Community led local development network for Rural and Island Scotland

Description

Developing a Community led local development network for Rural and Island Scotland Lot 1: Scotland operates a system of 20 Local Action Groups (LAGs) across island and rural areas delivering Community Led Local Development (CLLD) programmes within their areas as part of a national funding initiative by Scottish Government. There has been significant change and turnover in the sector over the last five years, compounding significant impacts resulting from the UK’s withdrawal from the European Union and cessation of EU ‘LEADER’ funding which had previously been the primary CLLD funding source in Scotland. Coordination of activity between the 20 LAGs and collective communications have been breaking down over time. The sector now agrees it needs to reestablish an effective CLLD Network to represent a collective voice for island and rural LAGs involved in CLLD, at a time of potentially significant policy evolution in this sphere of work. The Cairngorms Local Action Group Trust, one of the 20 Scottish LAGs, is now seeking on behalf of all LAGs to appoint a contractor to support the initiation and development of a new CLLD Network with a working title of ‘CLLDNet’. This work will be funded by a development grant secured from Scottish Government.