Civil War Trust
The American Battlefield Trust (founded 1987, Washington, D.C.) is the largest U.S. nonprofit preserving Revolutionary War, War of 1812, and Civil War battlefields, having saved 63,000+ acres. It serves educators, members, and the public through 4,400+ free educational resources, mobile apps, virtual tours, and a quarterly magazine.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded1987
- HeadquartersWashington, United States
- Headcount11–50
- GTM typeB2C
- OfferingDigital Commerce or Content
What Civil War Trust does
The American Battlefield Trust (formerly Civil War Trust), founded in 1987 and headquartered in Washington, D.C., is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization and the largest nationally focused battlefield preservation entity in the United States. It permanently preserves land associated with the Revolutionary War, War of 1812, and Civil War, having saved more than 63,000 acres to date, while educating the public through an extensive digital platform built on battlefields.org. The organization's core product surface includes the Educator Portal (4,400+ free resources with K-12 curricula, Traveling Trunks, and the History Field Trip Grant Program), mobile apps for individual battlefields, 360-degree virtual tours, interactive animated battle maps, and the quarterly Hallowed Ground Magazine. External digital experiences include The Liberty Trail and the Medal of Honor Valor Trail, alongside the touring American Revolution Experience exhibit.
The Trust operates a community-led, membership-based nonprofit model reaching roughly 40 million people annually across its website, Hallowed Ground Magazine, and a social footprint spanning YouTube (500,000+ subscribers), Facebook, Instagram, X, TikTok, and LinkedIn. Revenue is diversified across five streams: recurring membership dues (annual billing), tax-deductible individual donations and battlefield preservation campaigns, planned/legacy giving through the American Battlefield Legacy vehicle, merchandise and book sales via shop.battlefields.org, and contributions accepted through donor-advised funds. The organization is led by founder Dennis E. Frye, holds a 4-star Charity Navigator rating and Candid Platinum Transparency designation, and targets three primary customer segments: K-12 and higher-education educators, history enthusiasts/members, and the general public.
Civil War Trust firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Civil War Trust
- Legal name
- American Battlefield Trust
- Website
- https://civilwar.org
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 1987
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 11–50 employees
- Short description
- The American Battlefield Trust (founded 1987, Washington, D.C.) is the largest U.S. nonprofit preserving Revolutionary War, War of 1812, and Civil War battlefields, having saved 63,000+ acres. It serves educators, members, and the public through 4,400+ free educational resources, mobile apps, virtual tours, and a quarterly magazine.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Civil War Trust industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Heritage Preservation and Historical Education
- NAICS
- Historical Sites (712120)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Land Trusts & Protected Areas (BPAGAGAC)
Keywords
Where Civil War Trust is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Washington
- HQ country
- United States
- HQ region
- North America
Markets served
Civil War Trust business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2C
- Offering type
- Digital Commerce or Content
- Cost components
- Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D, Others
Revenue model
- Membership Dues: Annual membership program providing benefits including Hallowed Ground Magazine, Color Bearers recognition, and access to member-exclusive content.
- Donations and Contributions: Tax-deductible donations from individuals supporting battlefield preservation campaigns and land acquisition efforts.
- Legacy Giving: Planned giving, bequests, and estate planning programs through the American Battlefield Legacy organization.
- Merchandise Sales: Online store selling branded merchandise, apparel, books, and historical reproductions through shop.battlefields.org.
- Donor Advised Funds: Accepts contributions through donor advised funds for preservation and education initiatives.
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Subscription | Annual | General Membership |
Go-to-market motion1 record
Distribution channels3 records
Marketing channels7 records
Civil War Trust product offering
Product offeringCore offering
The American Battlefield Trust (formerly Civil War Trust) is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit that preserves American Revolutionary War, War of 1812, and Civil War battlefield lands while educating the public through free digital resources, curriculum materials, virtual tours, animated battle maps, mobile apps, and the Hallowed Ground membership magazine. It funds preservation through membership dues, individual donations, legacy giving, donor-advised funds, and merchandise sales, and reaches 40 million people annually.
Product overview
The American Battlefield Trust operates a comprehensive digital platform (battlefields.org) focused on preserving America's historical battlefields and educating the public about American history. The core offering consists of an educational website with free resources for educators and the general public, supplemented by membership through the Hallowed Ground Magazine. Key products include the Educator Portal with free curriculum materials (Civil War and Revolutionary War curricula), Traveling Trunks Program, and History Field Trip Grant Program. Digital experiences include Mobile Apps for battlefield visits, Virtual Tours (360-degree experiences), and Animated Maps depicting historical battles. The Trust also maintains external digital experiences including The Liberty Trail and Medal of Honor Valor Trail, along with the traveling American Revolution Experience exhibit. Membership and preservation efforts are supported through various campaigns and an online store (shop.battlefields.org).
