Conservation Grants

There are 3 conservation grants available through Cork City Council:

Architectural Conservation Area Grant

The purpose of Cork City Council's Architectural Conservation Area (ACA) grant scheme is to assist the owners of historic buildings in the 42 ACAs across Cork City to undertake external works necessary to secure their conservation e.g. repairs of windows, doors, roofs and chimneys, gutters, railings and shopfronts.

The 2024 ACA Grant Scheme is now closed. The 2025 Scheme will open early next year.

If you would like to be notified when the grant scheme reopens, please email conservation@corkcity.ie

For more information, please see the guidance document below which includes eligibility of works.

Built Heritage Investment Scheme 

The BHIS is now open and the final date for receipt of applications for the 2025 scheme is Friday 27th September 2024.

The primary aim of the Built Heritage Investment Scheme (BHIS) is to provide financial assistance to owners in carrying out appropriate conservation works to their historic properties which are protected structures and/or located within an Architectural Conservation Area. This scheme supports the repair of historic fabric, the use of traditional materials and the sensitive reinstatement of historically accurate architectural features. Works must be in line with best conservation practice and should aim to employ methods of minimal intervention.

Projects can be awarded between €2,500 and €50,000; a small fund is also available for routine maintenance and minor repairs with a maximum grant of €2,500 per project. The total value of all public funding provided for individual projects must not exceed 80% of the total project cost. (Please note that the proportion of costs covered will, in many cases, be considerably lower than 80%).

As there will be a limited overall budget available for this grant scheme, it is a competitive process and not all applications received can be grant aided.

Please note that a method statement must be submitted by the applicant to enable approval of any grant.

Please see the Application Form A and associated checklist below. For further information, please see the guidance booklet for applicants, qualifying and non-qualifying works document, an example application form, and the Guidance Circular below.

Historic Structures Fund

The core aims of the Historic Structures Fund (HSF) are to enable large-scale conservation works where the historic structure is considered especially significant and in need of urgent repair, encourage the regeneration and reuse of historic structures, support employment in the conservation and construction sectors, and build resilience in our historic structures to enable them to withstand the effects of climate change.

Stream 1

Please note that the former Stream 1 (which offers grants from €15,000 to €50,000, up to 80% of the eligible costs) of the Historic Structures Fund (HSF) is now incorporated into the Built Heritage Investment Scheme (BHIS), which is now open (see details above). 

Stream 2

HSF Stream 2 (which offers grants from €50,000 to €200,000, up to 50% eligible costs) will open as usual in November for the following year (2025).

If you would like to be notified when the HSF scheme Stream 2 reopens, please email conservation@corkcity.ie 

For more information on Stream 2, please see the 2024 guidance booklet for applicants, a sample application form and the Guidance Circular below. 2025 guidance will be shared in November. 

BHIS 2025 Circular.pdf (size 1 MB)

BHIS 2025 Qualifying Non-Qualifying Works .pdf (size 686.1 KB)

BHIS 2025 Application Form A Checklist.docx (size 17.1 KB)

BHIS 2025 Application Form A.docx (size 52.1 KB)

Historic-Structures-Fund-2024-Circular.pdf (size 1.1 MB)

HSF-2024-Guidance-Application-Form.pdf (size 1 MB)

HSF-2024-Guidance-Booklet-for-Applicants.pdf (size 852.9 KB)

ACA-Grant-Scheme-Guidance-Document.pdf (size 180.1 KB)