Historic Preservation; Application for a Grant from the State Office for Historic Preservation

Notwithstanding existing obligations, the Free State of Bavaria contributes to the costs of historic preservation and the maintenance of historic monuments in an amount equal to the funds allocated in the state budget. The goal is to support the preservation of architectural and archaeological monuments as defined by the Bavarian Monument Protection Act (BayDSchG), as well as to ensure the necessary specialized measures related to the recovery and discovery of archaeological monuments. However, there is no legal entitlement to funding; rather, the decision is made at the discretion of the authorities in accordance with their duties.

The amount of support is determined by the additional expenses incurred for historic preservation (costs exceeding the usual expenses). Funding is provided in the form of a fixed-amount grant.

The requirements differ depending on whether the grants are for historic buildings or archaeological sites.

Historic Buildings

As a general rule, the application must be submitted before the start of the project to be funded, unless the Bavarian State Office for the Preservation of Historical Monuments (BLfD) has expressly granted its written approval for construction to begin earlier. The project to be funded must have been coordinated with the BLfD prior to its implementation.

Coordination generally takes place—and is most straightforward—during the BLfD’s regular consultation days at the local monument protection authority responsible for the respective historic building, where decisions regarding a permit under monument protection law or a building permit may also be made.

Archaeological Sites

The application for a grant for measures related to the recovery and discovery of archaeological sites must be submitted directly to the Bavarian State Office for the Preservation of Historical Monuments (BLfD) only after the excavation has been fully completed, including the submission of the excavation documentation.

The archaeological work must have begun no earlier than May 1, 2025.

The project must have been carried out in accordance with the permit issued under heritage preservation law and in coordination with the BLfD’s Department of Archaeological Heritage Preservation.

The ANBest-P (for the private sector) or ANBest-K (for the municipal sector), in the version in effect at the time the project began, must be observed. Due to the subsequent grant application process, this primarily concerns Section 3 of the ANBest regarding the awarding of contracts.

Eligible for funding are the costs related to the preservation of cultural heritage associated with the archaeological excavation, excluding equipment costs and municipal labor provided on a cost-plus basis.

In any case, an application is required, and it should preferably be submitted electronically.

Historic Buildings

The application for a grant for work on a historic building must be submitted as early as possible to the local historic preservation authority responsible for that particular historic building.

Archaeological Sites

The application must be submitted directly to the Bavarian State Office for the Preservation of Historical Monuments (BLfD).

Work on the project for which a grant is being requested may not begin until the grant has been approved, unless the Bavarian State Office for the Preservation of Historical Monuments has expressly granted its written consent (e.g., via email) to begin construction early.

Consent to an earlier start of work for projects related to the recovery and discovery of archaeological sites is generally deemed to have been granted.

• Historic Buildings
  
  • A cost estimate from an architect or detailed cost estimates from tradespeople or companies that specify the nature and scope of the planned project in detail
  • A photo of the property for which the grant is being requested for its repair
• Archaeological Sites
  
  • Confirmation of the complete submission of the excavation documentation and the finds to the competent authority specified in the permit notice
  • Final invoice from the archaeological firm, which must list the following items in a detailed and itemized manner:
    • Personnel costs for fieldwork,
    • Costs for preparing the excavation documentation,
    • other incidental costs,
    • if applicable, costs for the conservation of finds and accompanying scientific analyses, as agreed upon with the BLfD