Cities, especially small and medium-sized ones that are worse off than larger centres, face various environmental, economic, social or institutional problems. Comprehensive and coordinated action is needed to, among other things, improve air quality, adapt to climate change, stop negative depopulation trends, respond to the needs of an ageing population, create good conditions for business development, or strengthen the efficiency of local administration. The residents expect cities to be liveable places, and the Local Development Program, funded under the 3rd edition of the Norwegian and EEA Funds 2014 - 2021, supports local governments in their efforts to achieve this goal. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
Program Objective<\/strong>: Strengthen social and economic cohesion by improving the quality of life for all residents (including disadvantaged groups) and users of medium-sized and small towns. The total budget of the Programme<\/strong>: EUR 117,6 million <\/p>\n\n\n\n Including: The value of co-financing<\/strong>: selected projects will receive grants ranging from EUR 3 to 10 million. List of eligible cities<\/a> The environmental dimension, <\/strong>e.g.:<\/p>\n\n\n\n The social dimension, <\/strong>e.g.:<\/p>\n\n\n\n The economic dimension,<\/strong> e.g.:<\/p>\n\n\n\n Eligible project activities:<\/strong> All eligible project activities are to be used for the preparation, development and implementation of activities for the integrated and sustainable development of the city. To this end, the projects will prepare Local Development Plans<\/strong> and Institutional Development Plans.<\/strong> <\/p>\n\n\n\n All planned investment expenditures may not exceed 60 % of the total eligible expenditure of the project. <\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n Scheme of project preparation, selection and implementation:<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n
Program Operator:<\/strong>: Ministry of Funds and Regional Policy (The Ministry of Funds and Regional Policy was established on 15 November 2019 by transforming the existing Ministry of Investment and Development).<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Grant: EUR 100 million
National contribution: EUR 17,6 million<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Level of co-financing:<\/strong> up to 100% of eligible costs.
Beneficiaries:<\/strong> small and medium-sized cities classified by the Strategy for Responsible Development among 255 cities with the most difficult socio-economic situation. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
Partnerships:<\/strong> due to the complex nature of the projects, it is possible and recommended to implement the projects both in the intersectoral and intergovernmental partnerships (domestic and foreign \u2013 with entities from the Donor States, i.e., Norway, Iceland and Liechtenstein).
Nature of projects:<\/strong> Comprehensive development projects (infrastructure and soft), including actions to strengthen\/increase the local administration's capacity to achieve the city's long-term, integrated development objectives.
Thematic scope of projects:<\/strong> projects should include multi-faceted and complementary activities. It is therefore recommended to include activitiesfrom many interrelated areas so as to obtain synergies with an increased impact on the local development of a given city. As a minimum, projects must address environmental, social, economic and institutional dimensions. In the project, it is also possible (optional) to refer to the dimensions: spatial, financing of urban development, cultural, and smart city management. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
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NOTE:<\/strong> Except for supporting the establishment or maintenance of incubators\/innovation\/entrepreneurship centres, which are excluded from support in the Program.<\/li><\/ul>\n\n\n\n\n