News | 20 Jun 2025

Integrated for impact: Czechia’s multi-fund CLLD model shows the way

Community-Led Local Development (CLLD) is not just LEADER with a new name. It’s about unlocking the full potential of EU funds- together. Czechia offers an inspiring example.

What’s worse for a Local Action Group (LAG) manager than navigating LEADER’s labyrinth of rules? Easy: navigating several labyrinths at once- welcome to multi-fund administration. But don’t run for the exit just yet. Forget what you think you know about Community-led local development (CLLD) and start with this golden rule: strategies may be multi-funded, but projects remain strictly mono-funded

Unlocking the potential of EU funds

Czechia had already emerged as a frontrunner in applying CLLD in the 2014–2020 programming period, and confirmed its position at the recent Prosperous Communities conference in Prague (you can read more in this article on recent LEADER events).

While many EU countries rely on LEADER as their primary rural development tool, Czechia’s experience proves that using multiple funds together is possible, and can amplify results, supporting more comprehensive local strategies. CLLD is not just LEADER with a new name. It’s about unlocking the full potential of EU funds- together.

In practice, the Czech model uses multiple Operational Programmes (OPs) in the 2023-2027 programme period, covering social inclusion and employment, environment, regional development, and technological innovation (see image 1 below).

Local development strategy visual
Ministry of Regional Development Local Development Strategy
Global strategy, which encompasses then various Operational plans (OPs)		 National Rural Network (Celostátní síť pro venkov) - capacity building for CAP SP and sharing best practice National Network of LAGs (Národní síť MAS) - Technical support hotline
EAFRD ERFD ESF+
Expert ministries

CAP Strategic Plan

Ministry of Agriculture

Environment OP

Ministry of the Environment

Integrated Regional OP

Ministry of Regional Development

Technologies and Application for Competitiveness OP

Ministry of Industry and Trade

Employment Plus OP 

Ministry of Labour and Social Affairs

Each national Operational Programme (OP) is translated into the LAG’s Local Development Strategy (LDS) as a local Operational Plan (or ‘action plan’). While a typical LAG elsewhere in Europe has one LDS, structured into measures and funded solely by the EAFRD, LAGs in Czechia have a single LDS that is divided into several Operational Plans (or ‘action plans’), each linked to a different Fund (ESF+, EAFRD, ERDF). Projects are then submitted under one of these Operational Plans and are funded by one fund only. In this way, the strategies are multi-funded, but each project remains mono-funded.

A single project only uses one fund. But by having multiple Operational Plans in the strategy from across the three funds, we can support a wider range of activities. Jan Florian, representative of the National LAG Network of Czechia

How it works – and why it works

Despite each fund having its own rules and logic, Czechia has made coordination work through a strong governance set-up:

  • The Managing Authorities and LAGs represented by the National Network of LAGs meet every month in a CLLD Platform to discuss and assess the progress of the overall Local Development Strategies, and find solutions where needed together.
  • A single ministry, the Ministry of Regional Development, leads the overall coordination of LAG strategies, but when it comes to Operational Plans, each MA has the space to set up its rules, ensuring expertise is kept. This is reflected in LAG strategies, which are divided into two parts: a first conceptual part approved by the Ministry of Regional Development on the overall strategy, and the second part consisting of detailed OPs (or “action plans”) which are approved by each expert MA.
  • Shared processes are codified in a single guideline, the ‘Methodological Guideline for the use of Integrated Instruments and Regional Action Plans’ (in Czech only). Note: the original document is available in PDF at this link, and the ‘Methodological update no. 4 on CLLD-Urban' is available at this link.
  • A common monitoring IT system is used across all OPs for strategy-level work.
  • Each LAG is versed in all funds and regulations, either through the LAG manager or via several experts, ensuring that project beneficiaries are directed towards the most appropriate fund and guided during the application process.

LAGs are not required to adopt multi-fund CLLD, but in fact, since 2014, all of them have chosen to do so. Today, all 180 Czech LAGs use multi-fund, and 135 include the Employment Plus OP, with more joining through an open call. The total CLLD envelope for 2021–2027 exceeds the impressive number of EUR 760 million, with EUR 200 million coming from the European Agricultural Fund for Rural Development (EAFRD), and EUR 96,8 million from ESF+.

Czech National Network team at the conference CLLD – Prosperous Communities – Opportunity for a Shared Future 28+ in May 2025 (c) Czech National Network

While harmonising rules across funds proved impossible, Czechia introduced simplification elsewhere: for instance, ESF+ projects use simplified cost options (a 40% flat rate on eligible direct personnel costs and wage contributions, for example), and LAGs themselves - not external applicants - are the beneficiaries. Concretely, this means that, when it comes to the Employment + OP, the LAG becomes responsible for managing one umbrella project, from which it is able to fund several small projects implemented by local stakeholders (if they choose to do it this way). This constitutes considerable simplification. As highlighted during the Prosperous Communities Conference, LAGs have become key actors in implementing social inclusion agendas under this programme, particularly in small municipalities and remote areas, demonstrating the added value of using ESF+ through community-led local development.

CLLD attracts a certain kind of person—optimists and doers. Trust between people and across ministries has been key. Zuzana Dvořáková, responsible for the National Rural network

Political support and a shared vision of integrated territorial development underpin the Czech success. Importantly, the National Rural Network of LAGs plays a vital role as an intermediary by running training sessions, resolving issues, and ensuring local voices are heard.

Speakers at the CLLD conference in Prague in May 2025 (c) Czech National Network

To-Do list for Managing Authorities ready to take the leap

  1. Start with shared ownership: create a neutral coordination body.
  2. Include LAGs early: involve them in the design and rule-setting from day one.
  3. Clarify mono-fund project logic: multi-fund strategies but mono-funded projects.
  4. Use a single guidance document: Czechia’s “Methodological Guideline” brings coherence.
  5. Set up regular coordination meetings: a joint platform across ministries and LAGs is essential.
  6. Invest in trust and transparency: personal relations and political support matter.
  7. Offer targeted support: training and a dedicated hotline for LAGs.
  8. Don’t wait for perfection: “Start small, iterate and improve”
  9. Ask for advice to learn from others: visit countries already implementing multi-fund CLLD, like Czechia, and see how it works in practice. A direct message from Renáta Kučerova: “Come to the Czech Republic and see how it works here! We are very happy to promote our good practice and help you with your decisions.”

Learn more

You can browse the EU CAP Network website to get to know more about the implementation of the CAP in Czechia, Czech LAGs and relevant rules such as those for Transnational Cooperation (TNC).

Find below the links to the webpages related to CLLD in each Ministry in Czechia: