Geoheritage Grant Funding

Geological Survey Ireland offers a number of small grants each year to support the sustainable development, promotion and recognition of Ireland's geoheritage. These grants are aimed at local community-driven outreach and development initiatives with a geoheritage theme. The grants are made through an open competitive application process.

Applications for the Geoheritage grant funding are now open for 2024/25. Closing date 30th September 2024.

Geoheritage Grant Scheme Applications 2024/25

These grants support the development and sustainability of Ireland's geoheritage through community-driven geoscience outreach initiatives, including education, geotourism and geoheritage related site preparation, to promote economic growth.

Geological Survey Ireland invites applications by 30th September 2024 for the Geoheritage Grant aid for 2024/25 up to a maximum of €10,000.

The grant aid is aimed at supporting small community-driven geoheritage initiatives to assist:

• the delivery of public outreach, educational and geotourism activities to promote the geoheritage of an area; or
• the delivery of required educational and geotourism activities to help aspiring projects to develop as de facto geoparks; or
• the delivery of required educational and geotourism activities, for example helping UNESCO Global Geoparks maintain their UNESCO Global Network status.

Suitable projects could be the publication of a popular book, map or flyer; trail or signage installation; geoheritage related site preparation; product launch, innovative media concepts, online content, etc., that promotes the geology/geoheritage of the area.

Applications should be cognizant of the definition of geoheritage "It is the abbreviated version of the term geological heritage. It is part of the natural heritage of a certain area constituted by geodiversity elements with particular geological value and hence worthy of safeguard for the benefit of present and future generations. Geoheritage can include both in situ elements (geosites) or ex situ elements (collections of geological specimens) with paleontological, geomorphological, mineralogical, petrological or stratigraphical significance, among others."; ProGeo (the European association for the conservation of the geological heritage)

Information on the successful Geoheritage Grant projects for previous years can be found he​re​.