Selection criteria
Here you can read about our basic terms and selection criteria
Selection criteria Smart rural areas
Local methods, strategies, and solutions in collaboration
Download the file with the selection criteria and make your own assessment.
Selection criteria Vibrant rural areas
Meaningful leisure, culture, and community
Download the file with the selection criteria and make your own assessment.
Selection criteria Business development
Innovative solutions for business development in rural areas
Download the file with the selection criteria and make your own assessment.
Selection criteria Local Food
Innovative solutions for local food
Download the file with the selection criteria and make your own assessment.
Basic conditions
The project follows the principles of the Leader method
The project follows the Leader method which for our projects means that:
The project must address a real local need and the application must describe this.
The project has arisen from a bottom-up perspective, i.e., local initiatives are implemented where those affected by the project see the need that the project aims to solve and local engagement is utilized. Those affected are those who actively participate in or are impacted by the project's efforts. The project application describes how the target group, i.e., those who benefit from the project, have participated in the process of shaping the project, e.g., through joint meetings, letters of intent, collaboration constellations, working groups, or minutes.
The project is locally anchored, i.e., actors in the area affected by the project are engaged in the project and there is support for the project among residents and/or those active in the local area. The project application describes how the local anchoring looks.
The project is innovative/forward-thinking, i.e., it is new for the applying organization, the target group, the area, or the collaboration. It must be distinct from regular operations or an extension thereof and be beneficial for the applicants, target group, or area. The project application describes how the project differs from regular operations. Innovative/forward-thinking project content can, for example, be new methods, processes, products, forms of collaboration. It can also be, for example, new activities, new meeting places, new networks, market, new working methods, method development. It can also be a proven method that is developed or used by a new target group.
The project should, where relevant, utilize existing or create new networks.
The project is based on multi-party collaboration, i.e., cooperation and shared understanding where two or more actors carry out an effort/activity together for mutual benefit. Cooperation can be carried out within and/or between different sectors (by sectors is meant private, non-profit, and public sector). The project application contains a description of which actors are actively collaborating to implement the project. There is also a description of how cooperation will take place and how this provides advantages in the project's implementation, e.g., in cooperation agreements or activity plans.
The project falls within the Leader Sörmlandskusten strategy
The project must fit within the Leader Sörmlandskusten's goals and areas of intervention and otherwise follow the Leader Sörmlandskusten's local development strategy and thereby contribute to regional and municipal goals. The project idea matches the interventions that Leader Sörmlandskusten has identified as necessary to achieve Leader Sörmlandskusten's goals.
The project describes how to work with/take into account: sustainable development, equal treatment and non-discrimination as well as gender equality
It is described in the application how the project works with sustainable development (economically, socially and ecologically), equal treatment and non-discrimination as well as gender equality between women and men. The description is assessed with regard to the project's purpose and goals, scope, capacity and resources as well as relevance within the intervention area.
Sustainable development = To meet the needs of current generations without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their needs. Sustainable development can be social, economic or environmental. Sustainable development includes good social cohesion where basic human rights are fulfilled, that natural resources are used without being depleted and that poverty is countered without negatively affecting social or ecological sustainability.
Equal treatment and non-discrimination = The Discrimination Act aims to counteract discrimination and otherwise promote equal rights and opportunities - regardless of gender, gender identity or expression, ethnic affiliation, religion or other belief, disability, sexual orientation or age.
Gender equality between women and men = Women and men should have the same rights, obligations and opportunities in all areas of life.
The project has implementation capacity including sufficient financial conditions.
The project has a well-composed project group and the application describes the project's conditions to achieve set goals as well as how cooperation with other actors looks.
Implementation capacity = There should be relevant competence for the project. Project manager, finance, administration, communication, responsible for the project's activities, etc. One person can have multiple roles.
The project application contains a concrete, clear and realistic description of the implementation capacity. The board assesses whether the implementation capacity is sufficient in relation to what is to be implemented in the project.
Financial conditions = There should be sufficient funds to carry out the project and to request funds as it may take time before compensation is received. It is allowed for the project owner to take a loan or similar even if we cannot reimburse interest costs.
Project group = at least three people who actively work together in the project.
The application should describe the implementation capacity which is assessed with regard to the project's scope.
Do you meet the basic conditions?
Here you can test a simple quiz and get answers immediately!
Do you feel prepared for a project application?
The function of the basic condition is to prevent deficient project applications from proceeding to scoring assessment. The Leader office helps you explain the principles of the Leader method and what types of interventions contribute to the area's strategy.
