ELARD aisbl

17/06/2026

📢 Funding Opportunity for Rural Energy Communities

Are you working with a Local Action Group, municipality, cooperative, community organisation, or other local initiative interested in renewable energy?

The European Energy Communities Facility has launched its second call for proposals, offering financial and capacity-building support to emerging energy communities across Europe.

🌱 Selected applicants will receive:

✅ A lump-sum grant of €45,000 to develop a business plan
✅ Tailored training and capacity-building activities
✅ Access to peer-to-peer learning and exchanges
✅ Support from national experts throughout the process
✅ Practical guidance to help turn local energy ideas into viable projects

The call is open to emerging energy communities in all EU Member States, as well as Iceland, Moldova, North Macedonia and Ukraine.

Community energy initiatives can help strengthen local resilience, increase energy independence, support the green transition, and create new opportunities for rural communities. This opportunity may be particularly relevant for Local Action Groups and their partners exploring community-led renewable energy solutions.

📅 Application deadline: 5 July 2026

👉 Learn more about the call, check your eligibility, and apply here: https://energycommunitiesfacility.eu/news/apply-eur45000-grant-develop-business-plan-your-community-energy-project

The European Energy Communities Facility has just launched its second call for proposal

15/06/2026

And the tour keeps going on! 🗺️

Last week, our Vice-President Iro Tsimpri spoke at the Mission to Western Greece meeting in Patras, Greece. She explained the LEADER-CLLD methodology and the crucial role the 55 Greek LAGs, and 14 FLAGs 🐠 , play in the country.

Iro presented our official position and our flagship asks for the next :

👉 Secure ring-fenced resources for LEADER-CLLD and build a framework for the Rural Target to protect this allocation

👉 Guarantee LEADER-CLLD accross cohesion, social and maritime policies and its access in the European Competitiveness Fund (ECF)

👉 Clarify the relationship between CLLD and LEADER

Thank you Iro!

==> check out our full position: https://elard.eu/advocacy/

10/06/2026

📢 Join Us for the European Rural Parliament Special Event!
On June 23, 11:00 - 15:00 CEST, the is hosting a follow-up meeting to the 6th European Rural Parliament and European Rural Youth Parliament. Together, we’ll explore the progress of the Declaration of Inverurie and its Call to Action, presented to European Executive VP Fitto and Commissioner Hansen in March 2026.

🎯 Objectives:
- Translate outcomes into concrete policy dialogue.
- Strengthen partnerships between rural stakeholders, EU institutions, and - policymakers.
- Position rural voices in key EU policy processes (post-2027 MFF, CAP, Cohesion Policy).

🌍 More about the agenda and livestrem link here: https://elard.eu/event/european-rural-parliament-special-event-putting-rural-civil-society-in-position-livestream-on-june-23/

Rural Youth Europe, ERCA - European Rural Community Alliance, Prepare AISBL

08/06/2026

📍 Join the GRANULAR & RUSTIK Final Conference in Brussels

The Horizon Europe projects GRANULAR and RUSTIK invite policymakers, practitioners, researchers, and rural stakeholders to their joint Final Conference, taking place on 24–25 June 2026 in Brussels, Belgium.

Over two days, participants will explore how better knowledge, data, and local experience can contribute to more effective rural policies and sustainable rural transitions. The conference will bring together perspectives from across Europe and provide a space for exchange between researchers, policymakers, practitioners, and local actors.

RUSTIK is a transdisciplinary research project implemented by scientific and practice partners in close cooperation with rural communities and policymakers at different levels. The project focuses on strengthening rural sustainability transitions through better knowledge integration and policy processes.

More information and registration details can be found in the comments 👇

The ELARD Knowledge Hub is proud to be a partner in the RUSTIK project.

05/06/2026

Last week in the International Conference of Balkan and Black Sea Regions, in Patras, Greece, our Vice-President, Iro Tsimpri, highlighted that while tools for climate resilience are valuable, is essential for transforming macro-regional data into on-the-ground environmental action in rural areas. She underlined that the 2028–2034 MFF proposal risks starving local adaptation by removing ring-fenced funding for , which have proven to be the most effective actors for managing local, grassroots-level climate impacts.

04/06/2026

🌱 Sharing LEADER Experiences Across Europe and Beyond

On 3–4 June, the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) regional workshop “From Theory to Action: EU LEADER approach in non-EU countries in the context of sustainable transformation of local food systems” took place in Tartu, Estonia. The event brought together participants from Albania, Armenia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Georgia, Kosovo, Montenegro, North Macedonia, Serbia, Türkiye, Ukraine, and EU Member States to exchange experiences on the LEADER approach.

