The African American Cultural Heritage Action Fund (Action Fund), a division of the National Trust for Historic Preservation, announced on February 24 that it has awarded $13.5 million in 2026 to historically Black churches nationwide through its Preserving Black Churches (PBC) program. The total includes $5 million granted on Martin Luther King Jr. Day to five churches and $8.5 million distributed to 33 churches, including Denver’s former Shorter AME Church, as part of this year’s grant cycle.

Founded in 1868 as Colorado’s first Black Methodist church, the historic Shorter AME building served as a spiritual and civic hub for Denver’s Black community for more than 150 years. The structure is now owned and operated by Cleo Parker Robinson Dance (CPRD). The church was rebuilt several times, including after a 1925 arson attack widely believed to have been carried out by the Ku Klux Klan.

The 2026 grant will support the restoration of the historic sanctuary and the addressing of urgent preservation needs, helping preserve a cornerstone of Denver’s Black heritage.