Historian Dan Austin launches fund to preserve Detroit’s past and help build its future

March 17, 2026

Detroit historian Dan Austin, who has spent 15 years documenting the city's architectural history through his website HistoricDetroit. org, has established The Austin Past & Future Fund following his stage IV cancer diagnosis in 2024. The nonprofit organization serves dual purposes: creating an endowment to maintain his free architectural history website containing over 1,000 articles and 17,000 photographs, and providing college scholarships for Detroit youth aged 16-26 who demonstrate commitment to serving their community.

Who is affected

Dan Austin (Detroit historian and HistoricDetroit.org founder diagnosed with stage IV cancer)
Elle Tivine-Austin (Austin's wife and board president of the fund)
Detroit residents ages 16 to 26 (eligible scholarship recipients)
Detroit youth who want to give back to their city through various fields
HistoricDetroit.org's 100,000+ social media followers and website visitors
Helmut Ziewers (site's director of photography)
Mayor Mary Sheffield (who honored Austin)
Community members and volunteers who write articles or donate
Future generations of Detroiters

What action is being taken

The Austin Past & Future Fund nonprofit has been launched
Money is being raised through tax-deductible donations
Donations are being invested into a managed endowment
Fundraising is currently ongoing (with first year dedicated to this purpose)
Donations through Austin's Substack and Patreon pages are being transferred directly to the fund
Community members are volunteering to write articles and donating to support the website

Why it matters

This initiative matters because it preserves 15 years of irreplaceable documentation of Detroit's architectural and cultural history, ensuring future generations have free access to over 1,000 articles and 17,000 photos of the city's landmarks. The fund addresses both historical preservation and future opportunity by removing educational barriers for Detroit youth who want to serve their communities. Austin's work has helped Detroiters understand their city's "beauty, strength, and soul" through its historical buildings and monuments, making these structures more than abandoned properties but recognized as important chapters in Detroit's collective story. The scholarship program specifically targets young people committed to giving back to Detroit, creating a cycle of civic engagement and community investment.

What's next

The board plans to begin offering scholarships in 2027 (after the first year of fundraising)
Austin will auction off his extensive record collection this summer with proceeds benefiting the fund
Austin plans to launch an online store offering signed copies of his three published books and Detroit artifacts
Those interested in applying for scholarships can sign up for notifications at www.austinfund.org when applications go live

Read full article from source: bridgedetroit.com