Capacity and financial conditions are an important prerequisite for a successful implementation of the project.
Sustainability aspects permeate all EU programs and must be described in the application.
Are you ready to proceed?
Great! Then you can familiarize yourselves with our general and specific selection criteria, often abbreviated as SC.
Feel free to try assigning your own scores. You can get a maximum of 1000 points. The minimum score is 550.
In order for decision-makers to justify the scoring, one must be able to read a description or explanation in your project plan.
If you do not reach the minimum score level, you can try applying for a feasibility study. We have adapted selection criteria for feasibility studies.
General selection criteria
We have four general selection criteria that are the same for all intervention areas.
The project carries out a development work
The project carries out activities to collaborate with other actors to promote development, e.g., create new activities to solve a problem or seize an opportunity. An opportunity can, for example, be the engagement of private individuals, the development work of associations, or the growth of businesses.
Development work = the project creates, for example, new methods, working practices, processes, or solutions, models, activities, or offerings, goods, and services.
New methods, working practices, processes, solutions, or models = internally within the project owner or in collaboration with, for example, other organizations, associations, businesses, or members.
Offerings = something that a company or an association can offer, for example, customers, members, or partners.
Three steps. 50 points per step max 150
Step 1:
The application identifies and describes the need, problem, or opportunity that prompts a development project and the activities that the development work consists of.
Step 2:
The application also describes the expected result of the completed development work.
Step 3:
The application additionally describes how the result can be transferred to other projects or activities after project completion.
The project contributes to participation and democracy
The project facilitates the participants' involvement and carries out activities to strengthen the target group's influence.
It can for example be intergenerational activities, thematic meetings related to specific interests, promotion of community life, integration, sustainability goals, identity-strengthening initiatives, places and networks where people can meet and exchange and learn from each other or joint activities to work towards a common goal. It can also be activities that for example promote meetings, exchanges, expanded or new networks and collaborations, new physical or digital meeting places.
Participation and democracy in the project = Participants' opportunity to influence the design and direction.
Two steps. 80 points per step. Max 160
Step 1:
The application describes how the project wants to promote participation and democracy in the implementation.
Step 2:
The application also describes how the promotional activities will be sustained in the long term after project completion.
The project has an expected reasonable result in relation to the project's scope
The project has a clear, well-thought-out, and realistic project plan with an expected good result in relation to the project's scope, cost, and implementation.
Clear = easy to understand, concrete, and easy to follow the applicant's reasoning.
Well-thought-out = that the project applicant has thought through why they want to carry out the project, what they want to do, and how they want to do it.
Realistic = Possible to implement within the project time with available resources and in relation to the project's purpose, goals, and activities.
Expected good result = What is to be implemented and expected to be achieved in the project is reasonable in relation to planned costs, activities, and time in the project.
Two steps. 60 points per step. Max 120
Step 1:
The application shows that the expected result is reasonable considering the project's implementation.
Step 2:
The project application also describes that the project can be scaled up and the achieved effect can be higher when transferred to other projects.
The project creates lasting effects.
The project plan describes a well-considered and realistic continuation after the project period for long-term effects and transition to regular operations.
Well-considered = that the project applicant has thought through how to work for lasting effects after project completion.
Realistic = Possible to implement with available resources.
Lasting result = The project's results remain after the project's end.
Long-term effects = Structural changes or attitude changes that facilitate or lead to continued development. Lasting effects and/or consequences after project completion.
Transition to regular operations = How the project's results will be managed and how the project will continue after project completion.
The board assesses whether the efforts can be expected to generate lasting results and long-term effects.
Three steps. 50 points per step. Max 150
Step 1:
The application describes how lasting effects can be ensured after project completion and how this will be followed up by the project's actors.
Step 2:
The application also includes a plan for efforts that make long-term effects likely or that synergy effects with other efforts can be achieved.
Step 3:
The application additionally describes how the implemented change will be managed in the long term and how the project idea will be disseminated.
Specific selection criteria
In addition to the four general selection criteria that apply to all four areas of intervention, there are 2-4 specific criteria for each area of intervention.
Specific selection criteria
Local Food
The project contributes to improved business acumen through increased competence.
Through the project, efforts are made to strengthen the participating actors' business acumen through, for example, increased exchange of experience, knowledge transfer, or knowledge-enhancing activities. The efforts should benefit multiple actors and aim to elevate business acumen for increased growth and profitability.
