Missouri's Civil War Heritage Foundation, Inc. is a Missouri Not-for-Profit corporation which has qualified as a tax-exempt educational organization under the Internal Revenue Code. The Foundation was formed on June 18, 2001, and has as its principal purpose the promotion of tourist interest in Missouri's cultural heritage sites related to the Civil War, and other Nineteenth Century events which precipitated or resulted from that War. Closely related to this purpose is the purpose of increasing Missouri's inventory of cultural tourism resources in these fields. The Foundation will employ a variety of means and methods to encourage local support for preservation and interpretation projects designed to increase tourist interest. The Foundation's work looks ahead to the year 2011, which will be the 150th anniversary of the opening events of the Civil War. It will prepare Missouri to take full advantage of the economic benefits which will flow from this milestone event.