Grants were awarded to churches in 19 states, from Alabama to California. Credit...via The National Trust for Historic Preservation

Black Churches Are Awarded $8.5 Million in Grants for Preservation

The initiative to save historic Black churches has aided 108 congregations since 2023.

By Matt Yan

Black churches across the country recently were awarded more than $8 million in grants, part of an effort to preserve buildings that played significant roles in Black history.

The grants, ranging from $50,000 to $500,000 and totaling $8.5 million, were announced on Feb. 24 and went to 30 churches. They were awarded by the African American Cultural Heritage Action Fund, a program operated by the nonprofit National Trust for Historic Preservation, with support from Lilly Endowment Inc.

Since its inception in 2023, the $60 million Preserving Black Churches initiative has worked with 108 congregations and invested $19.5 million, said Brent Leggs, the executive director of the fund and a senior vice president at the National Trust for Historic Preservation.