Landmarks Illinois’ Preservation Heritage Fund grant program provides monetary assistance to significant structures or sites in Illinois that are under threat of demolition, in imminent deterioration, in need of stabilization, in need of structural or reuse evaluation, or need to be evaluated for landmark eligibility. Created in 2004, the program targets projects focusing on engineering, architectural and feasibility studies, stabilization, legal services, survey and National Register Nominations and preservation ordinance support. Preservation Heritage Fund grants are awarded twice a year. Read more about the recipients of the grant program below. Click here to see all previous Preservation Heritage Fund grant recipients.
2025 Preservation Heritage Fund Grant Recipients
A House in Austin
Chicago
GRANT AMOUNT: $6,000
A House in Austin (AHIA) is a nonprofit located in a historic Victorian home that has a 75-year history of serving the community. AHIA serves families on the West Side of Chicago, offering programs that foster responsive relationships between parents and children. The group launched a capital campaign called “Raise The Roof!” to address maintenance needs on the house and its grounds. This includes repairing the roof, and Landmarks Illinois grant funds will be used to fix the chimney. AHIA is eager to make necessary repairs to the property to keep the house in good condition and preserve its timeless features, such as stained glass windows and fireplaces.
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New Precious Grove Missionary Baptist Church
Chicago
GRANT AMOUNT: $5,000
The church on Chicago’s West Side is located in what was originally the Ideal Theatre, built in 1912. The distinctive building is structurally sound but requires restoration to some of its unique architectural elements, including the terra cotta facade and interior plasterwork. The building’s roof is also in need of immediate repairs, which the grant funding from Landmarks Illinois will help pay for. The church has no paid staff. It is run by more than 50 volunteers who lead a broad range of activities, from leading spiritual services and educational programs to conducting extensive community outreach and social services. This dedicated group of volunteers sees its overall preservation efforts as not just about refurbishing the building, but about revitalizing a community hub that will continue to serve future generations with an array of supportive and educational services.
Orpheum Theatre
Galesburg
GRANT AMOUNT: $5,000
The Orpheum Theatre has a 109-year history as a beacon for performing arts and humanities in Galesburg’s National Register-listed Historic District. Constructed in 1916 and designed in the Italian Renaissance and Second Empire style, the theater has long been used as a community gathering space and tourist destination, offering live performances and arts programming. The theater has recently completed a new strategic plan, and under new leadership, is working to attract new audiences by delivering more diverse programming. It is also preparing to launch a capital campaign to fund a large-scale preservation project that includes upgrading its accessibility. Landmarks Illinois grant funds will be used to make more immediate repairs: replacing three old exterior doors, including one original door, with modern doors at fire exits that feature panic bar mechanisms.
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Harmony Church
Greenup
GRANT AMOUNT: $5,000
Harmony Church has a history in Greenup going back nearly 150 years. The quaint church was constructed by Methodist and Quaker volunteers in 1876, both of which used the building for services. Its name comes from the “harmonious nature” of the people who constructed it and worshiped there. A cemetery sits alongside the building and is home to many veterans dating back to the Civil War. The cemetery also features an original Native American burial mound, located at the highest point on the south side of the property. The congregation has plans to restore the entire church building and has already installed a new roof. It will use the grant funds from Landmarks Illinois to make immediate necessary repairs to the church’s floor. The congregation believes restoring the church is a step toward honoring this rich history and paying proper homage to Native American Ancestors.
Calhoun County, Perrin's Ledge Historic Site
Kampsville
GRANT AMOUNT: $5,000
Calhoun County is working to preserve the historic Perrin’s Ledge historic site located two miles north of Kampsville. The site marks where Father Marquette and Louis Joliet visited Calhoun County in July 1673 and met local Native Americans. It includes Native American mounds, a cremation site and a unique two-story “I-House” built in 1907. The county plans to renovate the house to use as an interpretive visitor center, featuring exhibits and artifacts that provide information about the building and site’s history. Landmarks Illinois’ grant funding will help Calhoun County pay to conduct a feasibility study for the adaptive reuse of the historic house.
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Citizens to Preserve Jubilee College
Peoria
GRANT AMOUNT: $5,000
Founded in 1839 by Philander Chase, the first Episcopal Bishop of Illinois, Jubilee College was one of the earliest institutions of higher learning in the state, providing education and religious instruction in a time when such opportunities were scarce in the region. Today is listed in the National Register of Historic Places and is an Illinois State Historic Site that is open to visitors. Citizens to Preserve Jubilee College will use grant funds from Landmarks Illinois toward its window restoration project. The group is restoring ground-floor windows at the college, which are showing signs of severe deterioration and wood rot. The windows will be restored using historically accurate materials and techniques to maintain the building’s original 19th-century appearance.
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