National Preservation Institute

National Preservation Institute
Name	National Preservation Institute
Formation	1980
Type	Nonprofit organization
Headquarters	Mount Vernon, Virginia
Services	Training, technical assistance, publications
Leader title	Executive Director
Leader name	William M. Rember

National Preservation Institute The National Preservation Institute is a nonprofit organization that provides training and technical assistance on historic preservation practice, Section 106 of the National Historic Preservation Act, and cultural resource management. It serves professionals from agencies such as the National Park Service, Smithsonian Institution, Library of Congress, and General Services Administration, as well as tribal offices like the Bureau of Indian Affairs and organizations including the National Trust for Historic Preservation and the American Alliance of Museums. The institute offers seminars, conferences, and publications used by staff from the Advisory Council on Historic Preservation, National Archives and Records Administration, and state historic preservation offices such as the California Office of Historic Preservation and the New York State Office of Parks, Recreation and Historic Preservation.

History

Founded in 1980, the organization emerged amid increased activity around the National Historic Preservation Act of 1966, the evolving role of the National Park Service in cultural resource stewardship, and heightened interest from agencies like the Army Corps of Engineers and the Federal Highway Administration in compliance with Section 106. Early leadership included professionals with backgrounds at the Advisory Council on Historic Preservation, the Smithsonian Institution, and state preservation offices in Virginia and Maryland. Over decades the institute expanded its audience to include staff from the U.S. Forest Service, Bureau of Land Management, Department of Defense, and international entities such as the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization and the World Bank. Its development intersected with major preservation milestones including the National Environmental Policy Act implementations, the rise of historic tax credits practice, and landmark projects like the rehabilitation of Ellis Island and the preservation work at Independence National Historical Park.

Mission and Programs

The institute's mission centers on improving stewardship of cultural resources through practical training for practitioners from the National Park Service, Advisory Council on Historic Preservation, State Historic Preservation Offices, and tribal historic preservation officers affiliated with the Indian Health Service and the Bureau of Indian Affairs. Programs address legal frameworks such as the National Historic Preservation Act of 1966, Native American Graves Protection and Repatriation Act, and Archaeological Resources Protection Act of 1979, while serving personnel from agencies including the Federal Highway Administration, Federal Aviation Administration, U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, and General Services Administration. Courses also attract staff from cultural institutions like the Metropolitan Museum of Art, National Gallery of Art, American Alliance of Museums, and university programs at Columbia University, University of Pennsylvania, and Harvard University.

Training and Publications

The institute conducts seminars on topics such as Section 106 of the National Historic Preservation Act, Historic American Buildings Survey, Standards for Rehabilitation (Secretary of the Interior), and cultural landscapes guidance used by the National Park Service. Trainings have been delivered to personnel from the National Trust for Historic Preservation, Preservation Foundation, Society for American Archaeology, and the Association for Preservation Technology International. Publications, including course manuals and reports, support professionals at the Library of Congress, National Archives and Records Administration, Smithsonian Institution, Historic England (for comparative study), and academic presses at Yale University Press and University of California Press.

Partnerships and Collaborations

The institute partners with federal entities like the National Park Service, Advisory Council on Historic Preservation, Federal Highway Administration, and the Army Corps of Engineers, as well as nonprofit organizations including the National Trust for Historic Preservation, Preservation Action, and the National Conference of State Historic Preservation Officers. Collaborative work has included projects with the National Archives and Records Administration, the Smithsonian Institution, tribal governments, and international bodies such as UNESCO and the International Council on Monuments and Sites. It also works with academic centers at University of Virginia, University of Maryland, Michigan State University, and professional associations like the American Institute of Architects and the American Council on the Historic Preservation.

Governance and Funding

Governance is provided by a board composed of preservation leaders drawn from organizations such as the National Park Service, Smithsonian Institution, Advisory Council on Historic Preservation, and the National Trust for Historic Preservation. Funding sources include training fees, grants from foundations like the Andrew W. Mellon Foundation and the National Endowment for the Humanities, contracts with federal agencies including the General Services Administration and the Federal Highway Administration, and partnerships with state historic preservation offices such as those in Texas, Pennsylvania, and Massachusetts. The institute has received project support from entities like the Ford Foundation and collaborates with consulting firms that work on projects for the Department of Defense and Department of the Interior.

Impact and Notable Projects

The institute has provided training and technical assistance for high-profile initiatives including rehabilitation work at Independence National Historical Park, documentation projects related to Ellis Island, and consultation for large infrastructure programs led by the Federal Highway Administration and the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers. Its alumni include staff who advanced to leadership positions at the National Park Service, Advisory Council on Historic Preservation, National Trust for Historic Preservation, and academic posts at institutions such as Columbia University and University of Virginia. The institute's work has informed policy implementation involving the National Historic Preservation Act of 1966, Native American Graves Protection and Repatriation Act, and guidance used by the National Archives and Records Administration, Smithsonian Institution, and state historic preservation offices. Notable collaborations have supported preservation efforts at sites like Mount Vernon, Monticello, Fort Sumter National Monument, and urban revitalization programs in Baltimore, New Orleans, and Detroit.

Category:Historic preservation organizations in the United States