The Heritage Council Grants Programme
Details on the 2011 Grants Programme will be available during Heritage Week from 22nd August onwards with a closing date to be set early in October. Please note that we do not accept applications outside this timeframe.
As in 2010, applications for grants will be invited under the following three schemes:
- Heritage Research providing assistance for data collection and research relating to Ireland’s heritage;
- Heritage Conservation & Management supporting projects that apply good heritage practice to the management of places, collections or objects and
- Heritage Education, Community and Outreach supporting initiatives linking heritage to communities through education and outreach, promoting active engagement with and raising public appreciation of heritage.
Further information along with the final critiera will be available at the end of August 2010.
Other Schemes
Throughout the year, the Heritage Council administers grants on behalf of other departments. We advertise these schemes at different times during the year, and allow approx 4-6 weeks for applications to be made, the funding is dependent on allocations being made available from other departments, please see below:
Irish National Strategic Archaeological Research [INSTAR]
Closed for applications.
Click here for further details.
Irish Walled Towns Network Fund
Closed for applications.
Click here for further details.
This fund is usually advertised in March annually. Applicants must be members of the Irish Walled Towns Network. Funding is available under two headings :
- the management and conservation of historic walled towns in Ireland, both North and South.
- the hosting of heritage themed activities on the same day during Heritage Week, by participating walled Towns located within the north and south of Ireland.
REPS 4 Traditional Farm Buildings
Closed for applications.
Click here for further details.
This scheme is usually advertised in February annually. This scheme is administered by the Heritage Council in partnership with the Department of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food. The grant is available for the conservation of the exterior appearance of traditional farm outbuildings, including roof, walls, windows and doors and associated structures including historic yard surfaces, gate pillars and gates.
You can apply for this grant scheme if:
(a) You are a farmer who has a REPS 4 contract with the Department of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food and
(b) You are the owner of the building for which funding is sought or you are acting with the permission of the owner. The owner of the building must sign this form and
(c) the building you are applying for is in agricultural use
Significant Places of Public Worship
Closed for applications.
Click here for further details.
Heritage Grants - A New Approach
Since 1998 the Heritage Council has offered grants each year to support heritage projects. These grants are funded by the National Lottery. In 2008 the Heritage Council began reviewing its priorities and work programmes, refining them to ensure that the Council treats heritage in a more integrated manner. This also helps the Council to cope with the changed external environment.
In consequence, the Council revised its grants system; the revised system came into effect in 2010.
What changed?
Under the old system (prior to 2010), there were grant schemes in nine different fields. Two of those schemes, Publications and Buildings at risk, are currently under review; no grants were made under those schemes in 2010, however grants of this nature wil be included in the programme for 2011. Buildings at risk will come under the Heritage Conservation & Management Scheme and publications will come under the Education, Community & Outreach Scheme. The other seven schemes were:
- Local heritage
- Archaeology research
- Unpublished archaeological excavations
- Architecture research
- Museums & archives
- Wildlife research
- Biodiversity
Under the new system, grants are offered not by field but by type of project. We have identified three distinct project types, which may be carried out in any field of heritage or across several fields. The three types are:
- research projects
- conservation and management projects
- projects that focus on engaging and informing people about heritage.
The reasons for the change
With its new schemes, the Council aims to:
- support well informed and well structured projects that benefit heritage (through protection and preservation) and that engage with people in the geographic area or amongst the community of those with a shared interest
- increase knowledge and awareness of good heritage practice among groups that are interested in heritage
- promote a more integrated approach to heritage by encouraging people to make links, in their projects, between built, cultural and natural heritage
Examples of links between built, cultural and natural heritage
- considering the natural heritage values (plant,bird and insect life) of graveyards along with their archaeological and built heritage values
- researching the cultural as well as the natural aspects of a place
- presenting an exhibition on local wildlife and habitats in a local museum.
Outline of the new system
The new system invites applications for grants under three schemes:
- Heritage Research provides assistance for data collection and research relating to Ireland’s heritage. Click here for further details
- Heritage Conservation & Management supports projects that apply good heritage practice to the management of places, collections or objects Click here for further details
- Heritage Education, Community and Outreach supports initiatives linking heritage to communities through education and outreach, promoting active engagement with and raising public appreciation of heritage. Click here for further details
Who can apply?
Each scheme is open to individuals, non-profit organisations such as environmental NGOs, local community groups, heritage and preservation societies, local authorities, statutory organisations, academic institutions and private companies.
The schemes are open to applicants from anywhere in the world but the project work must be carried out in Ireland. Projects based in the republic of Ireland, in
Northern Ireland or in both jurisdictions are eligible, but those from the republic will be given priority. References in this document to institutions and legislation in the
republic should be taken as encompassing the equivalent institutions and legislation in Northern Ireland; applicants from outside the republic must comply with Irish tax law.
When can I apply?
We usually advertise our Grants Programme in the Autumn annually. Details on the 2011 Grants Programme will be available, during Heritage Week, from 22nd August onwards with a closing date to be set early in October. We do not accept applications outside this timeframe
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