Community Monuments Fund 2024

The 2024 Community Monuments Fund was launched by Minister of State for Nature, Heritage and Electoral Reform, Malcolm Noonan TD, on the 16th November the 2023.

The 2024 fund will invest €7 million to help owners and custodians of archaeological monuments to safeguard them into the future. It is estimated that the funding for 2024 will support approximately 120 projects nationwide.

The core aims of the Community Monuments Fund are to conserve, maintain, protect and promote local monuments and historic sites. Funding is available to allow conservation works to be carried out on monuments that are deemed to be significant and in need of urgent support. The aim is to encourage access to monuments and improve their presentation and also build their resilience to enable them to withstand the effects of climate change. The fund supports essential repairs and capital works for the conservation of archaeological monuments and also the development of Conservation Management Plans to identify measures that may be needed to conserve monuments. Grants are also available to enhance public access infrastructure and interpretation at archaeological monuments.

Speaking at the launch, Minister of State Malcolm Noonan said:
"I am delighted to announce a €7 million Community Monuments Fund for 2024. The fund has been a resounding success since it was established in 2020 and is now widely regarded as a vital contributor to the protection and preservation of our precious archaeological heritage. The CMF supports these vulnerable community assets by improving public accessibility and preserving the irreplaceable richness and sense of place that they bring to communities, villages, towns and cities. It also provides thousands of hours of employment for conservation architects, archaeologists, traditional skills workers and others to help deliver on key national policies, such as Heritage Ireland 2030 and the Climate Change Adaptation Plan in relation to archaeological heritage. I look forward to receiving the applications this coming February, 2024."

The 2024 Community Monuments Fund will invest in the valuable archaeological heritage and help the owners and custodians of archaeological monuments to safeguard them into the future for the benefit of communities and the public. The 2024 Fund will invest a total of €7,000,000 in the conservation, maintenance, protection and promotion of archaeological monuments. It will:

• enable conservation works to be carried out on monuments which are deemed to be significant and in need of urgent support;
• build resilience in our monuments to enable them to withstand the effects of climate change;
• encourage access to monuments and improve their presentation.

The Community Monuments Fund has 3 Streams:

1. Stream 1 will offer grants up to €100,000 aimed at essential repairs and capital works for the conservation and repair of archaeological monuments
2. 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 archaeological monuments and improving public access.
3. Stream 3 will offer grants of up to €30,000 for enhancement of access infrastructure and interpretation (including virtual/) at archaeological monuments.

The Community Monuments Fund provides funding for projects in relation to:

• Archaeological Monuments that are included in the Record of Monuments and Places (RMP) under the National Monuments Act 1930 (as amended)
• Archaeological Monuments that are identified in the Sites and Monuments Record compiled by the National Monuments Service.

Eligible projects will be drawn from the following categories:

• projects proposed by a Local Authority in relation to archaeological monuments in public ownership , where a clear heritage focus and community or public benefit has been demonstrated
• projects proposed by a Local Authority on foot of applications from private applicants who are the owners or custodians of relevant archaeological monuments where there is a tangible public benefit
• 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.

The closing date for applications to the local authority is Wednesday 31st January 2024. Details of the Fund and Application form are available below.