BHIS is the primary grant scheme operated by the National Built Heritage Service (NBHS) and the Local Authorities to assist the owners of historic properties in maintaining and conserving Ireland’s architectural heritage.
Applications for support under this long-standing scheme have traditionally been opened towards the end of the year, with approvals being conveyed in March/April each year. However, for the 2025 scheme, applications are now open, with a closing date of Friday, 27th September 2024. This revised timeline should make it easier for owners to both commence and complete their planned program of works within the required 2025 timeframe.
As such, I would be grateful if you could circulate the below information to members of your professional network, organisational mailing lists, and via any other channels which may help to inform owners of eligible properties that the scheme is now open.
Other changes to the scheme include increasing the maximum grant amount from €15,000 per BHIS grant. For 2025, the scheme will incorporate certain streams which were previously encompassed by the Historic Structures Fund (HSF) and will therefore offer grants of up to €50,000 for successful projects.
For those previously unfamiliar with the scheme, structures eligible for funding include:
Protected structures (i.e. those on the local authority’s record of protected structures)
Proposed protected structures (i.e. buildings the local authority has proposed to add to its list)
Structures in Architectural Conservation Areas (ACAs are defined by the Local Authority)
Vernacular buildings (max grant for these is €30,000)
Historic Shopfronts
In addition, applicants should note that the incorporation of Historic Structures Fund elements into this revised scheme means that the next iteration of the HSF will be limited to grants of between €50,000 and €200,000 for larger-scale conservation projects, with applications to open later this year. As a result, owners who may be interested in seeking funding of €50,000 or less, and who may have been considering applying to the HSF in this manner, should be sure to apply to the BHIS by the deadline of 27th September 2024.
Full details of the scheme, including documentation and how to apply, may be found online at https://www.buildingsofireland.ie/built-heritage-investment-scheme-2025/ or via gov.ie