There are a number of helpful government, nonprofit and quasi-governmental organizations that provide assistance to cultural heritage tourism practitioners. These organizations can be a valuable resource, helping promote and sustain cultural museums, historic byways, historic building preservation and more across Colorado.
Advisory Council On Historic Preservation
The Advisory Council on Historic Preservation (ACHP) advises the President and Congress on historic preservation. In addition to providing a vast list of resources for preservation and preservation funding, one of the main goals of the ACHP is to promote heritage education and tourism. www.achp.gov
American Association of Museums (AAM)
The American Association of Museums provides information and support for accredited museums. Members may participate in workshops, seminars and information exchange. The AAM also lists examples of successful museums of all sizes and links to other organizations and publications. Becoming a member of AAM also has benefits such as discounts and networking that will aid in the operation and advertisement of museums. www.aam-us.org/index.cfm
American Farmland Trust
The American Farmland Trust (AFT) is a nonprofit organization that protects America¹s agricultural resources. This organization provides assistance through resources such as guidebooks, brochures, workbooks, conferences, research and fiscal analysis. The AFT also lobbies and secures funds for the conservation of agricultural land. www.farmland.org
Americans For The Arts
Americans for the Arts provides information to help groups and communities show the importance of the arts in their community. The website contains reports that demonstrate the economic impact of nonprofit arts and culture organizations. Other resources on the website include a ready-made PowerPoint presentation, the Economic Prosperity Calculator, an Arts & Economic Prosperity Report, a sample newspaper editorial, survey instruments and details from the Congressional Arts Briefing. www.artsusa.org
Bureau of Land Management (BLM)
The Bureau of Land Management sustains public lands for the present and future. It provides information as well as coordinates tourism efforts in conjunction with other agencies and communities. It published the “Preserve America” update report in 2005 as a resource for preservation with a special focus on heritage tourism. The BLM website provides information on heritage sites throughout Colorado and other states which allows tourists to select an itinerary for travel.
www.blm.gov/heritage/adventures/vacation.html
www.blm.gov/heritage/adventures/index.html
Center of the American West
The University of Colorado at Boulder's Center of the American West brings people together from various Western cultures to discuss critical issues. The broad spectrum of issues includes water and grazing, regional identity and community development, public policy, and regional history—as well as Western literature, music, sciences and arts. The Center hosts events and lectures, and collects information on various community topics that will be of interest to those looking for networks to support specific Cultural Heritage Tourism projects. www.centerwest.org
Center For Travel And Tourism, University of Denver
Located at the University of Denver's Daniels College of Business and staffed by its faculty, the Center for Travel and Tourism provides consulting services to governments, destination marketing organizations, businesses, associations, chambers of commerce, hotels, restaurants, attractions and event companies. The services provided fall into a variety of travel and tourism categories, including research, analysis, consulting, marketing and education. Examples of services available include market studies, destination evaluation, strategic planning, customized business solutions and hospitality training. www.daniels.du.edu/ctt
The Colorado Brownfields Foundation
The Colorado Brownfields Foundation (CBF) is a Colorado nonprofit servicing communities, local governments, other non profits, and commercial enterprises to help reuse and redevelop brownfields sites. CBF provides strategic assistance and project coordination through its Environmental Extension Service. Additionally, CBF is a liaison to various environmental cleanup gap financing and grant funding sources. CBF is committed to helping communities inventory, assess, and/or redevelop these sites to further the local economy and increase environmental stewardship.
www.coloradobrownfieldsfoundation.org/edd.html,
info@ColoradoBrownfieldsFoundation.org
Colorado Center for Community Development
The Colorado Center for Community Development is a joint outreach center of the University of Colorado at Denver and technical assistance program of the Department of Local Affairs (DOLA). It provides design, planning and community development assistance to rural and small communities with a population of less than 8,000. Work is funded in part by DOLA, the University of Colorado and contributions from the assisted communities.
www.cudenver.edu/Academics/Colleges/ArchitecturePlanning/Centers/Co+Ctr+for+ Community+Development/default.htm
Colorado Community Revitalization Association
The Colorado Community Revitalization Association (CCRA) administers Colorado's Main Street Program, which designates Main Street communities and offers assistance through a competitive process. This process is based largely around the ability of the community to show the commitment and enthusiasm of local stakeholders to downtowns and historic preservation. CCRA also provides revitalization assistance through consultation with communities, downtown development authorities, urban renewal authorities and business improvement districts.
www.ccraonline.org
Colorado Council on the Arts Folklorists Program
The Colorado Council on the Arts has three folklorists on staff to assist artists whose work comes from their "ethnic, regional or occupational heritage." The council can help artists find funding and places to perform or display their art, and can also assist communities in identifying their cultural heritage tourism assets.
www.coloarts.org
Colorado Historical Society
A not-for-profit state institution, the Colorado Historical Society's mission is to collect, preserve and interpret the history of Colorado. CHS provides services in the following areas: publication, archives, exhibit, interpretation, museum sciences, educational programming and archeological and preservation services. CHS produces the bimonthly Colorado History Now newsletter, the Colorado Heritage quarterly magazine and the Colorado History journal series on Colorado heritage topics. CHS operates 12 historic sites and museums across Colorado and manages the Stephen H. Hart Library, one of Colorado's greatest collections of historical resources.
www.coloradohistory.org
Colorado Preservation, Inc.
