October 22, 2021 — Historic St. Ann & the Holy Trinity Church in Brooklyn, New York, was awarded a matching grant of $250,000 from The National Fund for Sacred Places, a program of Partners for Sacred Places in collaboration with the National Trust for Historic Preservation. The funds will help stabilize and restore the deteriorating exterior of the church’s tower.

Canon John E. Denaro, rector of St. Ann & the Holy Trinity Church and Pro-Cathedral, welcomed the news of the grant award, stating, “We are thrilled and grateful that this grant will open a path to long overdue repair and strengthening of the tower’s masonry, which has suffered substantial weathering, material loss and damage over the years. We are confident that our members and friends will want to join our efforts to raise matching funds to restore our treasured building that has long served the community.” Donations to the Tower Restoration Fund  may be made here.

The National Fund for Sacred Places is a highly competitive program that supports congregations with buildings that have historical significance and architectural character and that play an essential role in meeting the larger social, economic, and spiritual needs of the communities they serve. Its capital grants for brick-and-mortar projects are intended to leverage broader energy, resources and dollars for urgent capital projects beyond the internal capacity of the congregation and the National Fund grant itself. For this reason, all participating congregations are required to raise matching dollars for their capital grant award.

The church is a vital hub for programming at the intersection of faith and culture, produced in partnership with arts and social organizations. It hosts a summer concert series and the annual Brooklyn Folk Festival, the MOTH, book readings, theater, and numerous music and cultural events. Its weekly Pop-Up Pantry provides non-perishable staples and fresh food to the equivalent of some 1,000 members of the community every month.

Built in 1847 and designed by the architect Minard, the church is an important example of Gothic Revival architecture in the U.S. The famous suite of stained-glass windows, designed by William Jay Bolton, is the first set of figural stained-glass windows produced in North America.

National Fund for Sacred Places

The National Fund for Sacred Places is a Philadelphia-based grant-making program of Partners for Sacred Places in collaboration with the National Trust for Historic Preservation. www.fundforsacredplaces.org

About Partners for Sacred Places

Partners for Sacred Places helps congregations and others with a stake in older religious properties make the most of them as civic assets that serve the broader community. www.sacredplaces.org/

About the National Trust for Historic Preservation

The National Trust for Historic Preservation is a privately-funded nonprofit organization that works to save America’s historic places to enrich our future. The National Trust for Historic Preservation is committed to protecting America’s rich cultural legacy and helping build vibrant, sustainable communities that reflect our nation’s diversity. Follow us on Twitter @savingplaces.