Today, the National Fund for Sacred Places awarded 30 historic congregations with capital grants of up to $500,000 each, for a total of over $9 million. The program of Partners for Sacred Places in collaboration with the National Trust for Historic Preservation also provides tailored technical assistance to support good planning, community engagement, and enhanced fundraising.

In its 11th year, the National Fund for Sacred Places, the only national program of its kind, will be providing financial and professional resources to help congregations steward architecturally significant sacred places that serve as community hubs in their regions. To date, the National Fund has awarded or pledged over $42 million to 197 community-serving congregations representing 29 denominations and faith traditions across 46 states, the District of Columbia, and Puerto Rico. For every $1 invested by the National Fund, participating congregations have raised nearly $5 in additional funding for their projects.

“The 2026 National Fund for Sacred Places congregations embody spirituality, community, and resilience,” said Bob Jaeger, president of Partners for Sacred Places. “Their historic buildings have long histories as civic spaces and community gathering places, and it is our honor to be part of this chapter in their story. This is also the first year we have welcomed a congregation from Arkansas, as the need for sustainable funding sources continues to grow throughout the country.”

As the United States celebrates its 250th anniversary, it is more apparent than ever that houses of worship across the nation have played a crucial role in its history and culture. Many congregations in the National Fund have a tradition of opening their religious buildings to the community, providing social services, childcare, meeting space, and venues for the arts, in addition to maintaining historical and ancestral records that may otherwise be lost.

“Thanks to the strategic and generous investment by Lilly Endowment Inc., the National Trust for Historic Preservation is proud to collaborate with Partners for Sacred Places in awarding over $9 million to 30 historic churches, the largest amount awarded in any National Fund for Sacred Places grant round,” said Brent Leggs, President and CEO of the National Trust for Historic Preservation. “Historic houses of worship have a robust power to shape the identities and values of Americans. They are uniquely significant as places of faith and belonging and stand as cultural landmarks and beacons to communities in times of celebration or hardship. Investing in these congregations ensures that our nation’s diverse religious heritage is preserved and thriving.”

This year 466 congregations submitted applications to the National Fund for Sacred Places program, reflecting the growing need to preserve these buildings as the religious landscape evolves in the United States.

“This diverse cohort of congregations represents the types of stories we need to preserve as part of our national heritage,” said Rachel Hildebrandt, senior director of the National Fund for Sacred Places. “Many of these buildings have played important roles in social change movements that have made our country what it is today. We are deeply committed to supporting the National Fund congregations in restoring and maintaining these community hubs for future generations.”

The National Fund 2026 grantees are:

For more information on the National Fund for Sacred Places, including eligibility, program details, and the value of sacred places in communities nationwide, please visit www.fundforsacredplaces.org. The National Fund for Sacred Places is made possible thanks to the generosity of Lilly Endowment Inc.

About Partners for Sacred Places
Partners for Sacred Places is the only nonsectarian, nonprofit organization dedicated to the sound stewardship and active community use of older sacred places across America. Partners provides a variety of fundraising, building stewardship, space-sharing, and community engagement services through grant-funded programs and consulting so that sacred places can live into the vital roles they play as community assets in their neighborhoods and our wider society. To learn more, visit www.sacredplaces.org.

About Lilly Endowment Inc.
Lilly Endowment Inc. is a private foundation created in 1937 by J.K. Lilly Sr. and his sons Eli and J.K. Jr. through gifts of stock in their pharmaceutical business, Eli Lilly and Co. While those gifts remain the financial bedrock of the endowment, it is a separate entity from the company, with a distinct governing board, staff and location. In keeping with the founders’ wishes, the endowment supports the causes of community development, education and religion and maintains a special commitment to its hometown, Indianapolis, and home state, Indiana. A principal aim of the endowment’s religion grantmaking is to deepen and enrich the lives of Christians in the United States, primarily by seeking out and supporting efforts that enhance the vitality of congregations and strengthen the pastoral and lay leadership of Christian communities. The endowment also seeks to improve public understanding of diverse religious traditions by supporting fair and accurate portrayals of the role religion plays in the United States and across the globe. www.lillyendowment.org