About National Trust for Historic Preservation in the United States
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.
Focus Areas
Historic preservationPreservation planningCapacity building and technical assistanceSacred places / houses of worship preservationAfrican American cultural heritageCommunity revitalization and economic developmentHistoric site stewardship and interpretation
Who They Fund
historic sites and landmarkslocal preservation organizationsmuseums and cultural institutionscommunity-based heritage groups
About National Trust for Historic Preservation in the United States
The National Trust for Historic Preservation in the United States awards some of its largest recent grants to historic houses of worship and other civic landmarks that anchor local identity. In 2024, it gave $536,660 to the Association for the Preservation of the Congressional in Washington, DC, and in 2023 it awarded $264,981 to the same grantee. Those large awards sit alongside many six-figure preservation grants to churches, cathedrals, and community sites across the country, including Washington National Cathedral, Old Pine Street Church, and Emmanuel African Methodist Episcopal Church. The pattern points to a funder that supports preservation work at both landmark scale and neighborhood scale, with grants tied to conservation, restoration, interpretation, and planning. Its portfolio also includes targeted programs for sacred places, historic interiors, battlefield preservation, small towns, and regional preservation efforts. Across its recent portfolio, the foundation combines capital support with planning and technical assistance, using preservation as a tool for stewardship of historic buildings, cultural memory, and community revitalization.
What National Trust for Historic Preservation in the United States Funds
Historic places and sacred sites are central to the National Trust’s grantmaking. It gave $250,000 to St. Charles Avenue Baptist Church in New Orleans for historic preservation, and $200,000 to Sixteenth Street Baptist Church Inc. in Birmingham for historic preservation. The National Fund for Sacred Places extends that work with technical and financial support for congregations stewarding historic houses of worship.
The foundation also funds preservation in specific places and communities. It awarded $158,000 to the Hualapai Tribe in Peach Springs, Arizona, for historic preservation, and its Southwest Intervention Fund is intended to further preservation efforts tied to traditional cultures in Arizona, Colorado, and New Mexico.
Education and interpretation appear in its portfolio as well. The Cynthia Woods Mitchell Fund for Historic Interiors supports preservation, restoration, and interpretation of historic interiors, while the National Trust Preservation Funds portfolio is described as seed money for planning and education projects.
How National Trust for Historic Preservation in the United States Gives
Financial Snapshot
Annual Giving
$22.2M
Total Assets
$562.9M
Total Revenue
$104.9M
Total Expenses
$91.3M
Typical Grant Size
Most grants fall between $12K and $75K, with a median of $40K.
25th Percentile
$12K
Median
$40K
75th Percentile
$75K
Geographic Reach
National52 states funded
About 5% of grants go to recipients in NY.
Funding intensity
LowHigh
Headquarters
Leadership
Deep Analysis
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built heritage restorationarchitectural conservationcultural/historic site maintenancehistoric designation and interpretationpreservation planning and survey
Typical grants cluster at modest and midrange levels: the 25th percentile is $12,348, the median is $40,000, and the 75th percentile is $75,000. Recent awards also show repeated six-figure support for selected projects, including multiple $250,000 and $200,000 grants. The National Trust for Historic Preservation in the United States accepts unsolicited applications for several active programs. Its structure is program-driven, with umbrella and subfund grantmaking through the National Trust Preservation Funds portfolio and targeted funds for places such as Hawai'i, Kentucky, central Pennsylvania, and Providence. The recent grants list shows recurring support to some grantees across 2023 and 2024, including the Association for the Preservation of the Congressional.
Where National Trust for Historic Preservation in the United States Makes Grants
Grantmaking is national, and every recent grant in the supplied sample went to a U.S. recipient. The top state by grant count is Rhode Island, while 5% of grants went to recipients in Washington, DC. Recent awards reached Washington, DC; Philadelphia, Pennsylvania; Brooklyn, New York; and Chicago, Illinois, showing a broad urban footprint. The list also includes recipients in Alabama, California, Louisiana, and South Carolina, alongside place-based program activity in Hawai'i, Kentucky, and central Pennsylvania.
Frequently Asked Questions About National Trust for Historic Preservation in the United States
What kinds of projects does the National Trust for Historic Preservation in the United States fund most often?
Its active programs and recent grants center on historic preservation, sacred places, historic interiors, battlefield preservation, preservation planning, and community revitalization. The National Trust Preservation Funds portfolio is described as supporting planning and education projects, while the National Fund for Sacred Places supports congregations stewarding historic houses of worship.
Does the National Trust accept unsolicited applications?
Yes. Several active programs are marked as accepting unsolicited applications, including the Southwest Intervention Fund, Sam and Mary Cooke Preservation Fund for Hawai'i, Hart Family Fund for Small Towns, National Fund for Sacred Places, Bartus Trew Providence Preservation Fund, The Linda and Jerry Bruckheimer Preservation Fund for Kentucky, National Trust Preservation Funds, Cynthia Woods Mitchell Fund for Historic Interiors, Battlefield Preservation Fund, and Louis J. Appell, Jr., Preservation Fund for Central Pennsylvania.
What is a typical grant size?
The typical grant size is $12,348 at the 25th percentile, $40,000 at the median, and $75,000 at the 75th percentile. The recent grant list also includes larger project awards, such as $536,660 and several awards of $250,000 or $200,000.
Are grants limited to one region or state?
No. The foundation gives nationally, and the recipient country distribution is entirely U.S.-based. Its program portfolio includes national funds as well as place-based efforts for Hawai'i, Kentucky, central Pennsylvania, Providence, and the Southwest.
Do any grantees appear more than once in the recent grant list?
Yes. The Association for the Preservation of the Congressional appears in both 2023 and 2024, with awards of $264,981 and $536,660. That repeat grantmaking suggests ongoing support for selected preservation projects.
Who can apply: Projects must be located in a community, neighborhood, or tribal land along the Route 66 corridor. Applicants must be public agencies, tribal governments, 501(c)(3) organizations, or other nonprofits.
Deadline: Applications open September 1, 2026 and are due November 12, 2026 at 11:59 p.m. local time.
Traditional culturesHistoric preservationArchaeology+2 more
Who can apply: Projects must concern traditional cultures or historic and cultural sites in the five designated Southwest areas. Funding decisions must be discussed with the National Trust grants office.
Deadline: Usually February 1, June 1, and October 1, subject to available funding.
Historic Black churchesHistoric preservationCongregational capacity+1 more
Who can apply: Supports historic Black houses of worship with active or nonactive congregations and organizations working to preserve and steward their historic structures.
Deadline: Annual grants; specific deadline not stated in the supplied content.
Organizational capacityLeadership developmentMentoring+1 more
Who can apply: Applicants must be Organizational Level Forum members or Main Street America members of the National Trust. Organizations may receive only one grant per year.
Deadline: Applications accepted on a rolling basis throughout the year; first-come, first-served.
Deadlines and eligibility are summarized from public sources and may change — always confirm the details on the funder's official application page before applying.