October 17, 2023. Hamden, CT. Preservation Connecticut is pleased to announce its 2023 Maintenance & Repair grant recipients. These grants are funded through the Community Investment Act and support work on historic buildings of religious organizations. In the second round of the year, the program received 16 applications requesting a total of $253,121 and granted $130,000 for 12 time sensitive and essential projects to keep these buildings housing essential community services. The grant funded projects include:
- Bolton Congregational Church, Bolton: $8,000 for paint and carpentry repairs
- Calvary Temple Christian Center, Bridgeport: $15,000 for repair of dormer windows
- St. Luke’s-St. Paul’s Episcopal Church, Bridgeport: $15,000 for a condition assessment
- Saint Mary’s Ukrainian Catholic Church, Bridgeport: $10,000 for roof and exterior repairs
- First Congregational Church, Coventry: $15,000 for column Restoration
- Sacred Heart of the Lake Retreat Center, Higganum: $1,500 for fire safety
- Hartford Spanish Seventh Day Church, Hartford: $15,000 for roof replacement
- Liberty Christian Center International, Hartford: $15,000 for portico repair
- Pitts Chapel UFWB, New Haven: $8,500 for roof replacement
- St. Paul’s Union American Methodist Episcopal Church, New Haven: $15,000 for roof repairs
- Trumbull Congregational Church, Trumbull: $6,000 for mechanical upgrades
- St. Peter’s Episcopal Church, Hebron: $6,000 for electrical upgrades
Not only do these buildings house worship services, they provide important space for other groups to perform their work, including hosting soup kitchens, childcare, Boy/Girl Scouts activities, food or clothing banks, and recovery programs. Since 2017, Preservation Connecticut has dedicated funds every year for preservation work on these important places for communities. We have awarded 40 grants totaling over $397,000 to churches in all Connecticut counties, leveraging over $1,000,000 to help preserve these essential buildings. Learn more about this granting program at https://preservationct.org/mrgrants or contact Michael Forino, mforino@preservationct.org. The next grant round will begin in 2024.