Preservation of monuments and historic buildings

Financial support

The Ministry of Education, Culture and Science (OCW) makes funds available for monuments and valuable cultural-historical buildings on Bonaire, St. Eustatius, and Saba through the National Restoration Fund. As a result, business owners can apply for low-interest loans for restoration works. Sustainability works that contribute to the improvement of a sustainable energy economy can also be funded insofar as they are related to the preservation of cultural-historical values. Any relevant research can also be funded.

What financial support is available to you as an owner of a listed monument or cultural-historical building?

1. Tax benefits (private individual)

A private individual with a listed monument for their own occupation is entitled to additional deductibles. This stems from the Wet inkomstenbelasting BES, which came into force on the 1^st of January 2011. As a result of this Act, some expenses are deductible as personal expenses. This applies to owner-occupiers of a listed building that serves as their main residence. Thus, this deduction is not applicable to second homes.

You can then deduct the following items from your income for tax purposes:

• The interest on debts for purchase, maintenance or improvement of the owner-occupied home. This includes term life insurance premiums. This deduction has been capped at USD 15,364 per year;
• The maintenance costs of the owner-occupied home designated as a listed monument according to the Monuments Ordinance of an island. This deduction of maintenance costs has no cap;
• The premiums for fire and natural disaster insurances.

2. Low-interest loan (business)

The loan from the National Restoration Fund is a low-interest loan. It is intended for restoration works on your monument or valuable cultural-historical building. It involves investments for the preservation of the cultural-historical value. Costs to render it more sustainable can also be funded. The island government determines which monuments and valuable cultural-historical buildings are eligible for a loan.

When can you apply for a loan?

• Your building is listed in the Register of Monuments and Historic Buildings or is included in the list of valuable cultural-historical buildings;
• You are a business owner (not an owner-occupier);
• The building is not owned by a local authority;
• You have not started your restoration works yet (whether combined with the implementation of sustainability measures or not);
• A permit has been issued for the works or evidence that a permit is not required.

What does the loan entail?

• The loan is provided in US dollars;
• The interest rate is 2%;
• The fixed-interest period is 30 years;
• We charge a handling fee for the provision of the funding. 
• The maximum principal amount is €2,000,000.

For all conditions and features see:  Restoration Fund mortgage Caribbean part of the Kingdom | Restoration Fund

Your funding application in five steps

Do you want to get started on the application for your funding? Follow the steps below and start well prepared.

1. Send an email with your plans and details to h.kers@restauratiefonds.nl;
2. We contact you to discuss your application;
3. Provide all necessary documents, including the determination of the costs for which you can apply for a low-interest loan (see earlier on this page: determining costs Restoration Fund mortgage Caribbean part of the Kingdom);
4. After a positive assessment, you receive an offer from us;
5. After your approval of the offer and the execution of the mortgage deed, you can get started on the restoration works.

About the National Restoration Fund

Each monument tells a story and makes a village, city or region more attractive. The Restoration Fund contributes to the preservation and restoration of these special buildings in the Netherlands and the Caribbean part of the Kingdom. This is how monuments stay alive! The Restoration Fund does that with targeted funding and relevant process information for owners.