Get started
A successful project is based on your community's needs and driving forces, so the very first step is to discuss locally. At this early stage, you also need to read up on Leader Höga Kusten's principles, goals, and focus areas.
What change do you want to happen?
All projects start with an idea. Perhaps you have long talked in the community about how you would like to develop your place, or maybe the thought has just been awakened. Meeting and discussing your place's development potential is the starting point for all change work and can of course also be a first step towards implementing a leader project. Perhaps you are already organized in, for example, a village association, sports club, or community company? Invite members and others who may be interested and start thinking – what change do we want to happen?
Hard to start? Base it on these questions:
1. What does the current situation look like: What are our challenges? What are our strengths? What do we have? What is missing?
What does it look like in 2030: What vision and goals do we have?
We have an idea! What do we need to know to apply for support?
Support from Leader Höga Kusten should go to initiatives that contribute to implementing our strategy ”Future Rural Areas in Höga Kusten 2030”. The strategy can be described as a puzzle, where the projects make up the pieces. Now you need to read the strategy to see if your idea can contribute to the puzzle. In the strategy, we describe our goals, focus areas, and principles. You need to be aware of these to see if your idea can be granted leader support.
Goals and focus areas… how does it work?
All projects driven with support from Leader Höga Kusten should contribute to one or more of our goals: Strengthen Höga Kusten as an attractive place; promote the transition to a sustainable Höga Kusten and improve inclusion and diversity in Höga Kusten. The focus areas indicate within which areas development initiatives can take place; projects should be conducted in one of the three focus areas to contribute to goal fulfillment in one or more of the goals in the strategy. Below are examples of what projects within each focus area can be about.
A sustainable business community
The focus area for projects aimed at meeting Höga Kusten's need to increase the number of entrepreneurs and attract labor and skills.
Attractive places
The focus area for projects that strengthen Höga Kusten's attractiveness to live, work, and visit – one level up.
An engaged & inclusive civil society
The focus area for projects aimed at creating places where more feel involved, included, and engaged.
Where will the project be implemented?
In order for an application to be granted support by Leader Höga Kusten, the project must benefit our operational area. Our area consists of Härnösand, Kramfors, Sollefteå, and Örnsköldsvik municipalities. Örnsköldsvik's central location is an exception and is not included as it is not considered rural.
Who will carry out the project?
Through Leader, collaborating organizations (within the non-profit, private, and public sectors) can apply for funding for development projects that contribute to achieving the goals of the leader area. We do not grant support to companies that want to develop their own operations or to individuals. Nor for existing operations, already completed activities, or permits and approvals, e.g., building permits.
What about the scope?
With us, there is an opportunity to apply for support to carry out both small and slightly larger projects; it is thescope and direction of the idea that determines which. It is also possible to apply for support to investigate the conditions for a development initiative.
Larger investments
Project support
Seeking funding for a project is the right path if the investment is extensive.
- The project idea must fit within one of the intervention areas above and contribute to fulfilling the strategy's goals.
- An expression of interest for project support is always submitted for assessment by the board.
- Those applying must contribute with voluntary work and their own funds.
- Decisions are made continuously by our board. If approved, the Swedish Board of Agriculture must also make a formal decision, which takes about 3-5 months.
There is generally no cap on how much support you can apply for; the budget should be reasonable in relation to the benefit the project is expected to provide.
Investigative investments
Pre-study support
Conducting a pre-study can be a good way to investigate the conditions for a larger project or initiative.
- The pre-study must fit within one of the intervention areas above and investigate measures that can contribute to fulfilling the strategy's goals.
- An expression of interest for pre-study support is always submitted for assessment by the board.
- Those applying must contribute with voluntary work and their own funds.
- Decisions are made continuously by our board. If approved, the Swedish Board of Agriculture must also make a formal decision, which takes about 3-5 months.
There is generally no cap on how much support you can apply for; the budget should be reasonable in relation to the benefit the project is expected to provide.
Smaller investments
Small support
Small support is a good alternative for smaller investments that do not require a large budget. Implementing ideas with the help of smaller support involves less administration and faster decisions than project support.
- The idea must fit into the current call for proposals. Smaller support cannot always be applied for.
- Applications are made using forms available here on our website.
- Those applying must contribute with voluntary work.
- Decisions are made continuously by the board's working committee. No formal decision is required from the Swedish Board of Agriculture.
Conditions and support vary between different smaller supports; often, the maximum support to apply for is around 50,000 SEK.
