National Fund for Sacred Places Opens Application for 2026 Cohort
PHILADELPHIA, PA, UNITED STATES, January 13, 2026 /EINPresswire.com/ -- Applications are now welcome for the National Fund for Sacred Places, a program of Partners for Sacred Places in collaboration with the National Trust for Historic Preservation. The National Fund provides financial and technical support for community-serving historic houses of worship across America.
Now in its eleventh year, the National Fund for Sacred Places is the only nationwide program of its kind, providing financial and professional resources that support the health of congregations as they steward some of the nation’s most important and architecturally significant houses of worship.
Since its inception, the National Fund has awarded or pledged over $33 million to 167 community-serving congregations representing 28 faith traditions across 45 states, the District of Columbia, and Puerto Rico. The National Fund provides planning grants, wrap-around training and technical assistance, and capital grants ranging from $50,000 to $500,000.
“We are thrilled to meet a new cadre of vital congregations and walk with them through the application process,” says Rachel Hildebrandt, Senior Director of the National Fund for Sacred Places. “Not only will awarded grantees receive support in preserving their historic buildings but also assistance in connecting with their communities and telling their stories.”
The portal for applications is open today and closes on March 3, 2026. Prospective applicants can learn more at https://www.fundforsacredplaces.org/apply/, and are invited to attend an informational webinar on Thursday, January 22 at 3:00 PM EST⸺register at https://us06web.zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_ZbXIBsZxQFiUsW_V7ac7Aw#/registration.
For more information on the National Fund for Sacred Places, including eligibility, program details, and the value of sacred places in communities nationwide, visit 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 sacredplaces.org.
About the National Trust for Historic Preservation
The National Trust for Historic Preservation is a privately-funded nonprofit organization dedicated to helping communities maintain and enhance the power of historic places. Chartered by Congress in 1949 and supported by partners, friends, and champions nationwide, we help preserve the places and stories that make communities unique. Through the stewardship and revitalization of historic sites, we help communities foster economic growth, create healthier environments, and build a stronger, shared sense of civic duty and belonging. Learn more at savingplaces.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 Company. 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. lillyendowment.org
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Now in its eleventh year, the National Fund for Sacred Places is the only nationwide program of its kind, providing financial and professional resources that support the health of congregations as they steward some of the nation’s most important and architecturally significant houses of worship.
Since its inception, the National Fund has awarded or pledged over $33 million to 167 community-serving congregations representing 28 faith traditions across 45 states, the District of Columbia, and Puerto Rico. The National Fund provides planning grants, wrap-around training and technical assistance, and capital grants ranging from $50,000 to $500,000.
“We are thrilled to meet a new cadre of vital congregations and walk with them through the application process,” says Rachel Hildebrandt, Senior Director of the National Fund for Sacred Places. “Not only will awarded grantees receive support in preserving their historic buildings but also assistance in connecting with their communities and telling their stories.”
The portal for applications is open today and closes on March 3, 2026. Prospective applicants can learn more at https://www.fundforsacredplaces.org/apply/, and are invited to attend an informational webinar on Thursday, January 22 at 3:00 PM EST⸺register at https://us06web.zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_ZbXIBsZxQFiUsW_V7ac7Aw#/registration.
For more information on the National Fund for Sacred Places, including eligibility, program details, and the value of sacred places in communities nationwide, visit 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 sacredplaces.org.
About the National Trust for Historic Preservation
The National Trust for Historic Preservation is a privately-funded nonprofit organization dedicated to helping communities maintain and enhance the power of historic places. Chartered by Congress in 1949 and supported by partners, friends, and champions nationwide, we help preserve the places and stories that make communities unique. Through the stewardship and revitalization of historic sites, we help communities foster economic growth, create healthier environments, and build a stronger, shared sense of civic duty and belonging. Learn more at savingplaces.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 Company. 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. lillyendowment.org
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Rachel Hildebrandt
Partners for Sacred Places
+1 866-796-0297
email us here
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