Washington Trust for Historic Preservation

What Washington Trust for Historic Preservation does

The Washington Trust for Historic Preservation is a Washington State nonprofit organization founded in 1976 and headquartered at the Stimson-Green Mansion in Seattle. It is the state's only statewide historic preservation advocacy organization, delivering programs across Main Street downtown revitalization, Most Endangered Places advocacy (operating since 1992), preservation easement stewardship, grant administration, and youth heritage education. The Trust manages the Washington State Main Street Program and multiple grant programs (Valerie Sivinski Fund, Heritage Barn, Historic Cemetery, Historic Courthouse, Historic Theater, CPARC, Third Places Fund, among others) under contract with the Department of Archaeology & Historic Preservation (DAHP), serving 40+ designated Main Street Communities and Affiliates across the state.

Its core "products" are programmatic rather than technological: the four-pillar Main Street Approach framework, advocacy campaigns and an annual Most Endangered Places list, the PLACES Conference (formerly RevitalizeWA), the Youth Heritage Project field school, the Legacy Circle planned-giving program, public/private tours and event rentals at the Stimson-Green Mansion, and a Preservation Trades & Consultants Directory. Supporting resources include quarterly magazine "This Place," educational webinars, impact studies (2020 Impact Study and 2022 Business Resiliency Study), and policy advocacy at state and federal levels. The organization is governed by a ~25-member board and led by Executive Director Chris Moore, with a roughly 15-person staff including program directors for Main Street, Maritime Washington National Heritage Area, preservation programs, and development.

Revenue is generated through a hybrid nonprofit model: DAHP program contracts, individual memberships and donations, corporate sponsorships at Gold/Silver/Bronze/Advocate tiers, planned-giving bequests and Legacy Circle gifts, Stimson-Green Mansion tours ($10/person) and private event rentals, foundation grants, and the Main Street Tax Credit Incentive Program that provides a 75% B&O or Public Utility tax credit for contributions to designated Main Street Communities. Distribution is community-led and event-driven, leveraging the Main Street network, regional Main Street Specialists, an annual conference, advocacy alerts, and partnerships with Main Street America, the National Trust for Historic Preservation, the National Park Service, 4Culture, and tribal partners (Suquamish and Tulalip Tribes).

Name

Washington Trust for Historic Preservation

Legal name

Washington Trust for Historic Preservation

Website

https://preservewa.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

1976

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

The Washington Trust for Historic Preservation is a Seattle-based statewide nonprofit founded in 1976 that advocates for historic preservation across Washington State, managing the state Main Street Program and multiple grant programs under contract with the Department of Archaeology & Historic Preservation, while serving 40+ Main Street Communities, property owners, students, and preservation advocates.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Historic Preservation Services

NAICS

Museums, Historical Sites, and Similar Institutions (712), Historical Sites (712120), Environment, Conservation and Wildlife Organizations (813312), Social Advocacy Organizations (8133)

SIC

Services-Membership Organizations (8600)

akta.pro primary industry

Historic Preservation & Landmarks Conservation (BPAGAHAE)

akta.pro secondary industries

Cultural Heritage Institutions (Archives, Historic Houses, Monuments Foundations) (THAJADAI), Parks, Recreation & Protected Areas Administration (BPAIAMAH), Land Trusts & Protected Areas (BPAGAGAC)

Keywords

• Historic preservation advocacy
• Downtown revitalization
• Preservation grants
• Heritage education
• Community development

Headquarters

HQ city

Seattle

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Others

Revenue model

1. Membership: Annual membership program offering free tours, event discounts, and other benefits to supporters of historic preservation.
2. Donations and Contributions: One-time and recurring donations from individuals, foundations, and corporate partners supporting preservation work.
3. Corporate Sponsorships: Sponsorship revenue from corporate partners at Gold, Silver, Bronze, and Advocate levels for events and programs.
4. Planned Giving and Legacy Gifts: Bequests, retirement plan beneficiary designations, gifts of real estate, stock, and donor-advised funds through Legacy Circle program.
5. Facility Rentals and Tours: Revenue from Stimson-Green Mansion event rentals, private tours, and public tour admissions ($10 per person).

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion3 records

Distribution channels5 records

Marketing channels10 records

Core offering

Statewide private nonprofit advocacy organization dedicated to historic preservation across Washington State, administering the Washington State Main Street Program under contract with the Department of Archaeology and Historic Preservation (DAHP), distributing preservation grants, and stewarding the historic Stimson-Green Mansion in Seattle. The organization operates a portfolio of programs including Main Street community revitalization, the Most Endangered Places list, the Youth Heritage Project, preservation easement stewardship, and the annual PLACES Conference, supported by memberships, donations, corporate sponsorships, and facility rentals.

