Thus, funding for private site protection, which had seemed promising in 1980, became extremely difficult by 1981. Yet the Conservancy continued to identify, acquire and preserve sites in an ever expanding area of the United States. By the end of 1989, it had completed 60 projects in eleven states. Today, the Conservancy has about 8,500 contributors from across the nation. The other third were donated to the Conservancy, whose staff is trained in real estate and tax matters.
Archaeological sites tend to be small and often relatively inexpensive to purchase.
The Conservancy does not pay for archaeology. This may seem like a paradox, but it is the key to successful negotiations. The commercial potential of a site is offset by the cost of recovery and the resulting damage to the property. The Conservancy's Board of Directors sets goals and priorities on the basis of need. It was determined that the remains of the Caddo culture in Texas, Oklahoma, Arkansas, and Louisiana were in great need of preservation due to the ravages of landleveling and looting.