INDIANAPOLIS — As we continue to celebrate Black History Month, a central Indiana foundation is working to improve and preserve historical sites important to the African American community all across the state.
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Applications are now open for the Standiford H. Cox Fund, which provides grants to organizations working to preserve significant African American landmarks in Indiana.
Leaders told WRTV they're hoping to get even more sites improved and remembered for years to come.
“It’s important for us to tell Indiana’s fuller story of our history," Mark Dollase, Vice President of Preservation Services with Indiana Landmarks, stated.
“Throughout the arc and history here, there’s been a very rich representation of Black history, Black landmarks and spaces in this town and in this state," Dr. Leslie Etienne, Director of Africana Studies at IU Indianapolis, exclaimed.
Allen Chapel A.M.E Church in the Chatham-Arch neighborhood is one of those examples.
“[It] was a mission church for Bethel A.M.E, which was the first African Methodist Episcopal Church founded in Indianapolis in the 1830s," Dollase said.
Last year, Indiana Landmarks helped fix the center, giving it a grant from the Standiford H. Cox Fund.
“Mr. Cox was a retired Eli Lilly executive who set up a fund for the preservation of Black heritage sites in Indiana," Dollase explained.
He now works with the Central Indiana Community Foundation (CICF) to give out the grants.
“Unfortunately, in our nation's past, Black history has not always been a positive story - there have been difficult times to say the least for their community," Dollase stated. "So, telling that story in a fuller way that talks about the positives but also needs to look at the stories from the challenges that they have faced over time."
“Let’s call history what it is, it is interesting," Etienne said with a laugh.
As a professor of Africana Studies, Etienne knows the importance of this kind of work.
“It provides a mirror to kind of the societal framing of where folks have come from and what folks have experienced," he explained. "So it gives people a way forward for identity and for understanding and remembrance.”
Since it was created back in 2020, the funds have awarded more than $1.2 million in grants to sites across the state. That ranges from churches to schools to museums, and everything in between.
“It’s a really culturally enriching kind of ability for these landmarks and for history to play in our lives," Etienne said.
“Seeing these places come back to life and be an active part of people's lives is incredible," Dollase added.
Applications for the grant are currently open. Dollase encourages any organization to apply.
“We need to make sure that we make that history available for everyone going forward," he stated.
Applications for the next round of grants are due by April 1, 2026.
Projects will be evaluated based on criteria such as architectural or historical significance, redevelopment potential, threat of demolition, and importance to Indiana’s African American heritage. Nonprofit organizations with 501(c)(3) status and religious organizations are eligible to apply.
Groups interested in applying can contact Indiana Landmarks at coxfunds@indianalandmarks.org.
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Casey Zanowic is the In Your Community reporter for North Side Indy. She joined WRTV in July of 2025. Casey has a passion for storytelling and is ready to showcase impactful stories that make a difference in her community. Share your story ideas and important issues with Casey by emailing her at casey.zanowic@wrtv.com.
