Fund to help preserve historic buildings in Northern Ireland

A £300,000 fund from the Architectural Heritage Fund (AHF) will help local organisations develop and preserve historic buildings.

The Historic Environment Division at the Department for Communities has made the contribution towards the AHF’s recently launched Heritage Impact Fund (HIF). The Fund offers tailored loan finance for charities, social enterprises, and community businesses seeking to acquire, reuse or redevelop buildings of historical or architectural importance.

The AHF has a long history of providing loan finance to heritage projects in Northern Ireland. Organisations in Northern Ireland that have benefited from loan funding from the AHF include Hearth Revolving Fund for its Sion Mills Stables project.

Iain Greenway, Director of Historic Environment Division, Department for Communities said: “We are delighted to be able to contribute to this important fund. The Architectural Heritage Fund has a long and impressive track record of working with communities and organisations to bring fresh life to places through historic buildings.”

“We are already working closely with them on our Community Enterprise Catalyst Programme and the DAERA-funded Village Catalyst programme. Our contribution to the Heritage Impact Fund is a natural extension of this, allowing more to be done in more places through the use of a revolving loan fund, in ways that we believe will allow the sector to step up and deliver in ways that grants alone cannot.”

Applicants for funding are expected to cover 50% of the cost of a project either through their own funds or funding from other sources. Applicants must also be registered as a charity or social enterprise and joint applications are also available for funding.

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