Action Fund Expands Commitment to Protect Historically Black Churches with $13.5 Million in New Grants

Today’s announcement follows $5 million awarded on MLK Day, bringing the Action Fund’s total investment via its Preserving Black Churches program to $13.5 million in 2026.

WASHINGTON, Feb. 24, 2026 /PRNewswire/ — Today, the National Trust for Historic Preservation’s African American Cultural Heritage Action Fund (Action Fund) awarded $8.5 million in grants to 33 historically Black churches through its fourth annual Preserving Black Churches (PBC) program grant round. This new investment follows $5 million in grants awarded on Martin Luther King Jr. Day to five churches, underscoring the Action Fund’s sustained commitment to protecting sacred places that anchor Black faith, culture, democracy, and community life.

The PBC program is a $60 million initiative supported by Lilly Endowment Inc., offering congregations and organizations stewarding historically Black churches the funding and technical expertise needed to safeguard their historic assets and legacies. To date, the PBC program has awarded nearly $34 million and supported 170 churches from Alaska to Puerto Rico.

Together, the MLK Day awards and this latest round of PBC grants represent a total investment of $13.5 million to date in 2026 for the preservation, stewardship, and long-term sustainability of historically Black churches—one of the most significant commitments in the program’s history. The $1 million MLK Day partnership awards focus on long-term sustainability and stewardship management, supporting churches as enduring institutions and cultural venues. The PBC grants announced on February 24 range from $50,000 – $500,000 and are designed to address immediate needs across capital projects, endowments and financial sustainability, organizational capacity, programming and interpretation, and preservation project planning.

“America’s 250^th anniversary is an opportunity to acknowledge and celebrate the remarkable legacy of our nation’s historically Black churches.” said Brent Leggs, executive director of the African American Cultural Heritage Action Fund and strategic advisor to the CEO of the National Trust for Historic Preservation. “They are essential civic institutions that have anchored democracy, community leadership, and collective care for generations. By investing in their preservation today, we are safeguarding not just historic buildings and architecture, but a living legacy of resilience and social progress for the future.”

For generations, historically Black churches have served as more than buildings. They are central to African American communities where faith, culture, and activism converge. These sacred spaces have nurtured leadership, fueled movements for justice, and provided stability and hope through some of the nation’s most pivotal chapters. 

2026 Preserving Black Churches Grantees

With continued funding from Lilly Endowment Inc., the Action Fund is proud to expand its efforts to preserve and sustain historically Black churches through the Preserving Black Churches program’s grantmaking.

The full list of PBC 2026 grantees is available on the announcement page. Press photos are available for download via WeTransfer.

About The African American Cultural Heritage Action Fund

The African American Cultural Heritage Action Fund is a division of the National Trust for Historic Preservation. Since its founding in 2017, the Action Fund has raised $200 million and supported over 400 preservation projects, making it the largest national resource dedicated to the preservation of sites tied to Black history in the United States. With support from the Ford Foundation, Mellon Foundation, Freedom Together Foundation, Lilly Endowment Inc. and others, the Action Fund is safeguarding historic places tied to Black resilience, activism, and achievement. Learn more at savingplaces.org/actionfund. 

About the National Trust for Historic Preservation
The National Trust for Historic Preservation protects historic landscapes and buildings representing our country’s diverse cultural experience by taking direct action and inspiring broad public support. Chartered by Congress in 1949 as a privately funded organization and committed to honoring the histories of all Americans, the National Trust collaborates with partners and allies to save places, educate the public, and use preservation to address urgent challenges and serve communities today.  

Learn more at https://savingplaces.org.

CONTACT: actionfundteam@merakicommsgroup.com

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SOURCE National Trust for Historic Preservation