Historic Preservation Trust
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Funds restoration work on smaller, unlisted historic sites that don't qualify for national heritage funding but hold significant local cultural value.
Why this matters in Italy
Beyond its famous monuments, Italy's countryside and small towns hold tens of thousands of chapels, frescoed churches, mills, gardens, villas and medieval towers that never reach a national priority list. Many belong to parishes, small municipalities or private owners with little money, in places that have lost population to the cities and abroad.
State heritage spending concentrates on major sites, and a building of only local renown seldom attracts restoration money. When a roof fails or damp reaches a fresco, owners must find the funds themselves, and costs for skilled conservators are high. The earthquakes that struck central and northern regions in 2009, 2012 and 2016 damaged many minor churches and buildings, some still awaiting repair. What these places often do have is a community that cares, organized through local committees, parishes and associations. Such groups can raise awareness and some money, but rarely the full cost of professional restoration.
What your gift pays for
- Restoration of frescoes, altarpieces and decorative features at locally treasured sites
- Structural repairs to roofs and walls that stop water damage in small historic buildings
- Accessibility and visitor improvements so restored sites can reopen to the public
- Technical surveys and project design needed before restoration work can begin
Organization
FAI - Fondo per l'Ambiente Italiano (I Luoghi del Cuore) · Italy
Agenzia delle Entrate (codice fiscale) · No. 80102030154
Founded 1975 · Headquarters: Milan
Italian national heritage trust whose 'I Luoghi del Cuore' census funds restoration projects at locally cherished sites nominated by the public.
How they work: I Luoghi del Cuore starts with a public vote. Every two years FAI runs a national census in which anyone can nominate and vote for a place they want protected. After the count, owners and local committees of nominated sites can submit restoration or enhancement projects, which FAI assesses and co-funds in partnership with Intesa Sanpaolo. Committees that gather votes often become lasting local advocates for their site, and the census results also draw public and institutional attention to places that were overlooked.
Track record: Since 2003 I Luoghi del Cuore has supported 180 projects; in its 12th edition (2025) 20 restoration projects in 11 regions were selected for funding.
✓ Verified by our team on 5 May 2022
Giving in Italy
Cultural heritage outside the major national programs is the main subject of the Italian causes. FAI restores smaller, unlisted historic sites valued by local communities, the Cineteca di Bologna restores and digitizes aging film archives, and an association of small museums trains staff and volunteers across its member network. The one social cause, with Agevolando, provides early housing support for young people at risk of homelessness after leaving unstable family situations.
4 causes are listed in Italy, each with its own verified organization. $362,803 has been distributed to causes in Italy since 2021.
Our guide to giving in Italy · all 4 causes
Donare criptovalute in Italia: 4 cause verificate da sostenere
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How your gift reaches this cause
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- We then convert the funds for this cause and send them to FAI - Fondo per l'Ambiente Italiano (I Luoghi del Cuore), the organization named above, by bank transfer to its registered bank account, within 24 hours of confirming your donation.
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