Preservation Retreats – Preservation Trust of Vermont

An Opportunity to Dig In

Preservation Retreats at the Grand Isle Lake House are an immersive adult learning experience designed to support anyone undertaking or considering a community development or historic preservation project. Attendees will be asked to present a challenge or issue that once solved will move their project forward. This brief presentation is followed by a robust and informative group discussion with peers, funders and technical support providers.

All retreats begin at 3:00 pm and end after lunch the following day. The cost is $135 per person ($65 for a second person from the same project with whom you share a room). Space is limited. Retreats often fill up well before the registration deadline so please register at your earliest convenience.

“After 4 years of fundraising and beginning to run out of energy for our one-room schoolhouse restoration project, the retreat at the Grand Isle Lake House was really helpful. We got information on contacts for different kinds of grants and how to write them and lots of support not to get discouraged! Through these contacts and the support of PTV and the Vermont State Division of Historic Preservation we have been able to complete the grant writing process and receive the funds we need to get a matching grant. We are on our way to a new foundation!”

–Courtney Dobyns, Root Schoolhouse, Norwich

2023 Upcoming Preservation Retreats

Outdoor Recreation & Historic Preservation, May 9-10, 2023

How do historic preservation projects and the growing outdoor recreation sector overlap? Whether it’s a bike trip through the Champlain Valley, a day on the Lamoille Valley Rail Trail or a paddle down the Connecticut River, outdoor recreation opportunities involve our historic downtowns and village centers. Historic buildings play an important role in providing way stops, overnight accommodations, dining, and resupply points. This retreat will bring together excellent instructive examples and discuss the goals and challenges of projects-in-progress.

Registration Deadline is April 24th at 5 pm.

Churches & Sacred Places, June 13-14, 2023

Churches, synagogues, and sacred places play a critical role in the health and wellness of our communities. They often act as overflow shelters for our most vulnerable citizens or as community gathering places for cultural performances or events. At the same time, these buildings can be challenging to maintain. Partners in Sacred Places, a non-denominational nonprofit organization, will join us to explore potential partnerships for existing churches and new uses for underutilized church buildings.

Registration Deadline is May 29th at 5 pm.

Community Revitalization through Nonprofit Ownership, July 11-12, 2023

Is your community struggling with how to activate vacant or underutilized spaces? Are you exploring how to attract or retain small businesses in your downtown? Is there a building in your community in need of redevelopment? This retreat is for municipalities, nonprofits, businesses, and community supported enterprises that are working on or exploring a building rehabilitation project or a project that strengthens community.

Registration Deadline is June 26th at 5 pm.

Fundraising and Project Management, September 13-14, 2023

What techniques do community projects use to successfully fundraise while enhancing the use of their historic buildings? Christine Graham of CPG Fundraising will be on hand to provide training in the areas of capital campaigns and annual giving. We will also explore how to manage a rehabilitation project, work with grantors, contractors, and the community to assure success.

Registration Deadline is August 29th at 5 pm.

Energy Efficiency and Historic Preservation, October 10-11, 2023

Are you struggling to understand how best to weatherize your historic building? Retrofitting historic properties to improve energy efficiency, reduce heating costs and keep historic features intact is possible! Historic buildings were designed to be efficient and take advantage of the resources available at the time of construction - sunlight, airflow, water. This retreat will explore how best to approach energy retrofits to maximize the building's inherent efficiencies and will share best practices that generally will not impact the historic character of your building.

Registration Deadline is September 25th at 5 pm.

The Preservation Retreats are underwritten in part by generous support from the Kelly Lorraine Baggett Fund. Kelly was a UVM Graduate, a 31-year veteran of the United States Forest Service, and a former resident of Burlington, VT, where she spent many hours restoring and caring for her historic brick home overlooking Lake Champlain. Kelly won many awards for her outstanding contributions in research pertaining to sugar maple decline and American elm restoration, and wrote or co-wrote numerous scientific papers during her career. This fund pays homage to Kelly’s passion for history, the environment, and scholarship.

We are grateful for our partnership and underwriting support from The Vermont Division for Historic Preservation.

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