American Battlefield Trust

What American Battlefield Trust does

The American Battlefield Trust is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization founded in 1987 (originally as the Civil War Trust, later merged in 2018 with the Revolutionary War Trust) and headquartered in Washington, D.C., whose core mission is the permanent preservation of American Revolutionary War, War of 1812, and Civil War battlefields. To date the Trust has saved more than 63,000 acres of battlefield land across the United States, executing acquisitions through targeted fundraising campaigns (e.g., a $1M Kennesaw Mountain acquisition in 2026 and a $3.6M Chalmette expansion campaign) that pair private donations with federal and state matching funds.

Its core products are digital and educational rather than physical software: the battlefields.org content platform, the Liberty Trail mobile apps (South Carolina, North Carolina, Virginia, New York), the Battle Maps: America's Wars app, 360-degree virtual tours, animated battle maps, and an educator portal with field trip grants, traveling trunks, and curriculum resources. Supporting programs include the Park Day volunteer initiative (475,000+ cumulative volunteer hours across 30 years), the $50,000 Military History Book Prize, and the American Revolution Experience traveling exhibit co-produced with the Daughters of the American Revolution. The Trust also sells history-themed merchandise through shop.battlefields.org and operates a marker/historical-signage program.

The business model is a multi-channel nonprofit fundraising operation: revenue is generated through tiered annual membership dues (including the premium Color Bearer level), general charitable donations, legacy/planned giving (bequests, IRA charitable distributions, vehicle donations), and merchandise sales, with a distribution footprint spanning the website, a self-serve membership portal, six social media platforms, email marketing, and toll-free phone and mail donation channels. Customer segments span K-12 educators, heritage tourists, individual history enthusiasts, veterans (via the AVAR archaeology program), youth leaders, and major donors.

Name

American Battlefield Trust

Legal name

American Battlefield Trust

Website

https://battlefields.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

1990

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Historic Battlefield Preservation Services

NAICS

Historical Sites (71212)

akta.pro primary industry

Land Trusts & Protected Areas (BPAGAGAC)

Keywords

• Battlefield preservation
• Historic land conservation
• Heritage education
• Nonprofit membership
• Military history preservation

Headquarters

HQ city

Washington

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, Others

Revenue model

1. Membership Dues: Annual membership program offering tiered benefits including quarterly Hallowed Ground magazine, exclusive tours, and recognition levels such as Color Bearer status
2. General Donations: Tax-deductible charitable donations supporting specific preservation campaigns, with federal and state matching programs amplifying individual contributions
3. Merchandise Sales: Online retail store selling history-themed books, apparel, and gifts with proceeds supporting preservation mission
4. Legacy Giving: Planned giving programs including bequests, donor advised funds, IRA charitable distributions, and vehicle donations

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels5 records

Marketing channels8 records

Core offering

American Battlefield Trust is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization (EIN 54-1426643) that preserves American battlefields from the Revolutionary War, War of 1812, and Civil War through land acquisition and easements. The Trust funds preservation campaigns primarily via individual donations and memberships, and supplements these with educational digital tools, mobile applications, virtual battlefield tours, a quarterly magazine, and an online store selling heritage merchandise.

Product overview

The American Battlefield Trust operates a comprehensive digital platform centered on Battlefields.org, which serves as the primary hub for educational content about Revolutionary War, War of 1812, and Civil War battles. The organization offers multiple mobile applications including The Liberty Trail apps for South Carolina, North Carolina, Virginia, and New York, as well as the Battle Maps: America's Wars app. The digital portfolio includes virtual 360° tours, animated battle maps, and an extensive collection of articles, biographies, and videos. For educators, the organization provides a dedicated portal with free resources including History Field Trip Grants, Traveling Trunks, and curriculum materials. Membership offerings include the quarterly Hallowed Ground magazine and the premium Color Bearer tier with exclusive historian-led tours. The Trust also operates an e-commerce store and conducts land preservation campaigns through targeted fundraising initiatives.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Hallowed Ground Magazine: The award-winning quarterly membership magazine of the American Battlefield Trust featuring articles on American military history.
• Battle Maps: America's Wars App
• The Liberty Trail
• Youth Leadership Team
• Color Bearers

Products and services

• Battlefields.org Website
• Battle Maps Mobile App
• Liberty Trail Mobile App
• Virtual Battlefield Tours
• Educator Portal
• Hallowed Ground Magazine
• Color Bearer Membership
• Online Store
• American Battlefield Trust Prize for History

Quantifiable outcome

• $1.5 billion in annual visitor spending supported by battlefield parks
• +3 more outcomes

Named customers4 records

Segments1 record

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature4 records

Partnerships

Five partnerships are on record, tiered minor and core.

