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Historic Environment Fund

The Department’s principal means of providing support to you, if your heritage assets need repair or if you want to develop an idea to realise the wider value of our heritage, is through our Historic Environment Fund (HEF). This is divided into four streams: Research, Repair, Regeneration and Revival. Subject to confirmation of budgets, it is normally launched in May each year. Most streams are only open to applications for a limited time. We can only support expenditure carried out by 31 March. If you would like us to e-mail you when the streams are launched, please send your details to historicenvironmentfund@communities-ni.gov.uk.

The Roof and window repair stream

The Roof and Window Repair Stream is currently open to applications for work starting from May 2024. Support of up to £6,000 per roof (£12,000 for thatched buildings) is available help owners to keep listed buildings watertight, subject to confirmation of budget.

• Historic Environment Fund Roof and Window Repair stream

Work must be carried out in compliance with the HEF Advisory Standards.

Over the last three years we have focused our repair budget on essential work to roofs and windows. Though this is open to all listed buildings, our budget has been oversubscribed and we have had to focus support on our three priority categories: buildings on the Heritage at Risk Register; thatched buildings; and buildings with owners on eligible benefits

• The impact of the Historic Environment Fund Repair Stream

The Regeneration Stream

This is a strategic part of the Fund mainly focused on supporting partners such as: Ulster Architectural Heritage, the Architectural Heritage Fund, and the National Churches Trust to develop projects to tackle Heritage at Risk and problems faced by historic churches.

• The impact of the Historic Environment Fund Regeneration Stream

Scheduled Monument Regeneration Stream

This is a small scheme of up to £2,000 per project to help historic monument owners to carry out minor works. This is being administered by our Field Monument Wardens.

• Historic Environment Fund Scheduled Monument Regeneration stream

The Research and Revival Streams

We are also providing support for those, including District Councils, interested in carrying out research and development activity. A fund up to £10,000 per award is available.

• Historic Environment Fund Research and Revival streams
• The impact of the Historic Environment Fund Research stream
• The impact of the Historic Environment Fund Revival stream

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