Partners For Sacred Places champions the vital role of historic congregations in community life. We deeply value and respect the spiritual and faith traditions of every congregation that opens its doors to serve the wider community. Our programs are specifically designed to empower these sacred spaces, ensuring they remain dynamic and essential contributors to the social fabric of their communities. We guide congregations to effectively utilize both existing and new resources, reinforcing their ongoing relevance and long-term sustainability as cornerstones of community support.
Our Mission: Empowering Sacred Places as Anchor Institutions
Founded in 1989, Partners for Sacred Places stands as the nation’s only non-sectarian, non-profit organization uniquely dedicated to enhancing the capacity of historic sacred places. We empower congregations to expand their community service as anchor institutions, driving transformative change and fostering vibrant, creative communities. Our mission is rooted in the belief that these sacred spaces are invaluable assets with the potential to significantly enrich community life.
Celebrating 35 Years of Impact: Strengthening Sacred Communities
For 35 years, Partners for Sacred Places has been at the forefront of addressing the complex challenges faced by places of worship across America. Many historic sacred places grapple with declining attendance, limited funding, and the increasing demands of maintaining aging and often underutilized buildings. Congregations of diverse faiths are encountering challenges of unprecedented scale. Once symbols of civic pride, these historic sacred places now present considerable difficulties for numerous denominations and congregations.
Partners for Sacred Places was established thirty-five years ago to proactively and compassionately tackle these growing issues. As a non-sectarian, national non-profit, we are committed to addressing the critical concerns surrounding sacred places at risk. We partner with religious and community organizations at all levels to develop practical solutions for seemingly insurmountable problems, offering hope and tangible strategies for revitalization.
Over three and a half decades, Partners for Sacred Places has celebrated significant achievements in confronting these challenges. We have cultivated a national movement built upon our proven ability to thoroughly assess challenges, strategically map existing assets, develop innovative solutions, and inspire optimism for the future of our nation’s historic, purpose-built sacred places. Our work ensures these spaces continue to serve as vital community hubs.
Our Comprehensive Work: Building Capacity and Community
Partners for Sacred Places connects congregations with a nationwide network of seasoned professionals who deeply appreciate the inherent value of a congregation’s architectural heritage, its intrinsic worth as a faith community, and the profound significance of its service to the broader community. With a strong national presence and headquartered in Philadelphia, Partners actively promotes the dynamic community use of historic sacred places—including churches, synagogues, and other houses of worship. We enhance the capabilities of their congregations through specialized training programs, dedicated fundraising assistance, and insightful assessments.
Over the past 35 years, Partners for Sacred Places has proudly served thousands of congregations and organizations, representing the diverse needs and concerns of over 100,000 older, community-serving sacred places throughout America. We understand the unique challenges and opportunities these institutions face and are dedicated to providing tailored support.
Our extensive work includes collaborative programs and projects with judicatories and various governing bodies, amplifying our reach and impact. Partners maintains robust relationships and collaborations with leading universities, influential preservation alliances and advocacy groups, and community development corporations, fostering a comprehensive approach to community revitalization. We also offer recognized expertise in the adaptive re-use of vacant religious properties, expertly facilitating design charrettes, effective community and political engagements, and strategic business and funding plan development.
Through our impactful training initiatives, comprehensive information resources, and extensive professional network, we have successfully assisted congregations in all 50 states. The inspiring stories of success that unfold in diverse cities, towns, and rural communities across the nation enrich Partners’ knowledge base and fuel our capacity to further empower congregations. We are committed to strategically expanding our projects and work to continually broaden our national reach, ensuring more sacred places thrive.
Our Dedication to Transparency and Stewardship
Partners for Sacred Places upholds a firm commitment to transparency, recognizing it as an integral part of responsible stewardship of the donations and grants that enable and advance our vital mission. We believe in open communication and accountability in all our operations. Partners’ Board leadership, detailed annual reports, and complete financial information are readily accessible on our website. Additionally, our records are publicly available through reputable third-party platforms, including Guidestar and Charity Navigator. For detailed financial reviews, Partners’ most recent 990’s—covering the years ending 2023, 2022, 2021, 2020—are available for download here, demonstrating our ongoing commitment to financial transparency and public trust.
