Applications now open for Laois clubs and committees to receive up to €25k in funding

The Heritage Council is now accepting applications from voluntary or community groups and not for profit non-governmental organisations in Laois for its Community Heritage Grant Scheme 2025.

In 2024, the scheme funded the Rath Ballybrittas Development Association to undertake conservation works at the Old School in Rath.

The fund also supported Abbeyleix Tidy Towns in the development of a 'Tree Opportunity Plan' for the town. that will guide future planting programmes and the management and conservation of trees in the local area.

A broad range of project types are eligible for funding under the scheme including:

• Conservation works to collections, objects or places, including natural heritage projects e.g. control of invasive species or habitat restoration works; conservation works to buildings, including churches; stabilisation works to ruined structure.

• Surveys, reports, plans, and audits to inform the future management of buildings and monuments, habitats, collections, or objects.

• Accessibility projects that make heritage activities more accessible for people with disabilities e.g. building ramps, automatic doors, handrails, tactile interpretation

• Projects that help people engage more with their heritage e.g. interactive maps, videos, virtual exhibitions, podcasts, websites

• Purchase of specialised equipment e.g archival boxing for vulnerable documents, monitoring equipment for humidity or light, interpretation/multimedia equipment, specialised software

• Projects that address the heritage of minority groups e.g an oral history project documenting Traveller heritage

• Training in traditional skills and crafts e.g. workshops on skills such as roofing, thatch, dry stone walling etc.

• Citizen science projects on environmental conservation

The minimum grant that can be requested through the scheme is €500. The maximum is €25,000.

The variety of applicants who successfully secured funding in 2024 demonstrates the positive impact the scheme has across the heritage spectrum. A full list of projects funded last year is available from here.

A full overview of eligibility criteria and other relevant details are available from the Heritage Council’s website here. 

The closing date for applications is Friday, 14th of March 2025 at 11pm. Applications must be made via the Heritage Council’s online grants management system. Funded projects must be completed by 14th of November 2025. 

The Heritage Council will host a Zoom information webinar on the scheme at 12 noon on Friday the 7th of February with general application advice followed by a question and answers session.

The event will be recorded and available on our website for viewing afterwards. Registration details are available here.