Much needed funding available for community groups in Louth

The Heritage Council has launched the 2026 Community Heritage Grant Scheme and is inviting applications from community organisations throughout Louth.

Grants of between €800 to €25,000 are available under the Scheme, which supports local initiatives that protect, share, and celebrate the built, natural and cultural heritage that matters to communities nationwide.

The scheme supports not‑for‑profit groups - including non-governmental organisations, and community and voluntary groups - to deliver projects that make heritage more inclusive, promote good practice, and strengthen sustainability.

The annual Scheme supports a wide variety of heritage projects, from practical conservation work to skills development and public engagement. Eligible projects include conservation management plans, surveys, and reports; conservation works to biodiversity sites, historic structures, objects, or collections; and hands‑on heritage skills workshops.

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The Scheme also supports collections care and biodiversity projects, the creation of digital heritage resources, and the purchase of specialised conservation equipment.

The variety of applicants that successfully secured funding in 2025 in Louth demonstrates the positive impact the scheme has across the heritage field. These included the Dudley Lifeboat Restoration Feasability Study, from Blackrock Tourism, the restoration of the nine surviving Drogheda 1896 boundary stones by Drogheda Tidy Towns and Development Group and the Renewal of User Interface Technology at Dundalk Gaol, by Comhaltas - Oriel Centre Dundalk Gaol.

Virginia Teehan, Chief Executive Officer of the Heritage Council, said: “The Community Heritage Grant Scheme is one of the most important ways we support local stewardship of Ireland’s heritage. Each year, we see community groups bring extraordinary creativity in developing ways to care and promote the places, stories, and natural environments that matter to them.

"This scheme empowers people to take meaningful action, whether that be restoring a historic structure, conserving biodiversity, or creating new ways for the public to connect with their local heritage. We are continually inspired by the ambition of these projects, and we look forward to supporting communities across the country once again in 2026.”

Louth County Council Heritage Officer, Brendan McSherry, said: “This Scheme gives local groups the resources and confidence to build on the county’s exceptional heritage. Last year alone, we saw almost €20,000 funding to support the Dudley Lifeboat Restoration Feasibility Study, as well as a significant sum to Comhaltas at the Oriel Centre at Dundalk Gaol to upgrade their user interface technology.

"This funding can make a real and lasting difference to the local area. I strongly encourage groups across the county to consider applying.”

Applications must be submitted via the Heritage Council’s online grants management system by 8pm on 20 March 2026. Successful projects must be completed by 13 November 2026.

A Webinar on the application process is available on the Heritage Council’s website.  For further details, visit: https://www.heritagecouncil.ie/funding/community-heritage-grant-scheme-2