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Products and services
- Hallowed Ground Magazine
- Educator Portal
- Traveling Trunks Program
- History Field Trip Grant Program
- Battlefield Bulletin Newsletter
- Battlefield Mobile Applications
- Battlefield Virtual Tours
- Animated Battle Maps
- Civil War Curriculum
- Revolutionary War Curriculum
- The Liberty Trail
- Medal of Honor Valor Trail
- American Revolution Experience Traveling Exhibit
- Battlefield Preservation Campaigns
- Saved Land Interactive Map
- American Battlefield Trust Online Store
- American Battlefield Legacy (Planned Giving)
Companies that use Civil War Trust
Customer profileSegments3 records
Ideal customer profiles3 records
Civil War Trust technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Feature3 records
Civil War Trust partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
One partnership is on record.
- History.comminorHistory.com is listed as a sponsor, providing media visibility and promotional support for the organization's educational mission and battlefield preservation efforts.
Scale indicators3 records
Recent moves6 records
Expansion highlights6 records
Civil War Trust competitors and assessment
Company assessmentDirect peers
- Gettysburg Foundation: Nonprofit partner of Gettysburg National Military Park that funds preservation, education, and visitor experiences at one of the most iconic Civil War battlefields. Comparable mission scope (battlefield preservation plus education) and reliance on donations and memberships.
- National Trust for Historic Preservation: The largest U.S. private nonprofit dedicated to saving historic places. Directly comparable as a membership-based historic preservation nonprofit that acquires and stewards endangered land and structures and runs education programs.
- Colonial Williamsburg Foundation: Operates and preserves the historic Colonial Williamsburg district as a living history museum and educational site. Comparable as a large historic-preservation-and-education nonprofit with membership, ticketed visitation, and curriculum programs.
Peers
- National Geographic Society: Nonprofit science and exploration organization with grants for preservation and a large digital education footprint. Comparable as a mission-driven nonprofit combining education, exploration/preservation, and a strong direct-to-consumer media brand.
Broad incumbents
- Smithsonian Institution: Largest U.S. museum, education, and research complex with deep American history collections. Comparable as a history-education brand with educator resources and digital content, though far larger and broader in scope.
- National Park Foundation: Official nonprofit partner of the National Park Service, raising private funds for NPS sites including battlefields. Overlaps mission and federal-partnership model but covers the full breadth of NPS units rather than specializing in battlefields.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat5 records
Key risks6 records
Key highlights6 records
Customer concentration
Civil War Trust social profiles
Digital presenceCivil War Trust financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Civil War Trust leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles1 record
Civil War Trust funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Civil War Trust M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about Civil War Trust
What does Civil War Trust do?
The American Battlefield Trust (formerly Civil War Trust) is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit that preserves American Revolutionary War, War of 1812, and Civil War battlefield lands while educating the public through free digital resources, curriculum materials, virtual tours, animated battle maps, mobile apps, and the Hallowed Ground membership magazine. It funds preservation through membership dues, individual donations, legacy giving, donor-advised funds, and merchandise sales, and reaches 40 million people annually.
Is Civil War Trust a public or private company?
Civil War Trust is a private company. It is classified as nonprofit foundation owned and is currently operating.
When was Civil War Trust founded?
Civil War Trust was founded in 1987. It employs 11 to 50 people.
Where is Civil War Trust based?
Civil War Trust is headquartered in Washington, United States, in the North America region.
How does Civil War Trust make money?
Five revenue lines are on record. Membership Dues are the primary driver. The others are donations and Contributions, legacy Giving, merchandise Sales and donor Advised Funds.
Who are Civil War Trust's main competitors?
Direct peers on record are Gettysburg Foundation, National Trust for Historic Preservation and Colonial Williamsburg Foundation. National Geographic Society is listed as a peer. Broad incumbents are Smithsonian Institution and National Park Foundation.
Does Civil War Trust have an API?
No public API is recorded for Civil War Trust.
What industry is Civil War Trust in?
Civil War Trust's product category is Heritage Preservation and Historical Education. Its primary akta.pro industry code is BPAGAGAC, Land Trusts & Protected Areas. Its NAICS code is 712120.