Partners for Sacred Places – Mar 3

Posted by National Fund for Sacred Places on January 13, 2026

National Fund for Sacred Places invites applications from historic congregations

Established in 2016, the National Fund for Sacred Places provides technical and financial support for congregations, building their capacity and increasing the stability of these critical yet disappearing historic community centers. A collaborative program of Partners for Sacred Places and the National Trust for Historic Preservation, the National Fund is supported by $64 million from the Indiana-based Lilly Endowment; the Gerry Charitable Trust provided additional support in 2019.

The program funds historic preservation projects addressing urgent repair needs related to structural components, walls, roofs, and/or other elements of the building envelope that are integral to a building’s preservation and longevity. Projects that improve functionality or improve accessibility of the property in accordance with the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) are also eligible, as well as renovation projects that make vacant or underused space usable for community outreach, but applicants should demonstrate that urgent repair needs to the building envelope have already been identified by a building conditions assessment and addressed before proposing ADA or interior rehabilitation projects. All projects must adhere to the Secretary of the Interior’s Standards for Rehabilitation.

Applications capture data related to the National Fund’s six core criteria: historic, cultural, or architectural significance; community-serving congregations; project scope and need; fundraising readiness; healthy congregations; and strong applications.

To be eligible, the property must be located within the United States or its territories; the property must have been originally built to be a house of worship, and must be owned by an active community of faith; the congregation must be at least three years old; the property must possess historical, cultural, or architectural significance; the property must be occupied by a congregation that is community-minded and that serves nonmembers; the property must have urgent repair needs related to structural components, walls, roof, and/or other elements of the building envelope that are integral to a building’s preservation and longevity; anticipated capital projects must respect the property’s historic character and materials, and must adhere to the Secretary of the Interior’s Standards for Rehabilitation; the congregation must demonstrate a need for project funds that exceeds the congregation’s typical donor base and membership; the applicant must exhibit several signs of positive organizational health; and the congregation must work with Partners for Sacred Places and the National Trust for Historic Preservation prior to disbursement of the capital grant to ensure that all program requirements have been met.

The application will launch on January 13, 2026, with applications due March 3, 2026.

All National Fund grants require a 1:1 cash match, and one-quarter of the required matching funds must be raised or pledged before any portion of the grant can be disbursed.

For complete program guidelines and application instructions, see the National Fund for Sacred Places website.

Deadline: March 3, 2026