Successes 
Fiscal Year 2010
We raised $560,000 for the Preserve Montana Fund. Our new Preserve Montana Fund allows donors the opportunity to make a difference locally, regionally and statewide. The funds help preserve history projects under the broadest of definitions while recognizing we can’t save everything.
We supported new projects like preservation work on the Frank Bird Linderman Cabin in southwest Montana, funding the sound system for the Virginia City tour train, and granting funds for the Fort Benton Historic Bridge Lighting project .
We sponsored funds raised by the local community group for Friends of #12 steam train in Nevada City and provided fundraising support for the Original Governor’s Mansion in Helena.
We provided support for the music machine restoration and maintenance in Nevada City, forge components for the Virginia City blacksmith shop. the History Day speaker in Billings, the Montana Historical Society’s History Conference, the Montana Heritage Commission’s History Camp, Museums Association of Montana’s Advocacy Day.
We lent our fundraising expertise support to various organizations statewide.
We established long-term maintenance accounts for our office headquarters at the Scriver Center in Helena and the McFarland Curatorial Center in Virginia City.
We restructured our office to meet best practices and better accommodate our goal of having more of a presence in Montana’s communities.
Fiscal Year 2009
We provided presentations around the state to community groups describing the important work we do and how donors provide much needed funds to history projects in Montana.
We provided much needed funding for two historically significant buildings known as Robber’s Roost and the Hangman’s Building. The Virginia City Preservation Alliance used donor funds to repair and preserve these structures.
We repaired and maintained the Cremona player in the Virginia City Opera House so that more generations will have a chance to hear the sounds of this rare musical instrument.
We successfully funded round two of the Montana History Textbook project. Working with the Montana Historical Society, the entire project brought 11,000 textbooks into the hands of Montana students free of charge.
We continued our support of the Montana Partners in the Field project to provide much needed “boots on the ground” technical support for historic preservation projects.
We hired an award-winning journalist, Clay Scott, to begin editing and co-authoring a book on John Ellingsen, Charlie Bovey, and the history of Virginia and Nevada Cities.
We sponsored conferences, history camp and other educational events that feature Montana’s history.
We forged a partnership with the National Trust for Historic Preservation and the Montana Preservation Alliance to create a granting program to support Montana’s history and heritage. This fund will be the first of its kind in Montana and is serving as a national fundraising model for history- related nonprofits. In the year ahead, we look forward to establishing and growing “The Montana Fund” and to begin granting funds!