Program Details

The first 50% of the capital grant award will be paid when:

1. The congregation has permit-ready architectural drawings or equivalent documentation that describes the proposed project and demonstrates that best practices for historic preservation will be implemented.
2. The congregation has raised one-fourth of the total matching funds we require and has a sound plan for raising the remaining matching funds to complete the project.
3. The congregation completes the Capital Grant Submission form in Foundant, the National Fund staff review and approve the capital grant documentation, and a signed grant award agreement has been returned by the congregation to National Fund staff.

The second 50% of the award is paid when:

1. The National Fund scope of work has been completed and the grant and the matching funds have been spent on eligible project related expenses.
2. 100% of the match has been pledged and/or raised.
3. The awardees complete a final report in Foundant and a site visit with National Fund staff.

Grants may be used for urgent repair needs related to structural components, walls, roofs, and/or other elements of the building envelope that are integral to life safety; projects that improve the accessibility of the property in compliance with the Americans with Disabilities Act; and/or projects that make vacant or underutilized space more suitable for community use—including bricks-and-mortar construction costs and the associated management of construction and design services.

Capital Grant Submissions from congregations accepted into the National Fund for Sacred Places are reviewed on a quarterly basis. The submission deadlines for capital grants are February 1, May 1, August 1, and November 1. In extraordinary circumstances, such as weather-dependent work, the National Fund team is willing to review capital grants outside of the quarterly schedule on a case-by-case basis.

Please note you must receive approval from the National Fund before starting any physical work on your building, if the work is part of the project funded by the National Fund grant.

Matching Fund Requirements & Grant Payouts

Because National Fund grants are intended to leverage broader energy, resources, and dollars, all capital grants awarded from the National Fund require a cash match, and all matching funds must be new money—or money that’s solicited, pledged, and received after being awarded into the program.

Any grant under $100,000 requires a 1:1 cash match, while grants of $100,001 or more will require a 2:1 cash match. For example, in a 2:1 scenario, a $200,000 grant will require the congregation to raise an additional $400,000 in matching funds. The grant amount will not exceed 50% of the project cost.

The intent of requiring matching funds is to leverage new money raised because of the congregation’s participation in the National Fund for Sacred Places. Therefore, funds solicited, applied for, pledged, or secured prior to the congregation’s official acceptance into the program will not be counted toward the project match. For example, if the congregation received notification that its application was successful and its organization was accepted into the program in October 2022, any grants applied for and any donations solicited prior to that date, even if the funds were received after October, would not be eligible as matching funds.

Grants will be paid in two installments: 50% will be paid upon the execution of a capital grant agreement and confirmation that 25% of grant-required matching funds have been secured (paid or pledged). The remaining 50% will be paid upon completion of the grant-funded project and confirmation that 100% of the grant-required matching funds have been secured. No portion of the grant will be paid until grant request applications are received, reviewed, and approved.

The congregation must agree to create an Interim Progress Report when the project is 50% complete. The Interim Progress Report can be in the form of a debriefing by conference call or video conference, an email message, or an online form. The report must describe the status of the project and all expenditures made from grant funds as well as provide an update on the congregation’s compliance with the terms of their grant agreement.

Grantees must provide documentation for any single matching gift of $25,000 or more. In addition, grantees must agree that they will retain documentation of all matching funds for a period of three years post-grant, and will share this documentation with National Fund staff if requested.