Community Heritage Grant Scheme
Grants from €800 to €25,000 for a community or voluntary group to look after, record or share local heritage, from conservation works to recordings, surveys and online archives.
Last checked October 2026
What it is
Funds community and voluntary groups, such as historical societies or Tidy Towns, to care for, record and share local heritage: from conservation works on a historic building, monument or graveyard to oral history recordings, surveys, podcasts and online archives. It runs annually. The 2027 round is open now as a two-stage process: groups send an Expression of Interest by 5.00pm on 16 October 2026 (it opened on 18 September 2026) and full applications are by invitation. The 2027 themes are Heritage at Risk; Biodiversity and Nature Restoration; Traditional Skills and Conservation; Digital Heritage Access and Storytelling; Diversity Equity and Inclusion.
Who can get it
- You are a not-for-profit community or voluntary group (for example a sports club, Tidy Towns committee or parish council) or an NGO, with a bank or credit union account in the organisation's name. Individuals, businesses, schools, local authorities and state bodies cannot apply
- The project is about caring for, recording or sharing local heritage, buildings and monuments, biodiversity sites, objects, collections or traditions
- You send an Expression of Interest first and the Heritage Council invites full applications through its online grants system
- It funds a broad range: conservation works and management plans, graveyard recording, surveys and reports, traditional building-craft workshops, and digital projects like websites and online exhibitions.
- It runs once a year. The 2027 round is a two-stage process. The Expression of Interest window runs from 18 September to 5.00pm on 16 October 2026, the outcome is notified in November 2026, full applications are by invitation from November 2026 to 5.00pm on 15 January 2027 and funding decisions follow in spring 2027.
- Applications go in through the Heritage Council's Online Grants System. Applications by email or post cannot be accepted.
How to apply
Applications go through The Heritage Council. The official page has the full eligibility rules and the application itself.
Go to the official page →Checked against the official source on 7 October 2026. Always confirm the details on the official page before applying.
Questions people ask
How much is the Community Heritage Grant Scheme?
Grants range from €800 to €25,000, depending on the project.
Who can apply?
Not-for-profit community and voluntary groups (for example sports clubs, Tidy Towns committees and parish councils) and NGOs. Businesses, individuals, schools, local authorities and state bodies are not eligible.
What kind of projects does it fund?
Conservation works, management plans, surveys, graveyard recording, traditional building-craft workshops, and digital heritage projects like websites and online exhibitions.
When does it open?
The 2027 round opened for Expressions of Interest on 18 September 2026 and the deadline is 5.00pm on 16 October 2026. Full applications are by invitation from November 2026 to January 2027. Check the Heritage Council page for details.
Related guides
- LEADER programme
- CLÁR programme
- Local Improvement Scheme
- Town & Village Renewal
- Local Enhancement Programme (LEP)
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