1. LEADER-Type projects in Poland
Urszula Budzich-Szukala
The Cooperation Fund, and
The Polish Rural Forum (FAOW)

2. The spontaneous LEADER-type initiatives
Since mid-1990s several local partnerships established on the LEADER model, usually with EU consultancy
The Environmental Partnership Foundation helped create nearly 20 local partnerships based on the LEADER model and focusing on sustainable development

3. The official approach
Late 2002 – EU agrees that New Member States will be allowed to include LEADER-type measures in their SOPs (national programming)
2003 – govt. of Poland decides to allocate 19 MEUR for a LEADER+ Pilot Programme (scheme I – Capacity Building and Scheme II – Strategy Implementation)
Autumn 2004 – first call for projects announced

4. Differences Legal form of LAG required, limited choice
100% co-finacing, but no advance payments
No investment, only „soft” funding
Co-funding from other sources – not allowed
Qualitative criteria – need to be improved
No link to sustainable development

5. Current situation
Nearly 250 applications received by December 31, 2004
Over 170 applications approved for financing in mid-June 2005
Scheme II – to be announced by end 2005?
National LEADER network to be created by December 2005

6. Civic society activities
The Polish Rural Forum (FAOW)
The PREPARE network (Finland, Sweden, Estonia, Lithuania, Poland, Slovakia, Hungary and Slovenia)

7. FAOW + Cooperation Fund activities for LEADER
Letter to Polish government and European Commission in autumn 2002
Training of trainers (10 experts in the LEADER approach) in Poland, Ireland and Germany (cofunded by CF and PREPARE)
Training programme for animators of local partnerships
Information and promotion
Analysis of partnerships

9. First results Training of 48 animators in 2004
New group of 50 animators in 2005
Preliminary study of local partnerships (2004)
Data base of local partnerships (now about 100 entries)
Wide information and promotion campaign (VCD, over 70 meetings, training for local press)
V4 + Slo trans-national initiative