PLEASE NOTE THAT WE HAVE NOT RECEIVED START NOTICE YET. This means that Leader Bergslagen is still waiting to start... but we still want to start making project plans now - right?
If your association or company would like the LAG board in Leader Bergslagen to look at your project idea, email info@leaderbergslagen.eu. The program period is not expected to start until early 2023. But we want to create a dialogue with you about what project ideas are available in advance.
Purpose of Leader
The purpose of Leader is that we in Bergslagen will be able to develop our area together based on Leader Bergslagen's development strategy. LEADER enables rural development based on local needs through a cross-sectoral approach. Three-way partnerships between non-profit, public and private interests ensure broad support in different parts of society.
Apply for project support
The Leader initiatives are intended to strengthen the local population's access to infrastructure and improve living conditions, including leisure, culture, etc., which constitute the prerequisites for attractive housing, youth participation, business development and civil society.
Leader can, for example, support projects that develop local businesses, associations, attractive living environments and other good living environments. Other areas that can be supported are valuable natural and cultural environments, tourism, initiatives for smart villages and communities (smart rural areas), the environment, bioeconomy, climate change and adaptation to climate change or similar thematic areas that are important for rural development and meet the objectives of the Common Agricultural Policy (CAP).
Eligible beneficiaries
Authorities, municipalities, regions, associations, other organizations and companies operating within Leader Bergslagen's ten municipalities can apply for support. Private individuals cannot apply for support.
Eligibility conditions
The intervention should contribute to fulfilling one or more goals in the local development strategy. Here you can read the strategy that guides Leader Bergslagen's work 2023-2027..
Conditions mentioned on the Swedish Board of Agriculture website: You should be able to finance at least 20 percent of the budget on your own until you receive your final payment. This is because we pay out a maximum of 80 percent of the support in advance. We pay out the rest when the project has been reported on in its final form. You may need to be prepared for the fact that there may be long processing times at times. (read: about 6 months), and it may therefore take some time before you receive your payment. You who apply should also
- inform those involved in the project about the support
- have the permits and approvals required for the project
- Submit a financial report and a description of the project's implementation and results when you finalize the investment.
Support may be provided for
As a guide, you can read about which expenses could and could not be applied for support during the previous period, read at: https://jordbruksverket.se/stod/lokalt-ledd-utveckling-genom-leader/stod-for-projekt-och-samarbeten-inom-lokalt-ledd-utveckling It states, among other things: You cannot receive support for things that authorities, the state, regions and municipalities are responsible for by law.
Support is provided for initiatives that contribute to the goals of the local development strategy. Read Leader Bergslagen's strategy here. Initiatives should benefit the area's development.
Support can be granted for the following expenses, provided that they are linked to the activities in the project:
- Salaries for staff to carry out the project, including salary increases and indirect costs
- Own work to implement the project
- Purchase of service to implement the project
- Investments
- Other expenses needed to implement the project
Support level
Support is provided at between 40 and 100 percent of eligible expenses when the main benefit of the project accrues to a wider public or creates conditions for, for example, business development, civil society, the living environment, knowledge, service, climate and environment, the attractiveness of rural areas or otherwise a good living environment. This also includes umbrella projects.
Support is provided at between 40 and 70 percent of eligible expenses for interventions that mainly benefit included commercial activities.
The LAG board sets the level of support for interventions through assessment according to the following principles:
- A lower level of support may be justified if the project or intervention only benefits one or a few commercial businesses, if private co-financing is available, the intervention is expected to yield a high return, or if the LAG's budget is limited. In addition to its own money, private co-financing can consist of expected income, sponsorship and participation fees in the project.
- A higher level of support up to 100 percent can be justified if the project or initiative is of benefit to the public, is a precondition-creating project where the results will benefit more people or has a high degree of innovation at the local level and if the LAG has an available budget.
- Support where the benefit mainly accrues to individual commercial activities within Leader is limited to a support amount of a maximum of SEK 200,000.
Communicate about the project and use the correct EU logo
You must use the correct EU logo in all information material about your project. Failure to comply with the information and logo conditions will result in a reduction in your grant. The EU logos consist of the EU flag together with a text. The EU logo must always be visible and prominently displayed.
Projects run by young people
How long is a person considered young? We follow the definition of the Swedish Agency for Youth and Civil Society Affairs, which means that a person is considered young until they are 25 years old.
More information
Read more about Sweden's strategic plan for the new agricultural policy. https://www.regeringen.se/4af4aa/contentassets/d5087edd9e184138be1cb46153c0d91c/uppdrag-att-overlamna-forslag-till-sveriges-strategiska-plan-for-den-gemensamma-jordbrukspolitiken-20232027-till-europeiska-kommissionen.pdf
Submit a project idea
Email your idea to info@leaderbergslagen.eu.