A new LEADER programme for rural Forth Valley and Lomond
LEADER is European and Scottish Government funding awarded through the Scottish Rural Development Plan. The funding is geared towards community and business groups to undertake innovative or pilot "grassroots" rural development - everyone has a different view as to what is "innovative" which is why the ultimate decision on who receives the funding lies with a Local Action Group, made up of local businesses, community representatives and public agencies with an interest in the rural area.
The Local Action Group
The existence of a Local Action Group is a defining feature of LEADER, and its role is to develop the local strategy, assess projects as they come forward as to whether they fit this strategy, ensure that projects link with other local strategies and activities, and enhance projects by giving advice or contacts.
The Forth Valley and Lomond Local Action Group currently has 24 members - 13 are from business and the community sector and 11 are from public agencies. The Local Action Group meets in full every quarter to assess projects and various subgroups meet in between times. The interim Chair of the group is Dereck Fowles from Buchanan in Stirling.
Forth Valley and Lomond
One of the main reasons Forth Valley and Lomond did so well in its award of funding was the fact that there had been a very successful, but smaller, LEADER programme in the Lomond and Rural Stirling area previously. Seventy six projects were awarded over £950k of funding between them by the previous programme - and a diverse range of highly innovative community projects was the result (see LEADER+ case study boxes for examples).
Revitalising Communities and Conserving the Natural Environment
In this new LEADER programme, the two themes selected are 'revitalising communities' and 'conserving the natural environment'. Within each of these themes we have a list of specific objectives which all projects would need to expect to achieve in order to be considered for funding. And as with all LEADER programmes, women and young people are target groups, although in Forth Valley and Lomond area we have also identified microbusiness and migrant workers. Projects will therefore be encouraged which support these groups.
Forth Valley and Lomond LEADER Themes
Revitalising Communities
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Conservation of the Rural Environment
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More information and how to apply
To apply for funding, you need to submit an initial enquiry form to the Forth Valley and Lomond LEADER Support Unit. You will then be contacted by the LEADER Development Officer who will be able to help you refine your proposal and submit a full application to the quarterly Local Action Group meeting. The next round closes for full applications on 5 September 2008.
More information is available on the website where you can download a copy of the LEADER Development Strategy. If your business or community group already has an idea for an innovative project, contact info@fvl.org.uk or complete a copy of the Initial Enquiry Form which is available on the website.
Case Studies
Kilmadock Development Trust - Elder MacAlpine Business Centre Business Plan
Total project cost / Leader+ grant
£10,200 / £5,100
Project description
The LEADER+ funding was used to part fund the production of a business plan needed to prepare the community development trust for the proposed development of a building it had purchased behind its existing premises. With the building now in community ownership, the trust is keen to address the reported shortage of office business space in the Doune area, with the hope that this will allow more of its residents to stay in Doune to work. Once up and running, the development will also bring in a regular income to the trust, which will secure its financial sustainability for the future.
E-Tourism Excellence Project
Total project cost / Leader+ grant
£14,500 / £7,250
Project description
This was a transnational training project (involving partners in the Republic of Ireland and Northern Ireland) which was spread over three workshops raising the e-business skills and aspirations of a cross-section of small rural tourism businesses from the three LEADER areas. The project also involved experiencing each other's tourism business. A group of 13 Trossachs businesses participated from this area and the feedback from them was extremely positive, as well as from other businesses who received copies of the "Handy Little Guide to E-Tourism" which was produced by the pilot project.
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