Product overview

Washington Trust for Historic Preservation operates as a statewide nonprofit organization offering a portfolio of interconnected programs focused on preserving, advocating for, and revitalizing historic places across Washington State. The core offerings include the Washington State Main Street Program (a comprehensive downtown revitalization framework), the Most Endangered Places advocacy program, multiple grant programs administered for DAHP, the Youth Heritage Project educational field school, a Preservation Easement program for property protection, the PLACES Conference for professional development, and stewardship of the Stimson-Green Mansion as both an educational venue and event space. Additional resources include the Preservation Trades & Consultants Directory, educational webinars, impact research studies, and various funding mechanisms including Legacy Circle planned giving and corporate sponsorships. The organization also publishes This Place magazine and advocates for preservation policy at state and federal levels.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Washington State Main Street Program: A statewide network of communities working to build vitality in their downtown districts using the Main Street Approach, managed under contract by the Washington Trust for Historic Preservation.
• Maritime Washington National Heritage Area
• Most Endangered Places
• Youth Heritage Project
• PLACES Conference
• Valerie Sivinski Fund
• Stimson-Green Mansion

Products and services

• Washington State Main Street Program
• Preservation Grants Program
• Stimson-Green Mansion Tours and Rentals
• PLACES Conference
• Preservation Easement Program
• Youth Heritage Project (YHP)
• Most Endangered Places Program
• Membership Program
• Corporate Partnership Program
• Legacy Circle Planned Giving

Quantifiable outcome

• $550.3 million in sales for businesses in Main Street districts (2011-2019)
• +4 more outcomes

Named customers5 records

Segments5 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

Ten partnerships are on record, tiered core, minor and major.

• Department of Archaeology & Historic Preservation (DAHP)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerThe Washington State Main Street Program is a program of DAHP, managed under contract by the Washington Trust. The Trust also manages multiple grant programs (Heritage Barn, Historic Cemetery, Historic Courthouse, Historic Theater, Third Places Fund) under contract for DAHP.
• Main Street AmericacoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerWashington Main Street is a Coordinating Program of Main Street America, part of a powerful grassroots network of over 40 Coordinating Programs and 1,200+ neighborhoods and communities committed to preservation-based economic development.
• National Park ServicecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerProgram partner for Youth Heritage Project and webinars. Federal agency supporting preservation education and programs through funding and technical assistance.
• Historic SeattleminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerHistoric Seattle holds the preservation easement on the Stimson-Green Mansion, ensuring long-term protection of this Seattle landmark. Organizations collaborate on Historic Talks lecture series.
• Swenson Say FagétmajorGTM or Marketing PartnerStructural engineering firm providing major event sponsorship and corporate partnership support.
• Coughlin Porter LundeenmajorGTM or Marketing PartnerStructural engineering firm providing ongoing corporate partnership and event sponsorship.
• Rafn CompanymajorGTM or Marketing PartnerConstruction company providing corporate partnership support and sponsorship of events.
• Suquamish TribeminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerGold sponsor for Youth Heritage Project, representing tribal partnership in preservation efforts.
• Tulalip TribesminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerGold sponsor for Youth Heritage Project, supporting tribal youth engagement in heritage preservation.
• National Trust for Historic PreservationcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerGold sponsor and national partner organization supporting preservation initiatives and programs.

Scale indicators6 records

Recent moves7 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• Main Street America: National umbrella organization for the Main Street Approach network, of which Washington Main Street is a Coordinating Program. Comparable as the network steward that supports local preservation-based economic development programs aligned with the Washington Trust's flagship program.
• Historic Seattle: Local Seattle-based preservation nonprofit that holds the preservation easement on the Stimson-Green Mansion and collaborates with the Washington Trust on programming. Directly comparable as a peer historic preservation nonprofit operating in the same city and overlapping advocacy/education mission.
• Preservation Alliance of Greater Philadelphia: Regional preservation nonprofit offering advocacy, education, and preservation easements. Directly comparable as a peer regional historic preservation organization with similar programmatic offerings including advocacy, easements, grants, and events.

Others

• Advisory Council on Historic Preservation: Federal independent agency advising on historic preservation policy and Section 106 reviews. Comparable as an ecosystem participant and policy counterpart in the broader preservation landscape that the Washington Trust engages with through federal advocacy.

Regional players

• New York Preservation League: Statewide nonprofit historic preservation advocacy organization in New York offering grants, advocacy, and technical assistance. Comparable as a peer statewide preservation advocacy organization with similar programmatic structure.
• Idaho Preservation Council: Statewide preservation advocacy organization in neighboring Idaho with similar advocacy, education, and grants programming. Comparable as a peer statewide preservation organization in an adjacent regional market.
• Colorado Preservation Inc. Statewide preservation advocacy nonprofit offering endangered places program, advocacy, and grants. Comparable as a peer statewide preservation organization with parallel Most Endangered-style and advocacy programs in a different geography.
• California Preservation Foundation: Statewide preservation advocacy organization offering workshops, advocacy, and awards. Comparable as a peer statewide preservation organization with overlapping programs in a different (much larger) geography.
• Oregon Preservation Alliance (Restore Oregon): Statewide preservation advocacy nonprofit in neighboring Oregon with similar advocacy, Most Endangered lists, and grants programs. Highly comparable as a direct neighboring-state peer with parallel mission and structure.

Broad incumbents

• National Trust for Historic Preservation: National-level preservation advocacy organization with a much broader portfolio. Highly comparable as the federal-level counterpart that the Washington Trust partners with, sets national preservation standards, and offers grants and educational programs that overlap with the Washington Trust's mission.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/preservewa
• Facebookfacebook.com/StimsonGreenMansion
• Instagraminstagram.com/stimsongreenmansion
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/washington-trust-for-historic-preservation

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles4 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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

M&A

Investments

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

Frequently asked questions about Washington Trust for Historic Preservation