As a supporter of the American Battlefield Trust, you've almost certainly heard of the outstanding federal matching grant program that enables us and other battlefield partners to leverage our members' donations and purchase important historic properties. Over the past 25 years, the U.S. Congress has appropriated more than $250 million for the American Battlefield Protection Program (ABPP) and the Battlefield Land Acquisition Grant Program (BLAG), which has been multiplied many times over by private donations and state and local monies, leading to the protection of more than 36,000 acres of battlefield land throughout the nation.
Today, the Trust is asking for your help to ensure that this remarkable vehicle for historic land conservation continues into the future.
Learn More & Sign the Support Now!
Recently, U.S. Senators Dave McCormick (R-PA) and Tim Kaine (D-VA) introduced legislation to reauthorize the BLAG program through 2035 and make minor refinements to BLAG’s sister programs: the Battlefield Interpretation Grant Program and the Battlefield Restoration Grant Program. The Trust is asking supporters like you to reach out to their Senators and Members of Congress, via a simple mechanism on our website and urge them to become cosponsors of this important and bipartisan legislation.
The ABPP Reauthorization Bill maintains funding for the program at $20 million per year. In addition, it decreases the private match requirement on interpretation and restoration grants to 25 percent, a reduced fundraising burden that will enable a wider variety of local battlefield organizations to apply. It also directs the National Park Service to study the feasibility of expanding eligibility for BLAG grants to sites from the French and Indian War and the Mexican-American War. Engagements of those conflicts on U.S. soil have already been mapped under the auspices of ABPP, establishing the historic boundaries that are a key prerequisite for evaluating all land acquisition projects.
In all of our past reauthorization pushes, the BLAG program has enjoyed deep bipartisan support in both houses of Congress, and we expect a similar scenario for this forward-looking program that marries historical literacy with land conservation goals. Our champions on Capitol Hill are excited to support the bill, but a wider array of lawmakers are likely to join us – if they hear from constituents like you, who care deeply about the issue.
Show Your Support – Sign the Letter Now!
Taking a few moments to use the simple form on our website will enable you to send a message to your Senators and Member of Congress, registering your support for battlefield preservation and the track record of the BLAG program over the years.
Please lend your voice to our outreach work – and share the link with your friends and relatives who share our passion for the power of place and believe that these hallowed landscapes should be protected.
Sincerely,
Jim Campi
Director of Policy and Communications
American Battlefield Trust