To assist congregations with the preservation of church records, the Presbyterian Historical Society awards annual Heritage Preservation Grants to PC(USA) congregations, covering up to $500 of the cost to digitize official records.
To qualify, congregations must be 250 members or less, at least fifty years old, interested in the preservation of historical records, and looking for financial assistance to digitize these records. Grants must be used within a two-year period.
Applications are due annually on October 31. Grants must be used within a two-year time period.
To apply, the congregation’s clerk of session should submit:
- A letter describing:
- the condition of the records (i.e. binding, pages, ink, any previous water or insect damage, etc.);
- where the records are currently stored and any history you know about where they were stored in the past;
- why the records are important to the congregation;
- plans the congregation has for preserving its original records in the future; and
- the financial need of the congregation.
- An inventory of the records.
- A copy of the congregation’s most recent annual budget.
Application materials should be submitted to:
Presbyterian Historical Society/Heritage Preservation Grant
425 Lombard Street
Philadelphia, PA 19147
Organized in 1852, the Presbyterian Historical Society is the oldest denominational archives in the United States and serves as the national archives for the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.) and many predecessor denominations. It exists to collect, preserve, and share the story of the American Presbyterian and Reformed experience with Presbyterians, the scholarly community, and the general public. PHS is a ministry of the Office of the General Assembly.