INDIANA — Indiana Landmarks has issued an urgent call to historic houses of worship across the state, announcing two critical summer deadlines for the 2026 Sacred Places Indiana grant cycles.
Supported by a landmark $10 million renewal grant from Lilly Endowment Inc., the program provides vital training, expert architectural guidance, and major financial assistance to help congregations preserve their architecturally significant buildings and thrive as community hubs.
The program splits into two distinct, competitive paths designed to meet congregations wherever they are in their infrastructure and stewardship planning.
Path 1: The Sacred Places Indiana Fund
- Application Deadline: June 15, 2026
- Best For: Active congregations managing historic facilities that are ready to tackle immediate structural, planning, or capital repair needs.
The Sacred Places Indiana Fund offers substantial matching financial assistance. Congregations accepted into this competitive tier are eligible to apply for planning grants up to $25,000 (to fund structural assessments and architectural feasibility studies) and massive capital grants up to $500,000 to help cover heavy physical restoration costs like roof replacements, masonry repairs, and HVAC modernization.
To qualify, congregations must demonstrate clear benchmarks of organizational health, including active clergy leadership, defined project goals, stable membership, and the financial capacity to raise local matching funds. Just last year, the program distributed more than $2.8 million to 25 historic churches statewide to secure crumbling structures.
Path 2: The New Dollars/New Partners Program
- Application Deadline: July 31, 2026
- Best For: Smaller-capacity or historically under-resourced congregations that need to build operational strength before launching massive capital campaigns.
Rather than jumping straight into major construction, the New Dollars/New Partners program focuses on institutional survival and financial training. Selected congregations undergo intensive, specialized workshops aimed at maximizing community fundraising, mastering long-term financial sustainability, and re-imagining how their historic space can serve the broader public neighborhood to generate new revenue streams.
Originally founded in 2015 by Indiana Landmarks and the Philadelphia-based Partners for Sacred Places, the program was expanded in late 2025 following a massive funding renewal from the Lilly Endowment. The initiative directly combats the trend of aging, historically vital community structures falling into disrepair as local congregations shrink.
How to Apply
Congregations stewarding an endangered historic property can review eligibility requirements, download application forms, and access past educational webinars by visiting the official Indiana Landmarks website.
For congregations looking for a deep dive into the eligibility parameters and matching campaign strategies, the recorded Sacred Places Indiana Fund Application Overview walks potential applicants through exactly what attributes the selection committee looks for when awarding capital funds.
