The Foundation has accomplished a great deal with only volunteers and limited resources, including the expansion and creation of National Register Historic Districts, preservation of Sunset Cemetery, support of the Main Street revitalization program of Shelby, historic tax credit assistance, and support of the historic inventory. HSF is especially involved, along with a consortium of other groups, with restoration of the threatened 1936 art deco Rogers Theater and its conversion to a regional, multi-purpose performing arts center.

Historic Shelby has worked closely with Preservation North Carolina over the years to place protective covenants on several key buildings such as the Bankers House, El Nido, Masonic Temple, and Dr. Victor McBrayer house. Recently we won an award from Preservation North Carolina and North Carolina Department of Commerce for orchestrating the adaptive reuse of the McMurry-Moore House, a 1923 Colonial Revival house owned by the Shelby City Schools Board, into the offices of the Cleveland County Partnership for Children.