Special to the Times
Old North Illuminated, the non-profit organization that stewards Old North Church & Historic Site, announced that it has been selected to join the Bloomberg Philanthropies Digital Accelerator Program. This initiative helps cultural organizations across the U.S. and U.K. strengthen technology and management practices to improve operations, drive revenue, increase fundraising, engage broader audiences, and deliver dynamic programming.
Old North Illuminated manages all interpretive, educational, and preservation programs at the Old North Church & Historic Site in Boston’s historic North End neighborhood. Established in 1723, Old North Church is the oldest surviving church building in the city of Boston and a popular Freedom Trail destination. Old North is famous for the events of April 18, 1775, when two men climbed the church’s steeple to hold two lanterns aloft as a signal from Paul Revere to fellow Patriots that British troops were headed to Concord “by sea” across the Charles River. This coded message and Paul Revere’s midnight ride helped spark the Revolutionary War, which erupted the following day with the Battles of Lexington and Concord. Old North’s lantern signal was immortalized in Henry Wadsworth Longfellow’s poem “Paul Revere’s Ride” with the phrase “one if by land, and two if by sea.”
“The Bloomberg Philanthropies Digital Accelerator Program comes at a pivotal time for Old North,” says Nikki Stewart, Executive Director of Old North Illuminated. “As we approach the 250th anniversary of Paul Revere’s lantern signal in 2025 and America’s 250th birthday in 2026, this critical support will help us redesign our website to better serve the hundreds of thousands of visitors expected in Boston. Our website also hosts free curricula, lesson plans, and educational videos used in classrooms nationwide. We’re grateful to Bloomberg Philanthropies for enhancing the digital experience for history students and global visitors.”
Over the past three years, the Digital Accelerator Program has been a catalyst for strengthening nearly 150 cultural organizations across the U.S. and U.K. To date, the 40 institutions that were part of the first cohort cumulatively grew an additional $20 million in new revenue including through fundraising, reached over 1 million new audience members, and engaged more than 4,000 new artists and partners.
Old North Illuminated is one of 200 nonprofit cultural organizations accepted into Bloomberg Philanthropies’ new Digital Accelerator Program cohort, spanning artistic disciplines and organization size in 52 U.S. cities and 28 U.K. cities.
Established in 1991 as the Old North Foundation, Old North Illuminated is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization that is responsible for historic site operations and interpretative, educational, and preservation programs at the iconic Old North Church & Historic Site. A secular organization that is independent of Christ Church in the City of Boston, Old North Illuminated welcomes approximately 500,000 visitors annually while overseeing the preservation of an enduring symbol of American independence. Old North Illuminated serves a wide audience by creating meaningful experiences through educational outreach, site-specific programming, and historical analysis. ONI works collaboratively with the City of Boston, the U.S. National Park Service, the Freedom Trail Foundation, and other partners to foster educational and interpretive programs for students and visitors while engaging the public in Old North Church’s history and its role in inspiring liberty and freedom. In 2023, Old North Church & Historic Site was designated as a Site of Conscience by the International Coalition of Sites of Conscience (ICSC), joining a global network of historic sites, museums, and memory initiatives that connect past struggles to today’s movements for human rights. For more information, visit: www.oldnorth.com.
Bloomberg Philanthropies invests in 700 cities and 150 countries around the world to ensure better, longer lives for the greatest number of people. The organization focuses on creating lasting change in five key areas: the Arts, Education, Environment, Government Innovation, and Public Health. Bloomberg Philanthropies encompasses all of Michael R. Bloomberg’s giving, including his foundation, corporate, and personal philanthropy as well as Bloomberg Associates, a philanthropic consultancy that advises cities around the world. In 2023, Bloomberg Philanthropies distributed $3 billion. For more information, please visit bloomberg.org, sign up for our newsletter, or follow us on Instagram, LinkedIn, YouTube, Threads, Facebook, and X.