National Fund for Sacred Places

The National Fund for Sacred Places is a grant program operated through a collaboration between Partners for Sacred Places and the National Trust for Historic Preservation. Funded with support from the Lilly Endowment Inc., the program aims to preserve and revitalize historic houses of worship that serve a broader community function beyond their religious mission. This initiative emphasizes the importance of sacred places as centers for community service, cultural enrichment, and neighborhood renewal. The fund provides capital grants ranging from $50,000 to $500,000 to support urgent repair and restoration projects that ensure the physical stability and usability of historic religious properties. These grants are specifically intended for preservation-related activities such as fixing roofs, structural stabilization, ADA compliance, and rehabilitation of underused spaces for community use. Grants between $50,000 and $175,000 require a one-to-one match, whereas those above $175,000 require a two-to-one match. Only funds raised after formal acceptance into the program are eligible for matching. Before disbursement, congregations must have permit-ready architectural documents and demonstrate fundraising capacity to support the full scope of the project. To be eligible, applicants must be active religious congregations or affiliated nonprofits that own a property originally built as a house of worship, located in the U.S. or its territories. The congregation must be at least three years old, demonstrate strong organizational health, and have a clear commitment to community service and historic preservation. Eligible projects must be in line with the Secretary of the Interior’s Standards for Rehabilitation and should prioritize critical structural repairs. New construction, staff salaries, and certain aesthetic or non-preservation related expenses are not eligible for funding. The application process is conducted annually and consists of three phases: a Letter of Intent (LOI), a full application by invitation, and a capital grant submission following technical assistance. The LOI phase assesses readiness and alignment with the fund’s core criteria, including historic significance, community service, and project feasibility. Selected applicants are then invited to submit detailed applications in July, and final selections are announced in October. Successful applicants begin a technical assistance phase, during which they prepare construction documents and fundraising plans. Grants are disbursed in two installments: 50% upon plan approval and securing 25% of the required match, and 50% upon project completion. Grant recipients are subject to specific conditions, including maintaining competitive procurement practices, using approved consultants, and acknowledging the fund in all public materials. Matching funds must be new and documented, with in-kind donations capped at 20%. Recipients are also required to submit an interim report at the project’s midpoint and a final report within one month of completion. The 2024 grant cycle opened for Letters of Intent on January 16 and closed on February 29. Full application invitations are sent in June, with submissions due in July. Final decisions are made in October. The fund is especially interested in applications from underrepresented areas, including Arkansas, Colorado, Delaware, Kentucky, Mississippi, Nebraska, Nevada, North Dakota, South Dakota, Tennessee, West Virginia, and U.S. territories such as the U.S. Virgin Islands and Guam.