A New Approach to Sustainability—The Power of Donor Partnerships

Anjali Kaul Zutshi serves as Executive Director of Friends of the Texas Historical Commission and Chief Development Officer for the Texas Historical Commission, leading fundraising efforts in support of the THC's historic preservation mission.

Greetings! We are thrilled to bring you this fall issue of Past Matters, which offers another glimpse into the work we do and reflects our ongoing commitment to preserving and sharing the stories and histories of all Texans.

In previous issues, we have talked about organizational sustainability, and what that looks like for a nonprofit organization of our size and scope. The answer to that is organizational strength and endurance, and of course, financial sustainability.

The small, but mighty, staff of the Friends of the Texas Historical Commission works hard towards our overarching goal of building sustainability in all of our endeavors. Early this year, our board leadership led and completed a succession plan for the organization that will allow us to minimize the impacts on our operations in the event of a transition of any sort—a focus on organizational sustainability. Additionally, we continue our traditional fundraising for capital projects, education, and stewardship initiatives of the Texas Historical Commission (THC), while also supporting the THC by creating and implementing additional out-of-the-box strategies in pursuit of its mission.

Presidio La Bahía—Where Every Step Tells a Story

Presidio La Bahía was established on the banks of the San Antonio River in 1749. After serving the community for almost ninety years, it was abandoned, but in the 1960s, a local with a love for history set out to restore the site to its former glory. Kathryn O’Connor, a descendant of a Texian soldier who’d served at the presidio in 1835, took on the task of promoting, managing, and funding the restoration of the old fort starting in 1963 and completing the project in 1967. Since that time, Presidio La Bahía has stood as the only fully restored presidio in North America, hosting visitors from across the country and around the world.

After many years of management by the Diocese of Victoria, the Texas Historical Commission took over the operations of the historic site in December of 2022. In 2025, an agreement was reached between the Diocese of Victoria and the Texas Historical Commission for the purchase of the presidio and its vast collections of Spanish-Colonial-through-Texian-War-for-Independence artifacts.

Digging Into Texas History

As the THC Archeology Division Director and Texas State Archeologist, Brad Jones, will cheerily tell you all year long, "October is Texas Archeology Month!"

TAM is off to a strong start with more than 70 events on the statewide calendar and interactive map. Activities are taking place in communities across Texas through the efforts of museums, schools, libraries, parks, county historical commissions, clubs, and other partners who are engaging the public in archeology and heritage education.

Nearly 18,000 pinch pot kits have been distributed to support these programs. Roughly 7,000 of those went directly to public schools across 18 counties, helping teachers bring hands-on archeology into their classrooms. The remaining kits were distributed to libraries, museums, state parks, historical groups, and local clubs in 29 counties, expanding the reach of public programming throughout the state.

Texas History Needs You—Month After Month

With more than 42 historic sites now under the care of the Texas Historical Commission, the need for reliable, ongoing support has never been greater. By joining our community of monthly givers, you fuel preservation projects, archeology outreach, and educational programs that reach tens of thousands of Texans every year. Recurring gifts—whether $15, $25, or $50 a month—make it possible for us to plan, respond, and grow our statewide preservation and restoration efforts. It’s an amazing way to make a lasting impact: your dollars go further, your giving is easier, and your impact endures!

Legacy gifts go one step further, creating a sustainable foundation for our preservation work for generations. By including the Friends of the THC in your estate plans, you ensure that the historic landmarks and stories we safeguard remain part of Texas’ future. To learn more about legacy gift options, please call us at 512-936-2241 or email us at [email protected]