Grant program offers assistance for historic lodge buildings

Applications are open for a new grant program by Indiana Landmarks to assist preservation of the state’s historic fraternal lodge buildings.

In the late nineteenth and early twentieth centuries, fraternal orders proliferated across the U.S. At one point, nearly every town in Indiana had at least one fraternal organization, and for generations lodges built by Masons, Odd Fellows, Elks, Knights of Pythias and other orders became important community landmarks.

Today, participation in fraternal organizations is on a steep decline. As numbers dwindle and members age, orders struggle to maintain their structures, leaving hundreds of significant buildings at risk. In 2023 and 2024, Indiana Landmarks named fraternal lodges to its annual 10 Most Endangered list.

The statewide nonprofit has previously worked with individual property owners to devise preservation strategies for specific lodge buildings. The the new grant program expands those ongoing efforts by offering assistance for both lodges in active use by fraternal organizations and buildings no longer used for lodge functions.

Historic fraternal lodge buildings that are either listed in or eligible to be listed in the National Register of Historic Places are eligible for the program, which will award matching grants of up to $5,000 per property for qualified rehabilitation expenses and $2,000 per property for planning grants supporting feasibility studies, historic designations, and other preservation-related planning services.

Nonprofits, fraternal societies, and municipal governments can apply for funding through the new program. Private property owners are eligible to receive a grant, but only in partnership with a local community-based organization.

Applications may be submitted any time and will be reviewed on a quarterly basis for approval. The first round of awards will be reviewed in January 2026; recipients will be notified within 30 days of review.

“We’re pleased to offer this assistance to help ensure the future of these buildings, which often serve as anchors in their communities,” says Mark Dollase, Indiana Landmarks’ vice president of preservation services.

To see grant guidelines and apply, visit www.indianalandmarks.org/resources/grants-and-loans.