Deadline: 31-Jan-23
Applications are now open for the Historic Structures Fund.
The primary focus of the Historic Structures Fund will be on conservation and enhancement of historic structures and buildings for the broader benefit of communities and the public.
Ireland has a unique built environment of extraordinary quality – their historic buildings and structures are a vital part of their heritage. There are almost fifty thousand protected structures around Ireland. Many of these are in great need of investment to ensure their preservation and continued use so that they remain a living part of their history and community life into the future.
Aims
- The core aims of this fund are to:
- Enable larger scale conservation works to be carried out on heritage structures which are deemed to be significant and in need of urgent support;
- Encourage the regeneration and reuse of heritage properties and to help to secure the preservation of protected structures and/or culturally significant assets;
- Support the investment of private capital in labour-intensive projects to conserve historic structures in public and private ownership for community use.
- Support employment in the conservation and construction industries.
- Build resilience in their heritage properties to enable them to withstand the effects of climate change.
Funding Information
- The Historic Structures Fund 2023 will be structured as follows:
- Stream 1 will offer grants from €15,000 up to €50,000 and is aimed at essential repairs and smaller capital works for the refurbishment and conservation of heritage structures.
- Stream 2 will offer a small number of grants from €50,000 up to €200,000 for larger enhancement, refurbishment or reuse projects involving heritage structures.
- Total funding available nationally under the Historic Structures Fund in 2023 will be €4.5m
Eligible projects will be as follows:
- Projects proposed by local authorities on foot of applications from private applicants who are the owners or custodians of historic structures
- Projects proposed by a Local Authority for works to historic structures in public ownership, where a clear heritage focus and community or public benefit has been demonstrated
- Projects with a clearly defined heritage focus and community or public benefit proposed directly to the Department by a State-funded organisation working in the heritage area.
Criteria
- Owners of vernacular structures that are not listed in a Record of Protected Structures
- Owners of vernacular structures within an Architectural Conservation Area, but not otherwise subject to statutory protection.
Ineligible
- The following will not be eligible for funding:
- Works which have commenced prior to the grant award
- New build or extensions
- Works not in accordance with sound conservation methodology and practice
- Projects or elements of projects where works have already commenced prior to grant award
- Purchase of lands or buildings
- Feasibility studies
- Conservation plans or other non-capital expenditure, except where such is directly ancillary to capital works being funded under HSF.
For more information, visit HSF.