The 2022 GLAS traditional farm buildings grant scheme is open for applications, with a closing date of February 22, at 5:00p.m.
For those interested, help is at hand, as Anna Meenan of The Heritage Council gave Agriland an insight into tips and the traps.
Before you start your application sit back and read the guidance. It’s short and specific and has the purpose of helping. If you missed the recent GLAS information webinar there will be a recording of it available on YouTube next week.
The first thing she reminds is that the scheme is for GLAS participants only.
“We know GLAS is coming to an end this year and we know there are farmers who are not in GLAS who would love to apply, but GLAS participation is still essential so if you’re not in GLAS please don’t apply,” Anna said.
“It is the GLAS participant who must apply, so if you’re not handy with computers then ask a relative to help you,” she continued.
“The name and address of the applicant must match those of the record held by the GLAS section in the Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine.”
The scheme moved online last year, and while it should be easy and cheap to make an application, be sure to save your information as you go, she reminds.
You can save and return to your application at a later time. It will take time to do but don’t press submit until you have everything completed, including the documentation to be uploaded.
“Ever since an applicant told me that she treated the application as if she was writing a CV for her building, I quote that to everyone,” Anna continued.
“It’s good advice.
“This isn’t a ‘doing it up’ scheme. It’s called the traditional farm buildings grant scheme but the scoring criteria don’t just take the actual built fabric into account,” Anna added.
Architectural heritage interest accounts for 20% so the other criteria matter just as much. It encompasses: landscape; habitat value; climate change mitigation and best value.
All carry equal weight.
Climate change mitigation matters:
Answers on climate change mitigation tend to be poor, according to Anna.
“You’re a farmer in the GLAS scheme. We expect better. In the current conversation about the impact of the national herd, the sequestered carbon in conserved farm buildings could be an important offset measure in this debate. That’s worth thinking over,” she said.
Repeating what is said in the terms and conditions/selection criteria to complete answers to questions isn’t particularly helpful either she said, and is too general.
These are just pointers.
“Answers should be site specific – as in specific to your project and what you’re going to do and how you think your particular project meets the criteria,” she said.
Photographs for GLAS applications
Photographs the size of thumbprints aren’t helpful, Anna said, and several good photographs are better than a string of photographs that tell nothing.
You must also include a photo of the inside of the building and a map.
“We don’t know your building at all. The photographs are the only visual aid the grant assessment panel will have, so help yourself with quality images,” said Anna.
“Be sure to name your photographs because if you don’t, we may not know what we’re looking at. Don’t create doubt.
“Remember we don’t know your building at all and we want to get a sense of it in its surroundings and also how to get there if you’re offered a grant.”
Fixing, not replacing
“Look at how often we use the word ‘repair’ in the scheme guidance. That should give you an idea as to the ethos of the scheme. You don’t see us using the words restore or replace too much. Consider what needs fixing,” said Anna.
“We’re about fixing, not replacing unless there is a very good reason not to do so.
“Yes, there are grants of up to €25,000 but small grants can go far and be quite focussed,” Anna added.
“Don’t propose lots of unnecessary works so that you can ‘hit’ the €25,000 grant.”
Look on a grant as an investment in your building for the farm, she said. There is a focus on buildings that are in use in the selection criteria.
“If your building is not useful to your farm now, how will we know it ever will be? It could represent a very poor investment of grant aid,” she said.
If you don’t answer the questions the system will prompt you, Anna said.
“And while you’re welcome to provide additional documentation, be sure to do this only if it is relevant to your project,” Anna added.
Lastly, as ever, don’t wait until the last minute to complete your application, she said.
It is online and the system will shut down automatically at 5:00p.m. Tales of internet issues won’t cut it – the deadline is the deadline.