• RRC AssociatesminorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 11 June 2026Research firm commissioned to conduct economic impact study of battlefield parks using cell phone tracking and National Park Service data. Study found $1.5 billion in annual visitor spending.
• Georgia Battlefields AssociationminorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 8 June 2026Local partner supporting the $1 million acquisition of 2.63 acres at Kennesaw Mountain National Battlefield Park. Joint effort to preserve critical sections of the Atlanta Campaign battlefield.
• Historic Camden FoundationminorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 26 February 2026Partner hosting the 2026 AVAR Conflict Archaeology Field School in Camden, South Carolina. The four-week program invites veterans to explore Revolutionary War sites while training for heritage sector careers.
• American Veterans Archaeological Recovery (AVAR)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 26 February 2026Veterans archaeological organization providing employment and training opportunities. Veterans completing the field school become eligible for employment through AVAR at sites across the United States. American Battlefield Trust provides continued funding.
• Daughters of the American Revolution (DAR)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 21 November 2025Joint partnership to produce and distribute the American Revolution Experience traveling exhibit, now extended through 2027 due to high demand. The exhibit has been experienced by over 70,000 visitors from all 50 states.

Scale indicators15 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• The Trust for Public Land: A national land conservation nonprofit that acquires and stewards land for public benefit, including historic and cultural sites. Uses a comparable federal/state matching fund model and serves overlapping donor and policy advocacy audiences.
• The Conservation Fund: A national nonprofit focused on conservation land acquisition with strong federal and corporate partnership programs. Operates a similar blended fundraising and matching-grant model aimed at protecting environmentally and culturally significant lands.
• The Archaeological Conservancy: A national nonprofit that acquires and preserves archaeological sites across the U.S., including Revolutionary War and Civil War-related sites. Closely aligned mission, fundraising model, and partnership with AVAR on veteran training programs.
• National Parks Conservation Association: The only national nonprofit dedicated exclusively to advocacy for the National Park System, which includes many of the same battlefield parks the Trust helps preserve. Shares donor demographics, federal policy engagement, and member-supported revenue model.
• National Trust for Historic Preservation: The most direct comparable — a national 501(c)(3) nonprofit dedicated to preserving historically significant sites across the U.S., operating a similar member-supported fundraising model, federal/state matching programs, and educational programming aimed at heritage conservation.

Regional players

• American Battlefield Protection Program (NPS): A federal grant-making program within the National Park Service that provides matching funds to preserve Revolutionary War, War of 1812, and Civil War battlefields — effectively a key capital partner and operational counterparty for the Trust's preservation campaigns.

Broad incumbents

• Daughters of the American Revolution (DAR): A national lineage-based nonprofit that supports Revolutionary War-era historic preservation, including marker programs and educational initiatives. The Trust's partner on the American Revolution Experience traveling exhibit and shares overlapping donor and member audiences.
• Sons of the American Revolution: A national lineage society focused on Revolutionary War heritage, with historic preservation and educational programming. Shares the Trust's donor demographics and partial mission overlap on Revolutionary War battlefield commemoration.
• Smithsonian National Museum of American History: A federal institution with substantial educational programming on American military history, including the Revolutionary War, War of 1812, and Civil War. Shares the Trust's educational mission and K-12 audience but operates at far greater scale as a government-funded institution.

Others

• Civil War Trust (legacy entity, pre-merger): The Trust's predecessor organization (merged into the American Battlefield Trust in 2018). Retained as a legacy brand identity within the combined entity and serves as historical context for the merger that created the current national-scale preservation organization.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/battlefields
• YouTubeyoutube.com/americanbattlefieldtrust
• Facebookfacebook.com/americanbattlefieldtrust
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/americanbattlefieldtrust
• Instagraminstagram.com/americanbattlefieldtrust
• TikToktiktok.com/@americanbattlefieldtrust

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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M&A

Investments

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Frequently asked questions about American Battlefield Trust