U.S. Commission for the Preservation of America's Heritage Abroad

What U.S. Commission for the Preservation of America's Heritage Abroad does

The U.S. Commission for the Preservation of America's Heritage Abroad (USCPAHA), also doing business as "Heritage Abroad," is a U.S. federal government agency established by statute in 1985 and headquartered at 1050 Connecticut Avenue, Suite 500, Washington, D.C. The Commission operates with a staff of 11 employees under a Chair and appointed commissioners. Its statutory mandate is to identify, report on, and help preserve cemeteries, monuments, and historic buildings in Eastern and Central Europe associated with the heritage of U.S. citizens, particularly sites connected to populations affected by Nazism, communism, and historical conflicts.

The Commission conducts site surveys, manages preservation projects, and pursues diplomatic cooperation with foreign governments via the U.S. Department of State to obtain formal assurances that identified heritage properties will be protected and preserved. It operates in 29 countries spanning the Balkans, Baltics, Central Europe, Eastern Europe, the Caucasus, and parts of Western/Central Asia — including Albania, Armenia, Austria, Azerbaijan, Belarus, Bosnia & Herzegovina, Bulgaria, Croatia, Czech Republic, Estonia, Georgia, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Italy, Kosovo, Latvia, Lithuania, Moldova, Montenegro, North Macedonia, Poland, Romania, Russia, Serbia, Slovakia, Slovenia, Turkey, and Ukraine. Representative projects include the Buchenwald Little Camp Memorial in Germany, the Berehovo (Beregszasz) Synagogue and Holocaust Memorial in Ukraine, and the Serock Jewish Cemetery Holocaust Memorial in Poland.

The Commission is not a commercial enterprise: it has no products, services, pricing model, or revenue-generating operations, and no disclosed proprietary technology stack. It is funded through Congressional appropriations and accepts voluntary donations. It maintains a public-facing website at heritageabroad.gov and outreach channels on Facebook, Twitter, YouTube, and LinkedIn. The Commission holds no patents or trademarks, has no subsidiaries, and operates as part of the U.S. Government. Its current Chair is Starlet "Star" Jones Lugo, working alongside seven commissioners appointed by the President.

Name

U.S. Commission for the Preservation of America's Heritage Abroad

Legal name

United States Commission for the Preservation of America's Heritage Abroad

Website

https://heritageabroad.gov

Company type

Private

Founded year

1985

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

The U.S. Commission for the Preservation of America's Heritage Abroad is a federal agency that identifies, protects, and preserves cemeteries, monuments, and historic buildings across 29 Eastern and Central European countries through diplomatic cooperation with the U.S. Department of State.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Government Cultural Heritage Preservation

NAICS

Museums, Historical Sites, and Similar Institutions (712), Museums, Historical Sites, and Similar Institutions (7121), Historical Sites (712120), Historical Sites (71212)

SIC

International Affairs (9721)

akta.pro primary industry

Historic Preservation & Landmarks Conservation (BPAGAHAE)

akta.pro secondary industries

Museums & Heritage Sites (History, Science, Specialty) (BPAGAHAA), Monuments, Statues & Memorials (THAJACAB), Historic Sites, Heritage Landmarks & Archaeological Sites (THAJACAC), UNESCO & Protected Landmark Sites (THAJACAI)

Keywords

• Heritage preservation services
• Cemetery restoration projects
• Historic monument protection
• Diplomatic cultural preservation
• Government heritage conservation

Headquarters

HQ city

Washington

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations

Distribution channels1 record

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

The U.S. Commission for the Preservation of America's Heritage Abroad is a U.S. federal government agency that identifies, protects, and preserves cemeteries, monuments, and historic buildings in Eastern and Central Europe associated with the heritage of U.S. citizens. Working in cooperation with the U.S. Department of State, it conducts site surveys, manages preservation projects (such as the Buchenwald Little Camp Memorial, Berehovo Synagogue, and Serock Jewish Cemetery), and obtains formal assurances from foreign governments that these properties will be protected.

