Community Heritage Grant Scheme

The Heritage Council is inviting applications to its Community Heritage Grant Scheme 2018.  The aims of the grant scheme are to encourage communities to make a connection with their local heritage, to promote heritage management based on best conservation practice, and to reach out to new audiences.  Grant applications must be submitted using the Heritage Council’s on-line application system at www.heritagecouncil.ie by 5 p.m. on the closing date of Friday, February 9, 2018.

The announcement that €750,000 will be made available nationally in 2018 for the Community Heritage Grant Scheme is most welcome and goes some way to providing much needed support for heritage initiatives in the county.  Eligible projects that can be considered under the scheme include seminars, traditional skills demonstrations, interpretation, local heritage audits, graveyard surveys, surveys of monuments, the preparation of conservation reports or conservation management plans, and community-led conservation works.  As 2018 is the European Year of Cultural Heritage, the Community Heritage Grants Scheme provides an opportunity for communities to re-engage with, conserve and promote their local heritage.

Under the Heritage Act 1995, heritage includes monuments, archaeological objects, heritage objects, architectural heritage, flora, fauna, wildlife habitats, landscapes, seascapes, wrecks, geology, heritage gardens, and parks and inland waterways.  Please note the scheme does not cover works to carry out any part of any public sector body’s statutory or core responsibilities; undergraduate or postgraduate studies; archaeological excavations or post-excavation analysis and reporting; memorials; amenity landscaping works; publications or primary school projects.  Grants of up to €8,000 can be awarded.  Funding of up to 75% of the project cost can be sought.  Applications to the Community Heritage Grant Scheme can only be made using the on-line application system on the Heritage Council website prior to the February 9, 2018 deadline. 

Further information on the grant scheme is available by contacting The Heritage Council in Kilkenny on (056) 777 0777 or at:

www.heritagecouncil.ie/eych-community-heritage-grant-scheme-2018

Advice on applications is also available from the County Donegal Heritage Office, Donegal County Council on (074) 917 2576.