Efforts can, for example, be internships, practically structured courses, joint training efforts, intergenerational or cross-cultural knowledge transfer. Competence-enhancing efforts can also provide new knowledge through, among other things, knowledge exchange, study visits, workshops, training, consulting, experience exchange, or other activities that raise the competence level in a needs-oriented manner.
Business acumen = what is required to run an operation professionally.
Two steps. 65 points. Max 130.
Step 1:
The application includes a description of how experience exchange or knowledge transfer between participating actors occurs in the project.
Step 2:
The application also includes a description of which competence-enhancing efforts will be implemented, how the knowledge/skill will then be applied, and how the efforts match the target group's needs.
The project contributes to increased availability of food in the area.
Through the project, the conditions for local food to be available are increased. The project contributes, for example, to increasing conditions for food production, contributes to the development of new products (goods/services) based on local raw materials, creates ideas for processing, or strategies for finding alternative channels for distribution or sale of food in the area.
Availability = the share of food that is produced, processed, or distributed (by, for example, companies, associations, individuals, authorities) in the area.
Two steps. 100 points per step. Max 200
Step 1:
The application describes what will be done in the project to produce, process, or distribute local food in the area and how the project's activities contribute to a sustainable result.
Step 2:
The application also describes how the project contributes to the area's food strategy and can continue to develop after project completion.
The project creates conditions for increased collaboration and idea generation.
Through the project, ideas are utilized, where participating actors together develop new solutions to existing challenges. The actors collaborate to jointly find ways for problem-solving or cooperate to develop new innovations or joint efforts for development work.
Three steps. 70 points per step. Max 210
Step 1:
The application describes which common activities will be carried out in the project and which needs these will address, as well as how the project will create networks between different actors.
Step 2:
The application also shows how the project will develop common strategies/plans for the identified challenges.
Step 3:
The application additionally shows how the project aims to develop long-term collaborative relationships for continued development work after the project ends.
Specific selection criteria
Smart Rural Areas
The project creates local solutions for preparedness and/or sustainability.
Through the project, local preparedness and/or local sustainable development is strengthened, which can be ecological, economic, and/or social.
It can for example enable living in rural areas, strengthen vibrant local communities, and create attractive and sustainable living environments. It can also be ideas for civil preparedness, methods for gathering knowledge together that can be implemented in practice, developing or starting a new association or network, creating meeting places or activities to bring people closer together, for example between generations or cultures.
Two steps. 100 points. Max 200
Step 1: The application describes how the project will develop methods and solutions for preparedness and/or sustainability in the community.
Step 2: The application also describes how the project will enhance knowledge in preparedness and/or sustainability and how the knowledge will be implemented in practice, as well as how to collaborate with multiple sectors.
The project creates and/or implements a strategy for a "smart rural area."
Through the project, a strategy and plan are implemented and carried out to solve a common challenge (problem or opportunity) locally.
The project contributes to a strengthened local community through the joint effort.
Efforts can for example be clusters or associations for rural development, joint efforts to achieve a common goal, or launching activities for the benefit of the community where multiple actors come together, new service or housing solutions, joint rural councils, etc. It can also be an increased circular or sharing economy and other community-promoting efforts such as home care in new ways or new structures for local providers.
Local strategy = a long-term plan to jointly solve local challenges, problems, or opportunities and collectively develop their community.
Smart rural area = new methods, working methods, or processes for local development where multiple actors collaborate to achieve common goals with available resources.
Resources = what is needed to implement something, for example personnel (workforce), financial, material, knowledge-based, time-based, cultural, etc.
Three steps. 100 points per step. Max 300
Step 1:
The application describes why and how a local strategy for the community will be developed and describes how it will be implemented in the project to become a smart community.
Step 2:
The application also includes a plan for available resources for the project and a description of how the project will address resource availability in the long term.
Step 3:
The application also describes how the project will collaborate with other areas beyond its own locality and/or how the results can be spread to more localities.
Specific selection criteria
Living Rural Areas
The project contributes to a richer leisure and cultural life through new offerings and activities.
Through the project, new activities or offerings are created to be able to create new, preserve and/or develop existing association, leisure, and cultural activities preferably in collaboration with other actors.
This can include creating new meeting places or activities, starting an association or developing an existing one to include activities for broader target groups, developing new offerings and operations to have more legs to stand on or finding packaging solutions with other leisure activities.
