2014 Historic Religious Properties Grants Announced
David Vater, Chair of PHLF’s Historic Religious Properties (HRP) Committee, announced its 2014 Historic Religious Properties Awards during a reception on February 26. More than 60 representatives from congregations throughout Allegheny County attended, along with new PHLF members. The total HRP grant amount awarded was $97,155.
This year requests totaled just over $112,000. Twelve congregations received grants and two of the 12 also received Technical Assistance Awards to assess and prioritize building needs. PHLF’s matching grants will leverage $411,740 in preservation projects, including stained glass restoration, masonry work, roof work, door replacement, and steeple work. Several of these projects will start in the next few weeks. Congregations will have until the end of 2014 to complete their work.
The following congregations were awarded grants and technical assistance:
- All Saints Polish National Catholic Church, Carnegie (grant and technical assistance)
- Central Presbyterian Church, Tarentum
- Congregation Poale Zedeck, Squirrel Hill
- Fairhaven United Methodist Church, Overbrook
- The Islamic Center of Pittsburgh, Oakland
- Jerusalem Baptist Church, West End
- Lamb of God Christian Ministries, Homestead
- Pittsburgh Mennonite Church, Swissvale
- Pittsburgh Northside Church of God, Manchester (grant and technical assistance)
- Sacred Heart Parish, Shadyside
- St. John the Baptist Ukrainian Catholic Church, South Side
- St. Paul of the Cross Monastery, South Side Slopes
PHLF’s HRP program is funded each year by generous contributions from its members and friends, and by grants from several private foundations and from Named Funds at PHLF. For example, the HRP matching grant being awarded to Pittsburgh Northside Church of God includes funding support from the Barensfeld Family Named Fund.
Piloted in 1993 with an initial grant from The Allegheny Foundation, the HRP program awarded its first full cycle of grants in 1997. Since then, more than 125 different congregations have benefited from PHLF’s HRP program.