Requesting a grant
The government would like to encourage the conservation of protected heritage sites. It does so by providing subsidies for the owners of historical buildings to go towards maintenance and restoration. Below, you can read about the types of subsidy for which you can apply.
Subsidy scheme for the conservation of heritage sites
The scheme, in brief:
- is intended for the owners of national heritage buildings that are not classed as residential homes, such as a church, windmill or factory;
- also applies to green and archaeological national heritage sites;
- can be applied for between 1 February and 31 March;
- whereby applications must be submitted in advance and cover a period of six years, based on a six-year maintenance plan.
Subsidy scheme for the conservation of residential heritage buildings
The scheme, in brief:
- is intended for private owners of national heritage buildings that serve a residential (housing) purpose;
- can be applied for between 1 March and 30 April;
- must be applied for retroactively, i.e. subsidy applications for 2024 must cover work conducted in 2023;
- only covers regular maintenance and restoration costs for aspects of the national heritage site that are considered to belong to its heritage.
Subsidy scheme for the repurposing of heritage sites
Providing a new lease of life for old buildings: the subsidy scheme for the repurposing of heritage sites promotes the sustainable use of heritage sites and of buildings with cultural-historical value. In this way, it prevents buildings from being left vacant and then deteriorating. The subsidy may be applied for between 1 October and 30 November, after which research into the feasibility of repurposing the building, as well as into windproofing and waterproofing measures, will be conducted.
Other financing options
In addition to national subsidies, the owners of heritage sites may request a loan from the Restauratiefonds (Dutch Restoration Fund) or make use of a provincial restoration scheme. Other funds are also available, such as the Cultuurfonds (Dutch Culture Fund), to financially support the restoration of special objects, interiors or heritage sites.