2 Steps. 65 points per step. Max 130.
Step 1:
The application identifies and describes how the project will develop new offerings and/or activities for a richer leisure and cultural life.
Step 2:
The application also describes how project activities can be developed together with authorities and actors outside the project group/project participants.
The project contributes to increased association engagement.
Through the project, the willingness to engage in the association form increases. This can be, for example, increasing the number of members or board members, working for rejuvenation in the organization, or conducting activities to contribute to the understanding of the benefits of association life, among other things as a democratic tool.
Two steps. 80 points. Max 160.
Step 1:
The application identifies and describes the need for increased engagement and which activities will be carried out to increase engagement and ensure the survival and development of the association(s).
Step 2:
The application also describes how the project's results can be transferred to other associations.
The project organizationally develops cultural and leisure activities.
Through the project, opportunities are created for leisure and cultural activities to survive, grow, or for new ones to be started.
Activities can include organizational development to streamline operations, create new or expand existing networks for experience exchange or collaboration with other associations to find new solutions to existing problems. It can also involve introducing new methods, working methods, or processes, or developing the skills of the board and management for better governance.
It can also involve conducting study visits to other associations, carrying out activities to broaden or change perspectives, or introducing complementary activities for increased desire to learn more or processes where individuals from different generations, environments, and/or cultures collaborate to achieve common goals.
Three steps. 70 points. Max 210.
Step 1:
The application identifies and describes the need for development and which activities are needed to create new or preserve existing cultural and leisure activities and how the project's activities will contribute to solutions to existing needs/problems.
Step 2:
The application also contains concrete descriptions of how the leisure activities can be developed both internally and how one can collaborate with other actors (other associations, authorities, companies, etc.) for development.
Step 3:
The application also includes an operational plan and financial plan for the leisure activities/operations at the end of the project and in the coming years after.
Specific selection criteria
Business Development
The project contributes to improved business acumen through increased competence.
Through the project, initiatives are implemented that contribute to strengthening the business acumen of the participating companies through, for example, increased exchange of experiences, knowledge transfer, or knowledge-enhancing activities. The initiatives should benefit several companies and aim to elevate business acumen for increased growth and profitability.
Initiatives can, for example, be internships, practically structured courses, joint training initiatives, intergenerational or cross-cultural knowledge transfer. Competence-enhancing initiatives can also provide new knowledge through, among other things, knowledge exchange, study visits, workshops, training, consulting, exchange of experiences, or other activities that raise the competence level based on identified business needs.
Business acumen = what is required to run a business professionally.
Two steps. 45 points per step. Max 90
Step 1:
The application includes a description of how experience exchange or knowledge transfer between participating actors occurs in the project.
Step 2:
The application also includes a description of which competence-enhancing efforts will be implemented, how the knowledge/skill will then be applied, and how the efforts match the target group's needs.
The project provides increased business benefit.
Through the project, participating companies together find ways to increase their respective or joint business benefit for better competitiveness. This may involve carrying out activities to contribute to increased profitability, finding ways to achieve better efficiency, finding smarter solutions for the same/lower resource consumption, etc. The project can also, for example, carry out activities such as needs or market research or strengthen the participating companies' willingness to innovate.
Business benefit = beneficial for the companies' competitiveness.
Three steps. 50 points per step. Max 150
Step 1:
The application describes which activities will be carried out and how the activities can contribute to the expected business benefit for participating companies.
Step 2:
The application should also show how project activities can provide joint business benefit for participating companies.
Step 3:
The application also shows that the participating companies in the project will develop revenue calculations, business plans, and marketing plans for their operations during the project.
The project contributes to growth through new products or packaging.
Through the project, new packaging is created or new markets are discovered by the companies involved in the project. The companies can also develop new products (goods or services) through the project or carry out joint efforts to create conditions for digital offerings or concrete sales opportunities.
Two steps. 40 points per step. Max 80.
Step 1:
The application describes how the project can create at least one new product (good/service) or packaging and how participating companies can benefit from this.
Step 2:
The application also describes how participating companies can jointly find new markets or market themselves in new ways to attract more and/or new customers.
The project creates conditions for increased collaboration and idea generation.
Through the project, ideas are utilized, where participating companies together develop new solutions to existing challenges. The companies collaborate to jointly find ways for problem-solving or cooperate to develop new innovations or joint efforts for development work.
The companies can, for example, establish new joint methods for growth or increased profitability or collaborate for new innovations or joint business ideas.
Idea power = a systematic approach to capture, coordinate, implement, and spread good ideas that lead to development and improvement.
