Officials say grants are available for historic churches in need of rehabilitation.
The South Dakota State Historic Preservation Office administers Deadwood Fund grants that can be used to repair aging buildings.
“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 to receive funding. Grants do not exceed $25,000 and generally require a 50-50 match from the church. However, donated materials or labor can count toward that match.
Officials say in recent years, the Deadwood Fund grant program has awarded around $220,000 toward historic church rehab projects.
Church buildings repurposed into other uses are also candidates for the grant, according to the Historic Preservation Office. 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.
Details about applying are available at the Historic Preservation Office's website.