Donate today to help us protect endangered properties!  

The goal of the Endangered Properties Revolving Fund is to secure endangered properties, protect them, and then market them to a conservation buyer who will agree to rehab the building to certain standards.   This model is used by the Georgia Trust for Historic Preservation, Historic Macon, Historic Savannah, and other non-profits utilizing revolving funds.

WHAT IS A REVOLVING FUND?
A revolving fund is a financing tool used traditionally in historic preservation projects.  In Morgan County’s case, the Endangered Properties Revolving Fund is uniquely designed to protect historic structures AND openspace. Initially capitalized at $1m, the fund will be used to 1) acquire significant and endangered properties that include both historic structures and undeveloped land through donation, purchase, or option agreements, 2) protect the properties with conservation easements or other preservation agreements, 3) market/sell those properties to conservation buyers, and then 4) reinvest the proceeds back into the revolving fund for the next project.

Because the capital in this fund revolves from project to project, this Endangered Properties Revolving Fund will not only protect farms, forests, and front porches for this generation, it will be a tool that future generations can use to sustain their Morgan County.

If you would like to know more about the Endangered Properties Revolving Fund or support our efforts in developing this fund, please contact us.

Foster-Thomason-Miller-Minnix House, aka Madison’s Masterpiece on Main

FTM House “after” 2023

The first Endangered Properties Revolving Fund project!  The Foster-Thomason-Miller House was purchased by the Conservancy in 2018 after capitalizing the $1m fund.  After stabilizing the structure and permanently protecting the house and grounds through a conservation easement, the Conservancy sold the property to preservation buyers, Elizabeth and David Minnix, subject to a Preservation Agreement.

The Minnixes agreed to rehabilitate the structure within a certain time and to a certain standard.  And boy did they do a superb job restoring the historic core and adding a new rear addition.

The funds from the sale of the property to the Minnixes were returned to the fund and used for the next Revolving Fund projects.

Bramble Creek Farm

Charlene and Tom Kickbush had spoken for years about protecting their farm. They loved the bottomland hardwoods, horse pastures, and abundant wildlife they saw daily. They did not want to see the land developed, or the mushrooms disappear, or the birds, deer, and other wildlife be displaced.

Years after Tom passed away, Charlene contacted the Conservancy to explore her options. It was the beginning of a beautiful friendship and the protection of 155 acres of their 165-acre farm.  On the 165 acres, there are three building envelopes, allowing limited future development, and the rest is protected as working farm, working forest, and special natural areas. This project is a perfect example of why the Conservancy works in this space – it’s a win, win, win: conservation easements benefit wildlife, the public (by protecting public resources like air and water quality, open space, wildlife habitat, prime soils), and the landowner.  In this case, Charlene was able to honor Tom’s wishes and leave a lasting legacy.

The Revolving Fund recently arranged for 35 acres of the farm to be sold to the next generation farmer, a local cattle farmer.  Through this transaction, the Conservancy will fully revolve its investment in the Bramble Creek Farm conservation easement, bringing yet another revolving fund project to completion.

Conservation values at Bramble Creek Farm: 155 acres of farmland, timberland, and hardwood forest along Bramble Creek.  The farm has prime agricultural soils, significant agricultural infrastructure, healthy stands of working forest, beautiful bottomland hardwoods, and abundant wildlife.  It’s a serene and beautiful place and part of Morgan County’s critical mass of farmland.

The Seedhouse, now EarthCraft Gold Office Space, Downtown Madison, GA
On October 30^th2020, the Revolving Fund purchased 137 S. First Street, a blighted c. 1896 historic cotton seed warehouse in the heart of downtown Madison.  Known most recently as Helen’s Beauty Shop, the building had been vacant for 10 years.  The Revolving Fund rehabilitated the building into an EarthCraft Gold commercial space, replacing blight with an energy efficient office space.  The Revolving Fund will own and lease the property to the Conservancy for five years and then sell it to recoup its investment, replenishing the fund.

Come see us.  The Seedhouse is a great demonstration project, if you’re interested in solar, pervious pavers, energy star appliances, and many other sustainable technologies.

Horse Branch Creek Trail

Horse Branch Creek Preserve 2021

The Revolving Fund helped secure a critical link for a future trail that will eventually connect the Morgan County School campus to Horse Branch Creek Trail by funding a conservation easement to permanently protect the land and public access for the trail.

A   TDR project preceded the transfer of the land in fee to the City of Madison.  The TDRs created by the conservation easement were retained by the landowner, who compensated the Conservancy for its financial investment in the easement with 10 TDRs.  Once the Conservancy sells these TDRs, this revolving fund project will be fully revolved.

Fairplay School

Fairplay School 2023

In June 2022, the Conservancy purchased the historic Fairplay School on 1.88 acres through the EPRF.  Built in 1897 on property given to the School Board that same year by John Ponder, the building operated as a school serving the Fairplay community until 1938. After Morgan County consolidated the rural schools, the Board of Education sold the Fairplay School to the Knight Family in 1953.  The Knights lived in the building for 70 years until they sold it to the Conservancy in August 2022. There are only a handful of historic schools left in Morgan County, making the protection of this schoolhouse so important.

And here’s how we revolved our money: after purchasing the school, the Conservancy stabilized the structure, protected the property with a deed restriction and Preservation Agreement, and found a preservation buyer to rehabilitate the structure to a certain standard by a certain time. In this case the preservation buyer will return the front façade to its original appearance, reconstruct the bell tower, and rehabilitate the structure as a residence.

This project is fully revolved.  Proceeds from the sale went back into the Endangered Properties Revolving Fund and await being deployed for the next project.

WE THANK THE FOLLOWING DONORS FOR MAKING THIS PROGRAM A REALITY: