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Network Expert

Juha-Matti Markkola, NRN Finland

Continuous Improvement of Finnish LEADER Work

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Content of the presentation

• Actors of the Finnish Rural Development Programme and the basics of the Finnish Leader

• LAGs application and selection process for period 2014-2020

• Continuous Improvement of Finnish Leader work

• TNC-process and examples

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Actors of the Finnish Rural Development Programme

and

Basics of the Finnish Leader

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Rural Development Programme for Mainland Finland 2014-2020, Actors

Ministry of Agriculture and ForestryFood Department (Managing Authority)

Agency for Rural Affairs (Managing Authority and Paying Agency, in Seinäjoki)

Rural Network Support Unit (in Seinäjoki)

ELY Centres (delegated Managing Authority and Paying Agency)

Local Action Groups (54) (MA)

Other actors at the local level

Local level

Central administration

Municipalities317

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Project implementers • Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry: managing authority of the

programme, planning of the programme and changes to it, provisions, competent authority as regards the paying agency

• Finnish Agency for Rural Affairs: management of support payments, application forms and instructions, paying agency tasks: payment of support, control and further measures (some tasks transferred to ELY Centres and municipalities)

• Rural Network and Rural Network Support Unit

• Centres for Economic Development, Transport and the Environment (ELY Centres): support for enterprises (incl. setting-up aid for young farmers and agricultural investments) and development projects, special agri-environment contracts, non-productive investments, certain paying agency tasks

• Leader groups: projects and support for enterprises under local development strategies

• Municipalities: commitments to basic agri-environment measures, natural handicap payments, animal welfare payments, certain paying agency tasks

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Financing model Financing model

MUNICI-PALITIES

LOCAL ACTION GROUP, LAG

MINISTRY OF AGRICULTURE AND FORESTRY

NE

TW

OR

K U

NIT

municipal project funding

ELY CENTRE

PROJECT private funding

National funding

project and administrative funding (EU and State)

project funds (EU and State)

administrative funding (EU and State)

project and administrative funding (municipalities)

Rural Network Unit

AGENCY FOR RURAL AFFAIRS

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Decision making procedure in Leader: a simple picture

• A double-layered decision making procedure: statement of approval from a Leader group is needed for the decision making at the ELY Centre

LAG ELY CENTRE

APPLICATION

A LAG's duty is to advise the applicant and check the application, while the ELY Centre conducts the legal verification

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Leader: The phases of mainstreamingTime Forms Area

• 1996 22 Leader II groups ⅓ of rural areas• 1997 26 Pomo groups ⅓ of rural areas• 2001 25 Leader+ groups almost 40% of rural areas• 2001-2002 26 Alma or Objective 1 almost 50% of rural areas

groups• 2001 7 Pomo+ groups about 10% of rural areas • 2002-2006 58 LAGs almost all rural areas, only

6 rural municipalities outside

• 2007-2013 55+1 LAGs All rural areas covered by LAGs. RDPs' for Mainland

Finland and Åland Islands• 2014-2020 54+1 LAGs All rural areas covered by

LAGs

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Finnish principles for Leader are

• Members in the board of the LAG:- 1/3 representatives of municipalities

- 1/3 local associations and enterprises

- 1/3 rural inhabitants

• National public funding: municipalities of the LAG area must cover 20% of total public financing

• All rural areas covered by LEADER methodology• LAGs, ministry and NRN work closely together – easy,

straightforward, trustful dialogue• Active voluntary network of LAGs – one voice instead of

55 voices• Continuous improvement of Leader work

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Drivers of success of Leader in Finland

1. Civic activity has been strengthened as a working method (partnership)

2. Taking responsibility of development will grow when citizens are trusted (free, uncompelled action)

3. The size of Leader action group's area (subregion) is suitable

4. Leader connects citizens, associations and municipalities to work together (joint responsibility)

5. Leader has been mainstreamed as geographic

6. Action is diversed and the funding responses to needs

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Drivers of success of Leader in Finland

7. Leader is cost-effective development work

8. Development of the Leader-method is going on non-stop

9. Workers in the LAG's are skilfull and good at their work and that ensures profitability of the action

10.Good results of projects cause positive consequences

11. International cooperation has increased and that has had positive influence

12.People has started to trust on the permanence of Leader

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LAGs application and selection process for period 2014-2020

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Selection process

Phase 1:•Applications, containing the local development strategies and descriptions of the local action groups, were submitted to the Ministry in June 2013.

•The selection committee and external evaluators evaluated the strategies.

•Ministry gave written feedbacks on the strategies to the local action groups in October 2013.

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Selection process

Phase 2:•The applicants had the opportunity to supplement their strategy on the basis of the feedback received.•The local action groups submitted their official applications to the Ministry in June 2014•The committee made a proposal for the groups to be selected and their financial quota to the Ministry.•Finnish RDP was adopted by the European Commission in December 2014•54 LAGs were officially selected by the ministry in January 2015. Later on there will be one more LAG in Åland Islands

Finnish LEADER 2014-2020

• 55 LAGs cover the rural areas of Finland

• 300 million euros of public funding is allocated to Leader work through Rural Development Programme- EU 42 %, national 38 %, municipalities 20 %

• Aim: 35 % of private funding

• 2,9 – 11,1 millions euros of public funding per LAG

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Continuous Improvement of

Finnish Leader work

Continuous Improvement Process

• continuous improvement process is an ongoing effort to improve Leader processes. The processes should be constantly evaluated and improved in the light of Leader work’s efficiency, effectiveness and flexibility.

• In practice it is strongly linked with the concept of quality.

• Quality can be divided in three sub categories: quality of planning, quality of actions and quality of results and effects

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Leader-process and quality

Leader-process and quality

Quality of planning – quality of local development strategiesIndicators for a good local development strategy

•The strategy is clear and logical. Experiences from the previous programming periods have been taken into account. The strategy is consistent and there is a common thread that runs through it, founded on utilising the strengths of the area and search for solutions to its weaknesses.

•The strategy is feasible and realistic and it contains new ways of thinking and solutions to the development of the area. The strategy shows how the new solutions, ideas or practices are transmitted for use by the actors in the area.

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Quality of planning – quality of local development strategies

Indicators for a good local development strategy

•The strategy describes clearly the collaboration and the roles between the different actors

•The strategy sets out a plan how the inhabitants of the area and actor groups are animated and involved in the development of their own home area.

•The strategy contains transnational and inter-territorial cooperation with clear and well-reasoned objectives.

•The local action groups have clear indicators for following the realisation of the objectives and a plan for the practical implementation of the strategy.

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Quality of planning – quality of local development strategies

Indicators for a good local development strategy

•The strategy contains a learning plan for the actors in the area.

•The strategy contains a plan on the communication actions.

•The local action group implements the strategy through different funds and other financing channels.

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Indicative table of contents of the local development strategy1. Population and area covered by the strategy

2. Analysis of the development needs and opportunities of the area: strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, threats (SWOT)

3. Description and objectives of the strategy- clear and measurable output and result objectives, - coherence of the strategy with the other relevant programmes

under the funds in the Common Strategy Framework- coordination with other regional development actions- regards the EAFRD, an unambiguous distribution of labour

relative to the Regional Rural Strategy of provincial MA

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Indicative table of contents of the local development strategy

4. Description of the process by which the local development strategy was prepared. The preparation should be as broadly-based and inclusive as possible. How are innovation and networking being realised?

5. Action Plan: How are the objectives to be translated into practical measures?

 

6. Arrangements for the management and monitoring of the strategy

- according to the proposal for the general regulation the share of operational funds in the financing may represent no more than 25% of the total public costs.

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Indicative table of contents of the local development strategy

 

7. Financial plan of the strategy- EU funds, national public funding and private funding- Commitments of municipalities to fund the strategy

The indicative maximum length of the local development strategy was set to be 15-20 pages.

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Leader-process and quality

Capacity building of LAGs

• Trainings for LAGs’- Personel- Chairmen- Board members

• Guidebook for LAG boards• Implementation of learning plan for

the actors in the area (part of the strategy)

Quality Assurance process

• The aim was that every Finnish LAG builds a quality management system- clarification of vision and the role of the LAG- development of the processes- better cooperation with Managing Authority - better risk management

• One year process: 5/2013-5/2014

• LAGs, NRN and MA together, funded by NRN

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1. Management of the LAG• Business idea, vision,

strategy and values• Association’s rules,

operarational principles2. Actions and Processes

• Customersips and customership management

• Primary processes• Association process• Leader-actions

• Communications• Activation• Guidance• Funding

Adminstration and Follow-up

• Own projects• General admisinistration• Communications• Financial administration

3. Personnel• Personnel and their duties• Know-how• Work orientation• Well-being at work• Safety at work

4. Partnerships and resources• Partnership management• Influencing

• International level• National level• Local level

5. Quality assurance• Quality inspections• Risk management• Handling the errors• Auditing and self-evaluation• Self-evaluation

6. Results• Further development• indicators

Table of contents: Quality Management Handbook

Leader-process and quality

Quality of results and effects

• Compulsory indicators set by European Comission

• Couple of national indicators• Pool of optional indicators

• LAGs can choose the ones whicn suit for local development strategy

• Telling the stories, distributing interesting examples

• Strong Leader brand helps the work

Building the New Brand for Finnish Leader

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From this

For ideas on a human scale

To this:

In cooperation with:

www.leadersuomi.fi

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TNC-projects:Application and decision-making process

1. Search for partners, project planning, preparation of agreements (possibly a preliminary survey)

Cooperation agreement (or letter of intent)

2. Funding application to the local action group (when the applicant is other than the local action group)→ verification of the application and expediency consideration, statementFunding application forwarded to a Centre for Economic Development, Transport and the Environment (ELY Centre) → legality check ORFunding application to an ELY Centre (when local action group as applicant)→ expediency consideration and legality check

3. Funding decision to applicant and SFC form to the Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry (group or ELY)(special condition on cooperation agreement included in the decision, if necessary)

4. Notification to the Commission’s SFC system, Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry /Agency for Rural Affairs(Cooperation agreement)

Juha-Matti MarkkolaSivu 37 21.04.23

Example: CULTrips 2010-2013• Finland: Joensuu Region and Jetina• Estonia: Raplamaa • Luxemburg: Redange-Wiltzin • Austria: Urfahr-West Oststeirisches Kernland • Italy: Valle Umbra e Sibillini

• Objective: building socio-cultural village tourism concept. Take visitors as a part of village life.

• Test trips, trainings, knowledge exchange, marketing material

• First contacts were made at Evora Leader Conference 2007!

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Example: Dare to Dream 2010-2012

• Finland: Outokaira tuottamhan• Sweden: Leader Tornedalen• Estonia: Pärnu Lahe

Partnerluskogu

• Objective: find new innovations and methods in rural tourism, handigrafts and natural products.

• Workshops, product development, study trips, product panels.

• First contacts were made at Levi Leader seminar 2009!

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Example: Folk Summer School

• Finland: Aktion Österbotten• Sweden: Leader Hälsingebygden

• Objective: create new and interesting folk music activities. Engage and stimulate young people within the area of folk music.

• Two folk music summer schools for young people.

• Only nine months from idea to end of implementation.

• Second project is going on.

Thank you!

In cooperation with: