LEADER
Topic

LEADER

LEADER is the EU’s participatory and bottom-up approach to involve rural people in community led local development through local strategies, local projects, and decision-making processes.

Latest news

Group picture from the Bobrza River Basin LEADER LAG, Poland (c) Bobrza River Basin LAG
13 Nov 2025

What are LAGs working on? Episode 2

We continue our series with a look at Local Development Strategies by two LAGs in Poland and Denmark, where LEADER is enabling Smart Villages, social capital and economic innovation.

  • CAP Implementation
Irish National Network capacity building for LEADER (c) Irish National Network
12 Nov 2025

How do National Networks support LEADER?

Networking, capacity-building workshops and even speed dating: National Networks are not short of ideas when it comes to supporting LEADER!

  • CAP Implementation
Man jumping over a river in the mountains
12 Nov 2025

Making LEADER braver – Bolder action in Austrian rural development

In 2025, Austrian Local Action Groups have chosen ‘Making LEADER braver’ as an overarching ambition for their work. Discover what this means and how it is happening in practice.

  • CAP Implementation

Upcoming events

Calendar

Latest publications

Factsheet - From practice to progress: a shared agenda for CAP implementation
Briefings |

From practice to progress: a shared agenda for CAP implementation

This briefing includes proposals formulated by CAP stakeholders to scale up successful approaches, remove barriers, and identify both quick wins for the current CAP period and longer-term actions relevant for the post-2027 framework.

  • CAP Implementation
Event report - Simplified Cost Options: experience gained and new approaches
Event Reports |

Simplified Cost Options: experience gained and new approaches

A very useful exchange of information, ideas, and practical experiences between representatives from the European Commission, LEADER LAGs, National Rural Networks, Managing Authorities, and Paying Agencies.

  • CAP Implementation
Cover of CAP Evaluation Insights: LEADER
Evaluation Expert Insights |

CAP Evaluation Insights: LEADER

Four distinct LEADER evaluations from the 2014-2020 programming period offer helpful insights by assessing the foundational principles and role of the LEADER method in influencing local development.

  • Evaluation

Latest good practice

Insect art hotels with information board in the background
Mud Month Festival 2024 opening event - fire dancers and magician
Project | 08 Jan 2026

Mud Month Festival

  • CAP Implementation
Icon painting course