Together for development

Local Development Sweden is the interest association for organizations that work with rural development through the Leader method.

Local Development Sweden

We do.

Local Development Sweden is a resource for promoting and driving issues regarding the LEADER method in a national and international perspective, and for influencing organizations, authorities and decision-making bodies. Local Development Sweden will also work to increase the exchange of knowledge between LEADER organizations.

Bild på människor som sitter i campingstolar och tittar ut mot båtar på en sjö.

Three focus areas

Focus area 1

Collaboration for locally led development through the Leader method

Focus area 2

Quality improvement in member organizations

Focus area 3

International cooperation

News

Without rural development, Sweden will come to a standstill!

Full seminar at the Rural Parliament on the future and importance of the Leader method

So much more than numbers!

”It's a bit jarring when you need to translate our value and people's commitment into numbers,” notes Ann-Charlotte Thörnblad, chairwoman of Local Development Sweden.

This is what LEADER in Sweden contributes to!

A new compilation based on over 3,000 Leader projects shows how local initiatives create long-term development throughout Sweden!

The result of Leader

LEADER contributes, among other things, to: Linking the EU with the most local. Strengthening implementation capacity at the local level. Meeting a changing world through strengthened preparedness and resilience. Complementing other efforts within regional development – including through a bottom-up perspective and a place focus. Placing increased focus on how two subject areas (regional and rural development) fit together.

Welcome to listen – the results of LEADER!

You are welcome to listen to a presentation of the results of LEADER! Team link and information in the post.

We're going live on March 10th!

🌱Discover what Leaders really accomplish

👉 What concrete results are being created around the country?
👉 What makes the Leader Method unique?
👉 And how is the money from the EU, the state and the municipalities actually used?

News sweep January 2026

Spring is coming and we look forward to continued constructive meetings and dialogue, our members' meeting, annual meeting and the Rural Parliament - among many other things.

Our program at the National Leaders' Meeting 2025

Program Local Development Sweden October 7 and 8

Gruppbild utomhus styrelse och VL 2025 LUS

Work ahead of the next programming period

On August 27th and 28th, Local Development Sweden met in Stockholm to discuss the ongoing work ahead of the upcoming EU programming period 2028-2034.

fotomontage för kampanjen Redo att räknas

The Leader method strengthens Sweden's civil preparedness

The Leader method strengthens Sweden's civil preparedness - with rural areas at the center

National Leaders Meeting 2025 on Gotland

This year's national Leaders' Meeting will be held in Visby on October 8-9.

SVESAM's interim report

The Government decided on July 11, 2024, to assign a special investigator to submit proposals on how future regional development policy and rural policy should be directed and designed.

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