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The restoration of Eva Cockcroft’s community mural in Harlem was made possible by the collaborative efforts of Resuce Public Murals and FOHP. |
The Friends of Heritage Preservation fosters associations with local and indigenous groups that work to revitalize communities and strengthen connections to cultural heritage. FOHP members often travel together to project sites to interact on a personal basis with local communities and to monitor specific projects from beginning to end.
FOHP is a democratic association that meets on a regular basis to evaluate proposals from organizations, institutions and scholars. FOHP strives to make informed decisions when selecting projects and allocates their resources where they are most needed.
FOHP extends its reach and impact by working together with other organizations, and seeks partnerships - both individual and institutional - in its endeavors. FOHP is dedicated to protecting and preserving the cultural and artistic heritage of our world for generations to come. FOHP members are committed to serving as agents in the preservation process by funding and facilitating important projects on a national and international basis. FOHP believes that our actions will directly increase global awareness of fundamental cultural heritage concerns.
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Jean-Honore Fragonard, The Fountain of Love oil on canvas (1785) London, UK and Los Angeles CA. |
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How to Become an Activist By Pooling Resources
Never doubt that a small group of thoughtful, committed, citizens can change the world. Indeed, it is the only thing that ever has - Margaret Mead
Margaret Mead’s declaration has become such a clichéd part of the vernacular that it seems a quaint challenge in today’s hyped-up fund raising world. Large scale television and on-line appeals responding to mega-crises - or massive government intervention - has had the effect of distancing us from personal involvement in choosing and funding those causes in which we believe. At the same time, we are often overwhelmed by information and requests and this tends to blunt rather than concentrate our desire to help, even when confronted by real human suffering or global needs.
So it was in a quiet moment of reflection that my husband and I, perhaps instinctively, responded to that notion - “committed and thoughtful individuals can change the world”. With a masters in art history and conservation from the Institute of Fine Arts, New York University and having worked in the field for a number of years I was looking for a way to continue and expand my passionate commitment to cultural and artistic preservation. We decided to get together a group of likeminded individuals and pool resources. The focus for the group would be the conservation and preservation of cultural and historic heritage. In 1998 we established the Friends of Heritage Preservation.
How does it work?
A group of us contribute a given amount each year and with those funds we set out to find projects that we feel need the resources or require our input to leverage further funds. By combining resources we have a direct and personal involvement in the projects we choose. All members vote on potential projects, generating further “ownership” of a project once it has been greenlighted. This model is very adaptable and can respond to needs in the community quickly, efficiently and without a large overhead. We use the California Community Foundation to administer and distribute our funds to organizations that already have 501(c)3 status. Thus far we have had a remarkable success, funding 36 projects from round the world over a period of 10 years.
Responding to critical preservation needs in our own community and abroad
Founded in 1998 by Suzanne Deal Booth and her husband David G. Booth, the Friends of Heritage Preservation (FOHP) is a small, private group of committed individuals based in the United States. It began in direct response to critical preservation needs of our own community and abroad. As a private charitable group, FOHP combines resources – creating a small, streamlined organization that can respond quickly to preservation initiatives. Visit the site >