The Expression of Interest form has been updated to include a new field for 'Additional LAG area'. If the submission is for a cooperation project, the potential applicant can choose one LAG area from the dropdown and enter any additional areas in the new field. The EoI submission will be submitted to the LAG area selected from the dropdown and that LAG should ensure that any other areas listed in the new field are made aware of the proposal. 

You can contact the LEADER team by emailing Leader.Queries@gov.scot or calling 0131 244 9924.

The community-led Lanarkshire LEADER Local Development Strategy has been launched. The strategy sets out the priorities and objectives against which applications for funding will be assessed by the Lanarkshire LEADER Programme until 2020.

Funding of up to £10,000 is available from Transport Scotland's Pre-Application Support Fund (PASF) to help public, community and third sector organisations develop their ideas for the the European Regional Development Fund (ERDF) Low Carbon Travel and Transport (LCTT) Challenge Fund.

The deadline for submission of PASF applications is midnight 17 August 2016.

If you have a transnational cooperation project idea you would like to be shared at the LEADER Fair in Estonia next month email Don Morrison at don@ruralnetwork.scot by 8 August. Don will be going along to the event and will be able to share potential project ideas during partner search activities.

The Scottish Rural Network is offering to fund the travel and accommodation costs for up to ten members from Scottish LAGs (one member per LAG) to attend this year's LEADER Inspired Network Community (LINC) event in Hungary.

The event takes place from 27 to 29 September and is a great chance to exchange ideas and explore opportunities to cooperate on projects with people from across Europe.

If your LAG is interested, please send the name of the member you would like to nominate to info@ruralnetwork.scot by 29 July.

On the Finnish Rural Network website you can find opportunities to partner with Finnish LAGs on cooperation projects including a nature learning project and a water activities project.

The second in the series of seminars organised by the four European Commission Directorates General supporting Community-Led Local Development (CLLD) is planned to take place in southern Sweden from 6 to 8 December 2016.

The topic for this event is 'Achieving results the CLLD way' with a focus on making the best use possible of the CLLD method as a development tool.  Participants are expected to include LAGs and local actors, along with Managing Authorities and National Networks from across the ESI Funds.

As numbers will be limited attendance will be by invitation. More details on the agenda and arrangements will be provided as soon as these become available. In the meantime, you may wish to save the date.

Information from the FARNET seminar on 'Results-orientated Community-Led Local Development (CLLD) in fisheries areas' is now available on the FARNET website. The event took place in Helsinki from 24 to 26 May.

The seminar aimed to help Fisheries Local Action Groups (FLAGs) to develop better strategies, support both FLAGs and Managing Authorities to develop monitoring systems to guide the strategy implementation process and open a discussion on the broader impacts of CLLD.