National Fund for Sacred Places

The National Fund for Sacred Places is a grantmaking initiative established in 2016 with financial backing from the Lilly Endowment. The program is collaboratively managed by Partners for Sacred Places and the National Trust for Historic Preservation. With a total funding commitment of $64 million, this national program aims to support historic houses of worship in the United States and its territories that are engaged in community-serving activities. It offers not just financial support but also robust technical assistance to help faith communities preserve and sustain their sacred places as vital community assets. The National Fund provides capital preservation grants to religious congregations and affiliated nonprofits that own purpose-built historic houses of worship. Eligible projects must primarily address urgent repair needs essential to a building’s preservation, such as structural repairs to walls, roofs, and other elements of the building envelope. Additional eligible uses include ADA-compliant improvements, as well as renovations to activate underused or vacant spaces for community engagement. Applicants must demonstrate that any urgent repair needs have already been identified and addressed before proposing interior rehabilitation or accessibility improvements. All work must adhere to the Secretary of the Interior’s Standards for Rehabilitation, and project scope must respect the historic character and materials of the property. To qualify, applicants must meet several criteria: the building must be located in the U.S. or its territories, originally constructed as a place of worship, and owned by an active, community-serving congregation at least three years old. The applicant must be a religious congregation or a closely affiliated nonprofit. The property should hold architectural, cultural, or historical significance, although formal designation on historic registers is not required. Additional eligibility factors include organizational health (stable leadership, financial strength, and community partnerships), the capacity for fundraising, and evidence of need for funding that exceeds the applicant's normal donor base. All grants require a 1:1 cash match, and at least 25% of matching funds must be raised or pledged before disbursement. The application process is structured in three major phases. The first phase involves a comprehensive online application submitted through the Foundant system, which addresses the program's six core criteria. Selected applicants are then invited to complete an Additional Information Form that delves deeper into project scope, architectural planning, and fundraising readiness. After successful completion of these steps and acceptance into the program, grantees must develop and submit a Capital Grant Submission, including final project documents and evidence of matching funds. Grant funds are disbursed in two installments: the first 50% upon approval of the Capital Grant Submission, and the remaining 50% after project completion and final review. For the 2026 grant cycle, applications will open on January 13, 2026, and must be submitted by March 3, 2026, by 11:59 PM EST through the Foundant system. Final notifications will be issued in October 2026 after advisory committee review. The program particularly encourages applications from underrepresented geographic areas such as Arkansas, Mississippi, Nebraska, Nevada, West Virginia, and U.S. Territories including the U.S. Virgin Islands and Guam. Applicants receive significant support throughout the process, including technical assistance, planning grants, campaign support, and communications consulting. The program seeks to empower congregations not only to preserve their buildings but also to deepen their impact as civic anchors in their communities. The fund prioritizes projects that go beyond religious function to serve broader community needs and that have the leadership, planning, and fundraising readiness to execute complex capital projects.

Prioritize urgent repair needs and preservation standards; readiness in planning and fundraising enhances competitiveness.