ELARD was represented by Vice-President Iro Tsimpri, who shared experiences from Greece alongside ELARD’s perspective on the added value of LEADER. A key message was that LEADER is not just a programme or a funding instrument. It helps bring policies to the ground, turning strategic goals into local action and giving communities a direct role in shaping their future. By bringing people together and building trust, it creates lasting value for rural communities, although these results take time and effort. The same approach can also strengthen local food systems by connecting producers, culture, and tourism, helping rural areas create value around local food and traditions.

The workshop concluded with a field visit to the area of LAG Tartu County Development Association (Tartumaa Arendusselts), where participants explored a range of LEADER-supported initiatives in local food production, tourism, youth work, and community development.

👉 More information in the comments.

04/06/2026

Yesterday, our President Piotr Sadłocha and VP María José Murciano met with MEP Nina Carberry (Ireland 🇮🇪) to champion the vital role of rural areas in future EU policies. As a member of the European Parliament’s Budget Committee (BUDG), Nina plays a key role in shaping the EU’s future budget.

We highlighted the need for mandatory LEADER-CLLD approaches 🌾 in both the CAP and Cohesion Policy, empowering local communities to drive their own development.

We also underscored that Member States must allocate budgets proportionally to rural populations 📈🏡 to ensure fairness and balanced growth across the EU.

A productive dialogue! Thank you, Nina, for your openness and collaboration!

Piotr and Maria José also attended the European Rural Pact Support Office workshop on the NRPP consultation, advocating for the same goals and gathering insights to encourage all Member States to involve LAGs in NRPPs. Read more in our dedicated tribune about this: https://elard.eu/nrpp-consultations-why-eu-member-states-must-involve-lags-now/

29/05/2026

🇪🇺🌿 ELARD at LINC 2026 in Jūrmala, Latvia! 🌿🇱🇻

This week, ELARD had the pleasure of participating in LINC Latvia 2026 in Jūrmala, together with Local Action Groups (LAGs) from 24 countries. It was an inspiring gathering full of knowledge exchange, networking, and discussions on the future of rural development across Europe.

LINC (LEADER Inspired Network Community) is a unique European conference that combines the exchange of experiences with sporting activities and local culinary traditions. Created by Local Action Groups more than 15 years ago, LINC has grown into a vibrant European LEADER community, bringing together people from across the European Union and beyond. This year, the event was proudly hosted by the Latvian LEADER community.

For ELARD, it is essential to participate in events like LINC and stay connected with the heart of the LEADER movement. Being present among our colleagues LAGs, listening to local experiences, sharing ideas, and building partnerships are all vital to strengthening community-led local development and ensuring that rural voices continue to be heard at the European level.

A huge thank you to Latvian Rural Forum and all the Latvian LAGs for their warm hospitality and for organising such an outstanding event. It was truly fantastic! 🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟

We are already looking forward to LINC 2027 in Åland and are confident it will be just as inspiring, welcoming, and memorable.

28/05/2026

🗞️ ELARD May newsletter is out!

The newsletter brings together updates from across rural Europe – from LEADER/CLLD advocacy and upcoming events to inspiring project stories, ELARD Knowledge Hub activities, and opportunities for young people to get involved.

🌱 Applications to join the LEADER Youth Community Steering Committee are open until 31 May.

The newsletter is also available in multiple languages.
👉 Take a look at what’s been happening across the network!

Dear friends, The next EU programming period is taking shape, and LAGs must be at the table of negociations. As Member States draft their National and Regional Partnership Plans (NRPPs) for post-2027, too many are not including yet LAGs in their consultations - despite this being a legal requireme...

19/05/2026

📢 Why EU Member States must involve LAGs in NRPP consultations now!

At ELARD, we believe LAGs are essential to shaping the future of rural Europe. Our new tribune explains why LAGs must be at the table during NRPP consultations: because rural voices matter, and local expertise drives real impact.

📖 Read the full tribune here: https://elard.eu/nrpp-consultations-why-eu-member-states-must-involve-lags-now/

A legal and democratic imperative The European Union’s next programming period (2028-2034) is on the horizon, and with it comes the National Rural and Partnership Plans (NRPPs). These plans are not just bureaucratic exercises: they are the blueprint for rural development, social cohesion, and sust...