Water Heritage Day Grants Scheme 2026
Sunday 23rd August 2026
Closing date: Monday 20th July at 11pm
National Heritage Week runs from August 15 to August 23, 2026. Water Heritage Day (held during National Heritage Week) takes place on Sunday, August 23, 2026. Water Heritage Day is an opportunity to explore traditions, practices, knowledge and skills associated with our natural waters. There are many ways to celebrate this important connection from storytelling, researching skills associated with navigation hosting an event to demonstrate angling skills to walks which explore the unique biodiversity of our waterways.
The Heritage Week Theme for 2026 is “Heritage at Risk”. This year's theme encourages communities and event organisers across Ireland to highlight threatened aquatic ecosystems, endangered coastal landscapes, threatened native habitats, and fading traditional maritime/riverine skills
If you are planning a water/biodiversity related event, you are invited by the Local Authority Waters Programme (LAWPRO) to submit your Heritage Week event ideas for funding. There are lots of resources and ideas about Heritage Week events on the Heritage Council website and you are invited to submit an application to host a Heritage Week event.
Your event may also be nominated for a Water Heritage Award 2026.
Download Guidelines for LAWPRO Small Grants and Events Scheme 2026
- Please ensure you are logged in as a registered user before you start completing a form.
- You must contact your local Community Water Officer before making an application. Contact details for LAWPRO’s CWOs can be found here.
- Each application will be assessed based on its merits as it is submitted.
- There is no obligation on LAWPRO to request any outstanding or supporting information.
- Please read the Guidelines carefully before making an application.
- You must register your event with the Heritage Council by clicking here: https://www.heritageweek.ie/get-involved/organise-an-event