FORT WAYNE, Ind. (WANE) An organization that helps save and restore historic places in Indiana announced Thursday that 17 houses of worship will be getting more than $2 million to be used for various repairs. Trinity Episcopal Church in downtown Fort Wayne is set to receive $275,000 from Indiana Landmarks for masonry and structural repairs. According to Indiana Landmarks, the church was built in 1866. This is the second year for grants from Indiana Landmarks' Sacred Places Indiana Fund. The fund was established last year with support from Lilly Endowment Inc. “We continue to receive calls for help from congregations who need assistance in maintaining their historic facilities,” says David Frederick, director of Indiana Landmarks’ Sacred Places Program. “By offering this critical funding, we hope to help congregations and parishes continue to thrive as spiritual centers and make vital contributions to their communities.” The fund awards matching grants in a competitive process. Selected congregations must be committed to good stewardship of their historic structures and have demonstrated signs of organizational health including established clergy and lay leadership, clearly defined project goals, stable or growing membership, community engagement, and financial strength and stability. Congregations should be ready to undertake and complete both a capital campaign and construction project within the next two years. Applications will for the next round of grants from the Sacred Places Indiana Fund will be accepted in mid-January 2025. Interested congregations are encouraged to submit a letter of interest. To submit a letter and learn more about Sacred Places Indiana, including criteria for grant funding, visit www.indianalandmarks.org/sacred-places-indiana.