Community Monuments Fund 2023

Announcement of the Community Monuments Fund (CMF) 2023

St Canice’s Church, Finglas CMF works 2022

St Canice’s Church, Finglas CMF works 2022. Photos by John Sunderland.

Malcolm Noonan TD, Minister of State for Heritage and Electoral reform has announced the launch of the 2023 Community Monuments Fund. The 2023 Fund will invest a total of €6,000,000 in the conservation, maintenance, protection and promotion of archaeological monuments nationwide.

The fund will be administered locally by Dublin City Council Archaeology, Conservation and Heritage Section, coordinated by the City Archaeologist.

In 2021 a total of 10 projects were supported by CMF in Dublin City.

In 2022 €240,000 was made available for 5 projects in Dublin City.

Building on the 2021 and 2022 Funds, the 2023 Community Monuments Fund will invest in our 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. 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.

Full details of the fund are set out in the handbook and associated documentation, which should be carefully read and noted by all applicants. Please contact [email protected] if you wish to discuss a possible project.

Applicants are invited to submit applications for appraisal to [email protected] by Close of Business 20th January 2023.

Applications will be appraised by the Local Authorities in advance of being submitted for assessment by the Department. Applicants will be notified of successful projects as soon as possible thereafter.