Community Monuments Fund 2025
The Community Monuments Fund (CMF) 2025 is now open for applications.
The Community Monuments Fund was first established in 2020 to provide investment in Ireland’s archaeological heritage. In County Longford, this grant has supported the urgent repair and conservation of the towerhouse at Abbeyshrule Abbey and the medieval chapel at St. Brendan's Church, Clondra, in addition to conservation management plans for other archaeological sites and monuments. These were community-driven projects which have secured the monuments for future generations.
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. Total funding available nationally for projects under Community Monuments Fund 2025 will be €7.4 million.
The core aims of this 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 for essential repairs and capital works for the conservation of archaeological monuments.
- Stream 2 – will offer grants of up to €30,000 for development of Conservation Management Plans/Reports and detailed Specification of Works 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
How to Apply:
To determine the Sites and Monument Record/ Record of Monuments and Places Number for your monument, it is recommended that you review the Department of Housing, Local Government and Heritage's Historic Environment online mapping viewer. Click here to open. The red dots are the individual monuments. Some sites may have more than one number.
Please read thoroughly the CMF 2025 informational handbook linked below, paying note to the detail required.
The Community Monuments Fund 2025 Application Form, chomh maith leis an leagan Ghaeilge, is available below:
Please forward the completed and signed application form, and all supporting documentation, via email to heritage@longfordcoco.ie by Friday 31st January 2025.
Please complete the email subject line with the following: 'CMF 2025, Stream [1, 2 or 3] and [name of the monument]. This is to ensure that we will receive the application and it will be assessed in good time.
As the awards for successful applications will typically be over €10,000 applicants must be tax compliant. A Tax Clearance Access Number or valid Tax Clearance Cert is essential. This includes applicants that have charitable status.
While all applications will be assessed fairly and thoroughly, it may not be possible to shortlist all applications. The final decision on funding will be made by the relevant Minister and Department of Housing, Local Government and Heritage.