Three steps. 60 points per step. Max 180.
Step 1:
The application describes which common activities will be carried out in the project and which needs these will address, as well as how the project will create networks between different actors.
Step 2:
The application also shows how the project will develop common strategies/plans for the identified challenges.
Step 3:
The application also shows how the project aims to develop long-term collaborative relationships for continued business development after the project ends.
Specific selection criteria
Pre-studies
Pre-studies
For feasibility study projects, we have adapted UK (selection criteria). Minimum score level for feasibility studies (at least) 300 points.
The application is made in the same way as an implementation project.
How do you achieve impactful efforts?
A feasibility study can often be a good tool to identify the root cause of what you want to change or develop. On Impactful. the website, you can find inspiration.
The feasibility study examines needs/wishes and current situation
The feasibility study investigates why a project is needed, i.e., what the problem is. The feasibility study examines background and current situation.
It can be, for example, mapping, market research, interviews, driving processes, study visits, needs analysis, demand analysis, etc., to understand needs and current situation.
The feasibility study answers ”Why do we want to do something? That is, what is the need/problem?”
One step. Max 150 points
Step 1:
The application describes the purpose of the feasibility study and how the mapping of needs and current situation analysis will be conducted.
The feasibility study investigates possible goals, effects, and scenarios
The feasibility study will investigate possible and relevant goals, i.e., analyze the benefits of an implementation as well as arrive at desired goals and expected results of an implementation project.
The feasibility study presents a solution proposal, but a result of a feasibility study can also be a decision not to implement a project if the goal investigation indicates so.
The feasibility study answers ”What do we want to achieve?”
One step. Max 150 points
Step 1:
The application describes how the feasibility study will work to identify which goals and effects an implementation project should achieve.
The feasibility study provides consensus
The feasibility study aims to, for example, collaborate, anchor, build networks, drive processes, map competence needs and competencies, or map stakeholders and participants.
The result of the feasibility study can also be a decision not to implement a project if consensus is not reached.
The feasibility study answers ”Who wants to participate?”
Two steps. 50 points per step. Max 100
Step 1:
The application describes how the feasibility study will build a project group, find partners, and identify the target group.
Step 2:
The application also describes how the feasibility study will achieve consensus and anchor the project idea with involved actors and individuals.
The feasibility study leads to new knowledge
The application describes what new knowledge is expected to be generated and how it will be achieved.
One step. Max 150 points
Step 1:
The application describes what new knowledge is expected to be generated and how it will be achieved.
The feasibility study creates a financing plan
The application shows that a financing plan will be developed in the feasibility study where it is clearly stated how funds will be raised for an implementation project.
One step. Max 150 points
Step 1:
The application shows that a financing plan will be developed in the feasibility study where it is clearly stated how funds will be raised for an implementation project.
The feasibility study structures the content of an implementation.
The feasibility study structures the content of an implementation, i.e., investigates and describes, among other things, the scope, goals, needs/demand, potential participants, possible implementation plan, financial planning, expected effects of an implementation.
The feasibility study comes to a conclusion regarding feasibility and reasonableness in a implementation project considering the conditions for a project, scope, and intended results.
Activities can include, among other things, finding out circumstances, planning future operations, investigating feasibility, examining conditions, scope, and finances.
The feasibility study answers ”What should we do? How should we do it? When?”
Two steps. 150 points per step. Max 300
Step 1:
The application shows that the feasibility study should result in a project plan for an implementation project alternatively a ”closure report” with the feasibility study's results and an explanation of why one chooses not to implement a project after the feasibility study.
Step 2:
The application also shows that the feasibility study should deliver a financial plan, operational plan, and a plan for collaboration with several actors.
Innovation
Think new
Innovation is about doing things in new or developed ways. It can involve technical inventions and innovations, which have traditionally been what we see as innovations, but today innovation is viewed in a broader perspective. It can be about offering services and solving societal needs in new ways. As research in the field of innovation has developed, it has become clear that increasing importance needs to be placed on working methods, tools, and ways of thinking, reflecting, and acting.
Overall principles
Think sustainably
Diversity and people's different conditions are an asset and generally lead to better results, among other things in development work.
Sustainable development includes ecological, economic, and social sustainability. This means you need to describe how you work with these issues, set in relevance to the project idea. It could be, for example, how the environmental impact looks in your project. Can the project contribute to improving conditions for socially disadvantaged individuals? How does the project affect the area's economic conditions?.