Historic Savannah Foundation Awards Church Preservation Grant
A $10,000 grant will fund a conditions assessment of Nicholsonboro Baptist Church's historic praise house and sanctuary in Savannah.
Updated on Nov. 7, 2026 in People
Historic Savannah Foundation awarded a $10,000 grant to Friends of Historical Nicholsonboro Baptist Church Inc. to fund a conditions assessment of the church's original buildings. Separately, Tybee Post Theater named Jessica Munch-Dittmar as its executive director, effective Dec. 1.
Why it matters
The grant supports ongoing preservation of a historic meeting house and sanctuary tied to a community founded by formerly enslaved persons. The leadership appointment places a new executive over the Tybee Island theater's programming and operations.
The $10,000 grant is the only dollar figure reported and covers only a conditions assessment, not restoration work. Munch-Dittmar's prior role was CEO of the Fayetteville Symphony Orchestra, and her tenure as Miami Youth Symphony CEO lasted three years.
The players
Historic Savannah Foundation
A Savannah nonprofit that works to preserve the city's historic architecture and awarded this grant from its Revolving Fund.
Jessica Munch-Dittmar
Incoming executive director of the Tybee Post Theater, previously CEO of the Fayetteville Symphony Orchestra and Miami Youth Symphony.
The details
Historic Savannah Foundation awarded the grant from its Revolving Fund to support a Conditions Assessment Report on the praise house built in 1870 and the sanctuary built in 1890. The buildings were placed on HSF's 2025 local Endangered Places list and the Georgia Trust's 2025 Places in Peril list.
Timeline
1850: Community established on St. Catherine's Island before relocating to Savannah's mainland.
1870: Praise house constructed at Nicholsonboro Baptist Church.
1890: Sanctuary completed at the church.
1978: Church placed on the National Register of Historic Places.
Dec. 1, 2026: Jessica Munch-Dittmar assumes the Tybee Post Theater executive director role.
Legacy Preservation
The church's 1978 National Register of Historic Places listing and the 1979 Georgia Historical Society marker established its significance, and this grant begins the work of documenting what its buildings now need. The assessment follows the same preservation framework that placed the buildings on HSF's 2025 Endangered Places list.
Visitors and residents interested in Savannah's historic sites can now expect the Nicholsonboro Baptist Church buildings to receive a formal condition review. Tybee Island audiences will have a new executive director leading the Tybee Post Theater beginning Dec. 1.
The takeaway
Historic preservation often begins with a documented condition assessment, which is the step this grant now funds for a church founded by formerly enslaved persons. Leadership transitions at arts venues like the Tybee Post Theater show how regional nonprofits build continuity across communities.
Further reading
Explore more Savannah people news for other leadership and community stories from the region.
Source note: This article includes information reported by Savannah Morning News.
