Services for Historic Sites, Preservation & Tourism Clients
Heritage Consulting Inc.’s principal Donna Ann Harris has worked extensively on the design, development and promotion of reuse plans for historic properties. Throughout her career, she has assisted citizen groups and government agencies to identify appropriate reuses for threatened buildings and historic districts. Cherished historic structures, be they historic house museums, distinct neighborhoods, tourism destinations or commercial districts must have viable uses to assure their long-term preservation. Ms. Harris has worked closely with government and nonprofit owners over the years to identify strategies and create plans for adaptive use. Ms.Harris has also taught a wide variety of traning workshops based on her research, with fundraising training and board development being a specific interest.
Some recent historic preservation projects include:
- won the 2022 Preservation Educaiton Award from the Preservation Alliance for Greater Philadlephia for the Haddon Heights Deisgn Guidelines
- completed a 160 page four color, lavishly illustrated Design Guidelines for Haddon Heights NJ Historic Preservation Commission funded with Certified Local Government support.in 2021
- won the Preservation New Jersey Historic Preservation Commission award in 2021 for the Design Guidelines for Haddon Heights NJ
- wrote a 65 page publcation for Oregon Main Street on Increasing Your Main Street’s Financial Stability: Turning Supporters into Donors in 2021
- completed an Assessment of Heritage Tourism Potential for the Isaac Pearson House in Hamilton Township NJ for the Historical Society of Hamilton Township NJ in 2021
- Wrote an Assessment of the Heritage Tourism Potential for the Benjamin Cooper Tavern, in Camden NJ for the Camden County Historical Society in 2021
- completed a Revolving Fund Feasibility study for Columbus Landmarks Foundation in Ohio, which they levered for a $100,000 grant to captialize their Home Preservation Loan Fund in 2021
- wrote two successful grants to two government entities for a total of $85,000 for the City of Camden Heriitage Tourism Interactive Touch Screen Kiosk in City Hall Camden in 2020
- wrote a successful Incubation grant from the NJ Council on the Humanities for the Isaac Pearson House in Hamilton Township NJ in 2020
- spoke nationally via video conference about the publication of the second edition of New Solutons for House Museums in 2021
- completed an Assessment of Heritage Tourism Potential Report for the Olde Stone House Village in Washington Township NJ in 2020
- 2019 Grand Jury Award Winner for Camden County Heritage Tourism Plan from the Preservation Alliance for Greater Philadelphia!
- presented two 90 minute webinars in April 2019 on best practices for board service for the Wisconsin Historical Society Local History Webinar series.
- completed a Revolving Fund Feasibility Study for Downtown Joplin Alliance in MO funded by the 1772 Foundation
- authored three successful grants to the New Jersey Historic Trust for the Camden County History Alliance a total of $38,750 in 2017-2018
- a report evaluating 2018 Camden County History Week with recommendations on expanding heritage tourism activities in Camden County NJ
- a recorded webinar on Why Aren't You Asking for Year End Gifts for the Wisconsin Historical Society Local History Webinar series in 2018
- created a large Heritage Tourism Map and Guide and Passport for Camden County History Alliance properties for Camden County History Week for October 13 to 20, 2018
- an online surey and findings report of 41 historic sites and heritage organizations in Camden County NJ to begin work on the Camden County Heritage Tourism Plan 2017
- produced a 40 page publication and a keynote address for Oregon Heritage, the state agency on a National Survey of Heritage Funding and Incentive Programs;
- researched and created a spreadsheet of more than 150 state, county and local direct grant programs, and state financial incentive programs for a national survey of preservation funding and incentives for Oregon Heritage:
- presented a workshop called Planning for Interpretation for a start up museum for the Mt. Zion AME Church in Skillman NJ
- presented a fundraising workshop for Oregon Heritage on membership and year end gifts at the Oregon Heritage Summit in April 2017
- hostied a workshop on Best Practices for Board Service for Historic Sites for the Jacobus Vanderveer House in Bedminster NJ:
- completed a chapter for a forthcoming book on "The Essential Role of Boards in Reimagining Historic House Museums;"
- facilitated a public meeting and six focus groups for Historic Annapolis in Maryland about the historic City Dock neighborhood in downtown;
- created a report about the heritage tourism potential of an archeological site, to become a small park in Haddon Heights NJ for the Glover Fulling Mill Park;
- provided the Arch Street Friends Meeting House in the historic district in Philadelphia with consulting services to identify and test several new interpretive programs for visitors;
- a Strategic Plan for the Barrow Mansion Development Corporation in Jersey City NJ as they embark on expanding tourism programming at their historic site;
- facilitated a two-day conference for the Frank Lloyd Wright Building Conservancy at Wingspread in Racine WI
- an assessment of the heritage tourism potential of Jacobs Chapel AME church and the Colemantown Meeting House, both documented Underground Rail Road sites in Mt. Laurel NJ;
- co-author of a business plan for Hidden City and the Preservation Alliance for Greater Philadelphia to "manage together"
- served as a "think tank" team member for the Wilton Historic House in Richmond VA;
- created and hosted a strategic planning symposium for the Louis Sullivan designed Charnley-Norwood House in Gulf Springs MS:
- a preservation plan for the Historic Bartram’s Garden in Philadelphia PA:
- facilitated a workshop on public programming at the Frank Lloyd Wright designed Dana Thomas House in Springfield IL;
- a business plans for program expansion at the historic house, farm and garden at Wyck in Philadelphia PA and
- heritage tourism assessments of the Jacobus Vanderveer House in Bedminster NJ and for St. Mary’s Episcopal Church in Burlington NJ.
Why Ask Donna to help?
For the last thirty five years, I have worked in the historic preservation movement in the nonprofit, government, and now for-profit sectors. My career has led me to positions at the national, state and local levels representing organizations that want to save historic and commercial districts as well as historic sites. I see myself as a preservation planner.
I learned about fundraising the hard way, by trial and error throughout the first fifteen years of my career when I was working for nonprofit preservation organizations in NJ, PA and IL. I have started three nonprofit preservation organizations from scratch. For each, I launched a membership or annual gifts program, inaugurated special events and conferences, and wrote many successful grants to foundations and corporations. As a key staff member or Executive Director for other preservation organizations, I learned about gala fundraising events, board giving, sponsorship, capital campaigns, and government grants. I wrote more than $3.75 million dollars in successful grants applications from foundations while working for the local preservation organization in Philadelphia. I am a generalist when it comes to fundraising, because I have had to raise money for start ups as well as mature organizations.
In the last 18 years as a consultant, I have found that my consulting, training and writing have focused on fundraising, strategic planning, and heritage tourism. I enjoy working with preservation and house museums on fundraising issues and helping them diversify their revenue sources so that they can create and rely on predictable income streams over time. I actually like raising money and can help your board and staff understand what I have learned.
Please contact us at heritageconsultinginc@gmail.com if you think I can help your organization grow. Update Jan 2023