FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: July 14, 2025
CONTACT: Kevin Larsen, Media Director, 605-773-6000. Kevin.Larsen@state.sd.us

Grants Available For Historic Churches

PIERRE, S.D. – The history of nearly every South Dakota town is in some way intertwined with a church – both the institution and the building. Churches represent who we were, who we are, and, to some extent, who we will be. Unfortunately, many historic church buildings are in peril. Population declines in rural areas as well as changing worship habits have led to smaller congregations with less and less resources to maintain these architecturally significant structures. But there is help.  

The Deadwood Fund Grant administered by the South Dakota State Historic Preservation Office (SHPO) can assist with rehabilitation work. “Roof repair, mortar repointing and stained-glass restoration are common undertakings assisted with the grant,” State Historic Preservation Officer Garry Guan said.  

A church must be listed in the National Register of Historic Places - the nation’s official list of historical properties - to receive funding. Properties not listed, but eligible for the Register, can also apply for funding, which would be contingent upon their listing. 

Grants generally require a 50/50 match and do not exceed $25,000. Because churches are not-for-profit, donated labor or materials can count towards the match requirement.

In recent years, the Deadwood Fund Grant has awarded approximately $220,000 for a variety of work on churches. Awardees contributed an additional $600,000 to the projects, boosting total project spending over $800,000 to preserve these landmarks. 

Church buildings repurposed into other uses are also good candidates for the grant. St. Augustine, a former Catholic church in Dallas that now houses the Gregory County Historical Society, received a $10,000 grant in 2023 to assist with mortar repointing.

St. Augustine sat empty for several years before transitioning into the museum and cultural center of the historical society. Structurally sound and architecturally significant, the former church building was a perfect candidate for its new role.

For more information on the Deadwood Fund Grant, please visit the SHPO funding opportunities website at https://history.sd.gov/preservation/fundingopportunities.aspx or contact the office at 605-773-3458. 

About the South Dakota State Historical Society

The South Dakota State Historical Society is a division of the Department of Education. The State Historical Society, an Affiliate of the Smithsonian Institution since 2013, is headquartered at the South Dakota Cultural Heritage Center in Pierre. For questions or memberships, call 605-773-3458 or visit history.sd.gov for more information. The society also has an archaeology office in Rapid City; call 605-394-1936 for more information.