Community Monuments Fund 2023 is now open for applications. Applications should be submitted on CMF-A Application form, and submitted to Clare County Council by 31st January 2023.

Submission deadline: Tuesday January 31, 2023

The 2023 Community Monuments Fund was launched by Malcolm Noonan, Minister of State for Heritage and Electoral Reform, on the 21st November 2022.

€6 million will be invested in next year’s Community Monuments Fund helping owners and custodians of archaeological monuments to safeguard them into the future.

The Community Monuments Fund was first established as part of the 2020 July Jobs Stimulus with an investment of €1.15 million supporting 71 projects. This significant increase in funding for the scheme reflects the positive impact of the Fund over the last 3 years. It is estimated that the funding for 2023 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 which 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 conservation and access works at archaeological monuments and also the development of Conservation Management Plans to identify any 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 Noonan said:

“I am delighted to announce a €6 million Community Monuments Fund for 2023. With the excellent collaborative partnership between Local Authorities and our National Monuments Service, the 2022 Fund produced an extraordinary level of community engagement, traditional skills opportunities, and protection of our heritage. We are very pleased that we are able to grow this support in 2023 to support over 120 projects. The grant assistance to local authorities, private owners and communities in the maintenance, protection and promotion of local monuments and historic sites in private ownership is an acknowledgement of the important role of our heritage and of those who work so tirelessly to care for it.”

Minister Noonan added:

“We must do what we can to support the protection of our vulnerable archaeological heritage, to celebrate it and make it accessible to all. In doing so, we deliver clearly on commitments under our new national heritage plan, Heritage Ireland 2030. I would like to thank all of those communities and Local Authorities for their continued interest in the protection of archaeological monuments across the country. This investment will help to ensure that our archaeological heritage continues to enrich all of our lives.”

The core aims of the Community Monuments Fund are the conservation, maintenance, protection and presentation 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:

• 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 archaeological monuments and improving public access.
• Stream 3 will offer grants of up to €30,000 for enhancement of access infrastructure and interpretation (including virtual/online) 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 Tuesday 31st January 2023. Details of the Fund and Application form are available below.

Community Monuments Fund 2023 | Planning, heritage and conservation | Services | Clare County Council (clarecoco.ie) https://www.clarecoco.ie/services/planning/news/community-monuments-fund-2023.html

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