Virtual and Real Experiences
These are unusual times – difficult for so many organizations and people attempting to survive the COVID-19 crisis. While many of us remain sheltered in place, one great way to experience heritage sites is via virtual tours. Hillwood Estate, Museum and Gardens (in Washington, DC) offers a series of digital offerings into the life of […]
30 and Still Relevant
In 1989 I had the great privilege of working with the National Trust for Historic Preservation on a new initiative to study the relationship between preservation and promotion. That initiative led to a heritage tourism movement that has lasted three decades, in part to five principles guiding asset-based economic development. These five principles continue to […]
Measuring Fundraising Effectiveness, joint project of the Association of Fundraising Professionals, Give.org, BoardSource and GuideStar
This landmark publication and its accompanying conversation guide and toolkit help nonprofits move beyond the “cost of fundraising” as nonprofits’ sole measure of fundraising effectiveness. Drawing on the resources of four of the nation’s leading service organizations, Measuring Fundraising Effectiveness, identifies two new metrics for determining success and provides detailed information on how nonprofits can […]
The Nonprofit Strategy Revolution: Real Time Strategic Planning in a Rapid-Response World (Second Edition 2018), by David LaPiana (Turner Publishing)
As described by the author, Real Time Strategic Planning “challenged traditional thinking about how social sector organizations form strategy and presented the Real-Time Strategic Planning methodology as one better suited to an increasingly dynamic and fast-changing world… unbound from the artificial constraints of the traditional three-to-five year strategic plan.” Hargrove consultants have received training in […]
Trailing of the Sheep Festival Recognized (2017)
Every year members of the Society of American Travel Writers nominate worthy candidates for the Phoenix Award recognizing “individuals, communities, or organizations that have contributed to a quality travel experience through conservation, preservation, beautification or environmental efforts”.
New Report on Declining Historic Site Visits
Bad news is never welcome. Opening my inbox to read about a new report from the American Academy of Arts & Sciences’ Humanities Indicators (HI) project on declining visitation to historic sites was indeed disappointing, but not unexpected. The report, citing visitation from 1979 to 2012, found that “with each birth cohort Americans of all […]
Commerce + Interpretation: A Shared-Use Study from the National Trust
At the 2015 AASLH Annual Conference in Louisville, a panel discussed the opportunities and challenges of including for-profit operations at historic sites. While public-private partnerships have been successful at numerous locations around the country, the National Trust is providing a transparent look into the process for managing a historic site with a section operated by […]
The Importance of Well-defined Outcomes
Too often plans include lofty goals and compelling visions, yet lack well-defined outcomes. Understanding what success looks like helps bring about consensus, inform the appropriate business/ implementation model and also instruct the best way to measure impact. A session at the 2015 AASLH Annual Conference in Louisville featured the Golden Historical Society and the planning […]
Cultural Heritage Tourism featured in NBC News article
The New York Times Travel Show is a great platform for introducing new products and programs. Certainly one of the most distinctive tours launching at the show this weekend is Breaking Bread Journeys, a collaboration between two women – Palestinian and Jewish – to share cultural, culinary and historic experiences as a way to foster […]