Nashua’s St. Mary & Archangel Michael Coptic Orthodox Church has earned a spot in the National Fund for Sacred Places. Church officials will use money from the grant program to restore the structures of the building. Staff photo by Mathew Plamondon

NASHUA – The National Fund for Sacred Places selected Nashua’s St. Mary & Archangel Michael Coptic Orthodox Church as one of 13 congregations to participate in a National Historic Preservation grant program.

The church earned a spot on the list, which includes one of the oldest European-designed buildings in the American West, three symbolically important congregations of the Civil Rights Era, and one of only five churches designed by Frank Lloyd Wright.

The National Fund for Sacred Places – a Philadelphia-based grant-making program – will offer planning grants, training and technical assistance and coaching, and capital grants ranging from $50,000 to $250,000 to about 50 congregations across the country during a four-year period.

“We are thrilled to be supporting the congregations represented in this year’s cohort of awardees. With the addition of these 13 congregations, we continue to support projects in every region of the country and from an eclectic array of faith traditions and Christian denominations. Our support will make a real difference for these places,” program Director Chad Martin stated.

“Our grant dollars will help make possible projects that range from urgent repair needs to protect public safety, to long-deferred maintenance that will ensure the preservation of landmark buildings for the next generation of American neighborhoods to use for the common good. We look forward to highlighting how these diverse places have been vital to the

religious and cultural landscape of America’s history.”

The church plans to use the money to restore its Norman Gothic Revival building.