Our 2025 Annual Report Is Here
- Jun 26
- 2 min read
Dear Friends of Preservation Utah,
Preservation works. That’s the simple truth behind everything in our 2025 Annual Report, Deeper Roots, Wider Reach, and it's what I want you to hold onto as you read it.
This year showed us what’s possible when an organization is financially stable, connected to its community, and willing to support places and people that others might overlook. Three years ago, Preservation Utah was running a deficit. In 2025, we ended the year with an operating surplus for the second year in a row and, for the first time, reached $2 million in total assets. This progress didn’t happen by chance. It comes from careful management, a variety of funding sources, and turning Memorial House into a busy, self-sustaining community space that now supports our finances. When you become a member, donate, or book Memorial House for an event, you help make this possible.
The programs we offered in 2025 show that our organization is growing in both reach and ambition. We led 106 guided historic tours (public, private, and school tours) serving 3,894 people, including 363 kids who experienced historic places for the first time. We hosted four public lectures that highlighted underrepresented stories in Utah history, from the women who shaped our state to a look at the mostly undocumented history of drag culture from 1871 to 2021. We also held two hands-on preservation workshops, one on restoring historic windows and one on masonry repair, giving people practical skills to care for buildings in their communities. Our Most Endangered Historic Places list, in its second year, received statewide media attention and inspired communities across Utah to take action for places they care about.
What I’m most proud of is where we showed up. Our Historic Homes Tours returned to Salt Lake City’s west side, this time in the Fairpark neighborhood. This is a community with a deep history and unique architecture that has often been left out of preservation efforts. Along with our tours, we offered neighborhood history lectures, community events, and grant-funded outreach in areas like Rose Park and Poplar Grove. We built relationships and a presence in places where this work is long overdue. Preservation should be for everyone. In 2025, we made real progress toward that goal.
None of this happens without you. The 364 volunteers who contributed more than 1,600 hours. The donors and members who gave their trust. The board members who brought their expertise and kept showing up. I'm grateful for every one of you, and I hope you'll take a few minutes to read the full report and see what we built together.
The roots are deeper. The reach is wider. And as we move through our 60th anniversary year, we are just getting started.
With gratitude,
Brandy Strand
Executive Director, Preservation Utah
