Grant: A New Lease on Life for Old Farms
Do you own a farm that’s a national historic landmark and want to do something new with it? Good news: the Farm Fund is receiving €2.5 million from the Ministry of Education, Culture, and Science (OCW). With this money, owners of historic farms can give their properties a new purpose.
Old farmhouses play a major role in shaping the atmosphere of our Frisian countryside. Due to changes in agriculture, more and more farmhouses are standing empty. That’s a shame, because these buildings are valuable to the landscape and the history of Opsterland. By repurposing them, the farmhouses are preserved, and our countryside remains vibrant and active.
From Farm to Community Hub
In recent years, dozens of farms in the Netherlands have been renovated using funds from the Farm Fund. As a result, old barns and sheds have been transformed into:
- A village hall or community center
- A childcare center or day program
- Assisted Living Homes
- A bed and breakfast, studio, or workshop space
In this way, distinctive buildings play a valuable role in the neighborhood. They bring new economic activity and create places where people can meet.
Which farms are eligible?
The €2.5 million is specifically intended for farmhouses designated as national historic monuments. With this grant, you can not only repurpose the building but also restore it and make it more sustainable.
- Do you own a municipally designated historic building or a farm that isn’t designated as a historic building? At this time, the funds are reserved exclusively for nationally designated historic buildings. However, the Farm Fund is exploring ways to assist other historic farms in the future.
Request
Would you like to renovate a farm designated as a national historic monument for a social purpose or to start a new business? You can submit an application to the Farm Fund. The next application deadline is September 1, 2027.
For more information and all the " Requirements ," visit the Boerderijenfonds website.