to moderate-income homeowners cover costs beyond the state grant.
• Smart Home AmericaminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerNonprofit promoting stronger, more disaster-resistant homes and communities. Expert resource for FORTIFIED Roof standards information that PRC provides to historic homeowners.
• Alexander Historic RenovationsminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerHistoric renovation firm collaborated on 2349 Laurel Street restoration project featured at Beams & Brews event. Worked with PRC guidelines and HDLC compliance.
• CULTIVO Architecture & PreservationminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerArchitecture firm partnered on 2349 Laurel Street restoration project ensuring adherence to appropriate preservation guidelines and HDLC coordination.
• Chez Holliday DesignminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerDesign firm collaborated on 2349 Laurel Street restoration project in Irish Channel featured at Beams & Brews event.
• Dixie ConstructionminorGTM or Marketing PartnerPresenting sponsor of PRC's Beams & Brews series - construction company supporting community education events about historic renovation projects.
• True TitleminorGTM or Marketing PartnerBeams sponsor for PRC's Beams & Brews series supporting construction site education events.
• Urban South BreweryminorGTM or Marketing PartnerProvides beverages for Beams & Brews events, supporting PRC's educational construction site visits.
• Spruce - Wallpaper, Fabric & DesignminorGTM or Marketing PartnerSpring Home Tour sponsor providing support for the annual preservation event.
• Hancock WhitneyminorGTM or Marketing PartnerSpring Home Tour sponsor - financial institution supporting annual preservation event.
• Landis ConstructionminorGTM or Marketing PartnerSpring Home Tour sponsor - construction company supporting annual preservation event.
• Toulouse MillworksminorGTM or Marketing PartnerSpring Home Tour sponsor - millwork company supporting annual preservation event.
• Times-PicayuneminorGTM or Marketing PartnerSpring Home Tour sponsor - media outlet supporting annual preservation event.
• 89.9 WWNOminorGTM or Marketing PartnerSpring Home Tour sponsor - public radio station supporting annual preservation event.
• Lowe'sminorGTM or Marketing PartnerSpring Home Tour sponsor - home improvement retailer supporting annual preservation event.

Scale indicators6 records

Recent moves5 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• The Historic New Orleans Collection: A New Orleans-based museum and research center focused on preserving the city's history through collections, exhibitions, and publications. Directly comparable as a heritage nonprofit operating in the same geography with overlapping preservation and education missions.
• Foundation for Historical Louisiana: A Baton Rouge-based nonprofit dedicated to historic preservation in Louisiana. Closely comparable as a peer state-level preservation organization with overlapping mission scope (education, advocacy, grants) though in a different metro.
• Preservation Alliance of Greater Philadelphia: A nonprofit dedicated to preserving Philadelphia's historic buildings and neighborhoods. Directly comparable in mission, structure, and operating model (advocacy, education, tours, technical assistance to homeowners) but in a different metropolitan market.
• Preservation Society of Newport County: A Newport, Rhode Island nonprofit that preserves historic properties and offers public tours and educational programming. Directly comparable as a heritage nonprofit combining property tours, advocacy, and membership-funded preservation work.
• Landmarks Preservation Council of Illinois: A Chicago-area nonprofit dedicated to preserving historic architecture through advocacy, education, and tours. Comparable as a city-anchored preservation advocacy and education organization with similar program structure.

Broad incumbents

• National Trust for Historic Preservation: The leading national preservation nonprofit in the U.S. Comparable as the umbrella advocacy and grant-making body for the preservation movement PRC operates within; PRC is effectively a local affiliate node in this national ecosystem.
• New Orleans Museum of Art: The primary fine arts museum in New Orleans. Comparable as a large nonprofit cultural institution in the same geography that PRC intersects with through tourism, education, and civic partnerships.
• World Monuments Fund: An international preservation nonprofit that PRC directly partners with on the Bridge to Crafts Careers program. Comparable as a global operator in the same mission space with overlapping educational and workforce programming.

Regional players

• French Quarter Festivals Inc. A New Orleans nonprofit that produces large-scale heritage and cultural festivals. Comparable as a local nonprofit using cultural programming and events as both mission delivery and fundraising mechanisms.

Others

• Greater New Orleans Foundation: A community foundation serving the New Orleans region. Comparable as a peer 501(c)(3) institution PRC may interact with for grant funding, donor pipelines, and capacity-building partnerships.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/PRCNO
• YouTubeyoutube.com/c/PreservationResourceCenterofNewOrleans
• Facebookfacebook.com/prcno
• Instagraminstagram.com/prcnola
• TikToktiktok.com/@prcnola

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles3 records

Subsidiaries1 record

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A1 record

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Preservation Resource Center of New Orleans