Product overview

The U.S. Commission for the Preservation of America's Heritage Abroad is a U.S. government agency, not a commercial technology product company. It operates as a heritage preservation organization that identifies, protects, and preserves cemeteries, monuments, and historic buildings in Eastern and Central Europe associated with the heritage of U.S. citizens. The organization does not offer commercial software products, platforms, or modules. Its activities include conducting surveys of heritage sites across multiple European countries, managing preservation projects at sites such as the Buchenwald Little Camp Memorial, Berehovo Synagogue, and Serock Jewish Cemetery, and collaborating with the U.S. Department of State and foreign governments to ensure protection of heritage sites.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Heritage Site Preservation Projects Active preservation and protection projects for cemeteries, monuments, and historic buildings in Eastern and Central Europe, including the Buchenwald Little Camp Memorial in Germany, the Berehovo (Beregszasz) Synagogue and Holocaust Memorial in Ukraine, and the Serock Jewish Cemetery Holocaust Memorial in Poland. These projects are delivered in cooperation with the U.S. Department of State and foreign governments.
• Heritage Site Surveys Field surveys conducted across 29 countries in Eastern and Central Europe to identify, document, and report on cemeteries, monuments, and historic buildings associated with the heritage of U.S. citizens. These surveys form the basis for preservation project prioritization.
• Donation Program Public donation program accepting contributions through heritageabroad.gov to support the Commission's heritage preservation work across Eastern and Central Europe.

Quantifiable outcome

• Hundreds of cemeteries preserved
• +1 more outcomes

Segments1 record

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

One partnership is on record.

• U.S. Department of StatecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerThe Commission works in cooperation with the U.S. Department of State to engage with Eastern and Central European governments and obtain assurances that heritage properties will be protected and preserved.

Scale indicators2 records

Recent moves5 records

Expansion highlights2 records

Emerging players

• Aga Khan Trust for Culture: Foundation that funds conservation of historic sites and cultural heritage, particularly in Muslim contexts. Comparable mission of heritage preservation with significant project execution capacity, though geographic focus differs from the Commission.

Direct peers

• World Jewish Restitution Organization (WJRO): Organization focused on restitution and restoration of Jewish communal property and heritage sites in Central and Eastern Europe. Directly comparable in working with Eastern European governments to preserve Jewish heritage sites, including cemeteries.
• U.S. Holocaust Memorial Museum: U.S. federal institution that preserves Holocaust memory and heritage, including historical sites across Europe. Directly comparable as a U.S. government-affiliated heritage institution with overlapping mission scope in Holocaust memorialization and Eastern European sites.
• National Trust for Historic Preservation: U.S. nonprofit focused on preserving historic places through advocacy, education, and direct preservation. Comparable in mission of saving historic sites, though primarily U.S.-domestic rather than focused on Eastern European heritage.
• World Monuments Fund: Nonprofit organization dedicated to preserving cultural heritage sites worldwide through direct intervention and partnerships. Highly comparable mission to the Commission's heritage preservation work, though operates independently of any single government and uses a grant-making model.
• American Jewish Committee (AJC): Jewish advocacy organization that maintains heritage preservation programs across Europe, including cemetery and Holocaust memorial protection. Significant overlap with the Commission's mission of preserving Jewish heritage sites in Eastern and Central Europe.

Broad incumbents

• UNESCO World Heritage Centre: Intergovernmental body that designates and monitors World Heritage Sites globally, including many of the same historic sites in Eastern and Central Europe. Comparable as a heritage protection authority, but operates at a much larger multilateral scale rather than U.S.-bilateral diplomatic engagement.
• International Council on Monuments and Sites (ICOMOS): International NGO advisory to UNESCO on cultural heritage conservation, providing technical expertise on monuments and sites globally. Comparable in heritage preservation focus, though operates as a professional advisory body rather than a project-execution agency.

Others

• Heritage Foundation (U.S.): U.S. policy think tank — included here only because of name overlap; not a true peer given different mission scope.

Regional players

• European Heritage Alliance: European federation of heritage organizations coordinated under Europa Nostra, focused on heritage preservation across Europe. Comparable in heritage protection mission, though primarily European-led rather than U.S.-government-backed.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat3 records

Key risks4 records

Key highlights5 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/USHeritageComm
• YouTubeyoutube.com/@heritagecommission3925
• Facebookfacebook.com/usheritagecomm
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/usc-heritage-abroad

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles7 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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M&A

Investments

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Frequently asked questions about U.S. Commission for the Preservation of America's Heritage Abroad