Colorado Preservation, Inc. (CPI) is a non-profit organization that promotes and initiates preservation. CPI sponsors the annual Saving Places Conference in which funds are raised to continue the preservation cause and preservation minded groups come together to discuss projects. The organization also publishes Colorado Preservationist, a quarterly newsletter for members focusing on preservation topics such as projects, individuals, and public policies. The Dana Crawford award is given by CPI to individuals and organizations for outstanding contributions to preservation.
www.coloradopreservation.org.
Colorado Scenic and Historic Byways
The Colorado Scenic and Historic Byways program provides training and technical assistance to cultural heritage tourism groups working with designated scenic and historic byways. Hospitality training workshops and leadership training for small town boards are available. The Scenic and Historic Byways program also produces manuals that deal with planning and tourism and has published research regarding the economic impact of the Scenic and Historic Byways system.
www.coloradobyways.org,
sally.pearce@dot.state.co.us
Colorado Tourism Office – Heritage Tourism Program
The Colorado Tourism Office (CTO) provides heritage tourism consulting, research, and (occasionally) financial assistance to Colorado communities through its Heritage Tourism Program. The CTO's heritage tourism strategic plan, A Strategic Plan for Colorado Heritage Tourism Enhancement (2005), also offers strategies for Colorado communities undertaking cultural heritage tourism initiatives in partnership with, or independent of, the state program. (downloadable strategic plan pdf here) (downloadable Longwoods research here) (downloadable pilot project summary here) (downloadable Colorado preservationist article here)
scott.campbell@state.co.us
Colorado State University/Department of Local Affairs Rural Technical Assistance Program
Through this program, Colorado State University (CSU) and the Department of Local Affairs (DOLA) team up to offer architectural, planning, landscape architecture, economic development, historic preservation, needs assessments and open-space planning services to 34 counties in eastern, southeastern and south central Colorado. To be eligible, the project must 1) benefit the whole community, 2) the community must lack the funding necessary to hire private consultants, yet be able to contribute some funding (the rest may come from DOLA) and 3) there should be some public policy implications to the project. To receive help, written requests should be directed to the CSU office or the local DOLA representative.
www.coopext.colostate.edu/cd
Colorado State University Outreach Extension – Agriculture and Resource Economics
The Department of Agriculture and Resource Economics at Colorado State University has an outreach/extension service that provides technical assistance to businesses that are exploring new opportunities. The website also contains research that pertains to rural economic development and the economic aspects of tourism and open-space conservation.
dare.agsci.colostate.edu/csuagecon/extension/programareas.htm
Farmland Information Center
The Farmland Information Center maintains a website that has resources for organizations interested in protecting the working landscape. The website includes general explanations of some of the policy tools used to preserve farmland and also has examples of specific legal language used by real communities to protect their rural landscape. It also has links to agencies, organizations and other data sources.
www.farmlandinfo.org
National Trust For Historic Preservation — Heritage Tourism Program
The National Trust for Historic Preservation (NTHP) — Heritage Tourism Program provides technical and consulting services for communities, regions, states and a variety of heritage tourism practitioners. Practitioners can sign up for a quarterly electronic newsletter on the NTHP — Heritage Tourism website that provides the latest information on projects and funding sources. The website also features links to toolkits for specific types of projects, publications to initiate and sustain cultural heritage tourism, technical assistance and examples of successful cultural heritage tourism organizations and programs.
www.culturalheritagetourism.org
National Trust For Historic Preservation — Mountains And Plains Office
The National Trust's Mountains and Plains Regional Office provides historic preservation information and assistance to the mountains and plains region. The office provides outreach for specific regional projects. Their website features an annual report and the most recent newsletter on its homepage. This is a subsection of the National Trust for Historic Preservation website.
www.nthp.org/mountain_plains/index.html
Small Business Administration
Many cultural heritage tourism businesses are small businesses. The Small Business Administration (SBA) provides technical and management assistance to small businesses through its Small Business Development Centers (SBDCs), which are located in universities, chambers of commerce or community colleges. In Colorado, the SBDCs are administered by the Office of Economic Development and International Trade and have 16 branch offices throughout the state. They can provide assistance with marketing, production and organization.
www.sbc.gov/sbdc/index.html
US Department Of Agriculture — Resource Conservation and Development Program
The US Department of Agriculture, through its Resource Conservation and Development Program, has assistance available for communities to plan, develop and carry out programs for resource conservation and development within a defined project area. These areas are created by local initiative and selected through a competitive process.
www.nrcs.usda.gov/programs/rcd
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updated: 07/27/07