Our Strategy
Our local development strategy forms the basis for the development in our area. The strategy constitutes the framework for our operations and thus directs our work and how our resources will be allocated during the period.
In collaboration, our rural areas develop
Money from Leader Grogrund will go to initiatives that contribute to implementing our local development strategy. In the strategy, you will find our vision and goals, our principles, and thematic areas.
Our themes
At Leader Grogrund, one can apply for support within one of our thematic areas to contribute to one or more of our goals. The thematic areas constitute the tools of the strategy and indicate in which areas development efforts should take place to achieve the goals of the strategy. Projects should be driven in one of four themes to contribute to the goals in the strategy.
DEVELOP IDEA BEARERS AND IDEAS
Within the leader area, there are many people with ideas for development. What is sometimes lacking is resources to advance the ideas. Many are busy with ongoing operations and find it difficult to prioritize time, energy, or money to drive development. Young people want to engage and influence development based on their conditions but feel that they are rarely asked if they want to contribute.
To develop idea bearers and ideas, we see, for example, projects that lead to skills development on value-based work, changed attitudes, and daring to question norms. But it can also be projects related to digitalization, sustainability, or innovative thinking. It can be study circles, theme days, lectures, campaigns, study visits, support for networks, or association incubators. Young people's engagement and ideas are particularly important to harness, which is why ideas that genuinely contribute to young people's influence and participation are prioritized.
STRENGTHEN LOCAL ENTREPRENEURSHIP
Entrepreneurship and business are a strong engine for rural development in the Leader Grogrund area. One in six residents has their own business, which is the second highest figure in the country. We also have the highest level of entrepreneurship among women in the country. Many of the businesses are sole proprietorships, where the choice to run a business is part of the lifestyle.
Strengthened entrepreneurship within the private, public, and non-profit sectors contributes to resources staying and circulating at the local level. We want to see a development where long-term sustainability underpins both existing and new products or services. We also want to see ideas that increase the competitiveness of our businesses and make them less vulnerable to the societal challenges we face.
We welcome ideas that, for example, contribute to collaborations between schools and businesses, utilize and apply research, or create partnerships between research and industry. We would like to have ideas that develop food production, increase diversity within food craftsmanship, and provide new products and services from the forests and lakes. Also, ideas that strengthen global collaboration within cultural and creative industries, stimulate a vibrant and multifaceted Sámi economy, further develop cultural and nature events, or create a climate-smart tourism industry year-round, in balance with people, animals, and nature.
MOBILIZATION AND NEW FUNCTIONS
Infrastructure, services, housing, and broadband are important prerequisites for businesses, associations, and individuals to be able to live, thrive, and operate in our rural areas. By involving more people, engagement, resources, and expertise are created to drive changes and new solutions to the societal challenges we face.
Within this theme, we would like to have ideas that sustainably solve societal challenges in the leader area. This could include ideas that create increased access to new housing and alternative housing options, broadband solutions, or innovative water and sewage solutions. Welcome with ideas regarding service points, climate adaptation, digital tools or other digitalization, office collectives, or other inclusive meeting places with many different functions. Perhaps you have ideas for initiatives to enable working or studying independently of distance, smart transport solutions, or local production of renewable energy?
DEVELOP OUR LOCAL RESOURCES
A local resource can be cultural or natural values, history, or place-bound resources, such as the mountains, the open agricultural landscape, lakes, and forests. Food craftsmanship, the light in summer, the northern lights, and Sámi culture are other examples of local resources. Developing local resources contributes to increased cohesion and helps rural areas strengthen their identity. It can also lead to new tourist destinations, new revenue opportunities, and business development, thereby strengthening the local economy.
Here we are looking for ideas that can increase the attractiveness and diversity of our rural areas in the long term. This may involve new recreational activities, increasing the diversity of cultural events, refining natural resources and raw materials, new products and services from forests and waters, new experiences related to hunting and fishing, collaboration around local solutions for self-sufficiency, development of sustainable trails, solutions to goal and interest conflicts related to land use, or strengthened knowledge about and development of Sámi culture and history.
