Additional capital funding has been identified for investment in our archaeological heritage, with part of the funding prioritised for local authorities, private owners and custodians and community groups for the care, maintenance, protection and promotion of local monuments and historic sites.
Total funding available nationally for projects under a new Community Monuments Fund in 2020 will be €900,000. The provision of any required measures to ensure safe access during the Covid-19 pandemic will also be catered for.
The Community Monuments Fund will invest essential capital in our valuable archaeological heritage and help owners and custodians of archaeological monuments to safeguard them into the future for the benefit of communities and the public.
The core aims of this Fund are the conservation, maintenance, protection and presentation of local monuments and historic sites, enabling conservation works to be carried out on monuments which are deemed to be significant and in need of urgent support.
It will also aim to encourage access to monuments and improve their presentation, as well as build resilience in our monuments to enable them to withstand the effects of climate change;
SEPARATE STREAMS
Funding will have 3 streams. Stream 1 will offer grants up to €100,000 aimed at essential repairs and capital works for the conservation and repair of archaeological monuments.
Stream 2 will offer grants of up to €30,000 for development of Conservation Management Plans/Reports that are aimed at identifying measures for conservation of monuments and improved public access.
Stream 3 will offer grants of up to €30,000 for enhancement of access infrastructure (including Covid protection) and interpretation at archaeological monuments.
The €900k Community Monuments Fund is part of an overall additional €8.5m secured for the heritage sector for 2020 through the July Jobs Stimulus initiative.
Applications for grants can be made by Local Authorities for works to monuments in public ownership, where a clear heritage focus and community or public benefit has been demonstrated and projects proposed by a Local Authority on foot of applications from private applicants who are the owners or custodians of monuments.
The closing date for applications for the 2020 round of grants is Tuesday, 22 September.
Details of the fund are available at: https://www.archaeology.ie/news/cmf-2020-call-for-projects
