write application
Writing a leader application
Now it is time to put your idea in writing. When you have contacted the leader office and started to get going with your project idea, it is time to start writing the application. It is done in the Agricultural Agency's system and is structured like a questionnaire. In addition to the application, a budget is also needed.
Leader – the EU's extended arm
Support from Leader is part of the strategic plan for the EU's agricultural policy. This means that Leader Mälardalen's activities and the support you can apply for with us are regulated by the EU's and the Agricultural Agency's rules and regulations. Therefore, there is also information about leader support on the Agricultural Agency's website, for those who want to read more.
Power of attorney
A power of attorney is required to make a leader application in the Agricultural Agency's application system. You who are going to write the application need to obtain a power of attorney from the applying organization. Once you have filled out and signed the power of attorney form, you should scan it and email a copy to the leader office. After that, you should send the form to the specified address at the Agricultural Agency.
After a couple of days, you can try to log in to My pages on the Agricultural Agency's website. BankId is required for the login. If you can select your organization during the login, the power of attorney has been entered into the system. Then it is a green light to start writing the application!
Project application
The application is written under My pages at the Agricultural Agency. The application is a questionnaire in several different steps, where the questions are linked to the leader method and Leader Mälardalen's development strategy.
To access My pages and make an application, click the button below. Once logged in to My pages at the Agricultural Agency, you should be able to select A customer, my company, or someone else and then you will see your organization for which you will write the application. Click select. In the left menu, you choose E-services within My pages and then Project support, investment support, and business support – apply for support and payment then click the large button Start the service.
It is important that all information about the project is included in the application as it is what the board makes decisions on. The application should be readable by someone who has no prior knowledge of your project. The person should understand what it is you want to do in the project and how it will contribute to one of the focus areas in Leader Mälardalen's development strategy. It should also be clear how the project meets the basic conditions and selection criteria.
Budget
The budget is, together with the application, part of the board's decision-making basis. It is written in a special budget template. The budget template should include all costs in the project. The budget template is divided into different activities. Depending on how your project is designed, you fill in one or more activities. In the template, there are tabs where you can get help on how different cost items should be calculated. The budget template can be downloaded from the Swedish Board of Agriculture's website via the link below. Contact the office and we will assist you!
Voluntary time
A couple of the questions in the project application concern voluntary time and other voluntary resources and their value.
What does voluntary time mean? Part of running a project through the leader method is that you need to contribute with voluntary work in the project. All the time you put into the project counts and is valued, as it is a measure of local engagement for the project. Voluntary time is valued at 340 SEK per hour for everyone over 16 years old. In the application, you therefore need to make an estimate of how many voluntary hours you will spend on your activities as well as a calculation that can be followed. For example, Workshop 3 hours x 2 occasions x 10 people = 60 hours.
What does other voluntary resources mean? Other voluntary resources refer to things that the project receives for free, but which are not labor. This could be, for example, a venue that you do not pay rent for, machinery provided by someone, or building materials donated by a company. For the project to be able to account for the value of these resources, they need to be valued and documentation attached. For example, loan of venue: the venue is borrowed on four occasions for two hours each time. The price for regular rental is 350 SEK per hour. The value is then calculated as 2 hours x 4 occasions x 350 SEK per hour = 2,800 SEK.
If you are seeking project support for a company, the company instead contributes with at least 30% of its own financing.
Basic conditions and selection criteria
Leader Mälardalen has 7 basic conditions that all projects must meet. These are the first things the board looks at when making a decision, and you should therefore familiarize yourself with them. If you answered Yes to all questions under ”Test your idea,” you are likely to meet the basic conditions. You can read the complete basic conditions below.
The selection criteria are what the board looks at after the basic conditions when assessing an application. You must therefore have these in mind when writing your application. There are six selection criteria that are assessed according to a scoring scale. You can read the selection criteria and basic conditions below.
How does the decision-making process work?
Once your application and all attachments are submitted, you just have to wait. The Leader office will then process your application and check that it is complete. You may need to supplement it. When the application is complete, it will be brought up for decision at the board's next decision meeting.
This is how the decision-making process works.
The board has decision meetings four times a year. During the meeting, all applications submitted at least one month before the decision meeting are processed. Before the meeting, all members have familiarized themselves with the relevant applications.
During the decision meeting, the board has a discussion about the application and how well it aligns with the strategy. They check that the application meets all basic requirements. Thereafter, the application is scored based on the selection criteria.
If the project meets the basic requirements and passes the score threshold in the selection criteria, the board chooses to prioritize (decide on) the application. If the project does not meet the basic requirements, or does not receive enough points on the selection criteria, the application is rejected.
What happens after the board has made a decision?
If your application is prioritized (decided on) by the board, it goes on to the Swedish Board of Agriculture. The Swedish Board of Agriculture processes other parts of the application than what the leader office does and then makes the formal decision. The waiting time for the processing to be completed and the decision to be made at the Swedish Board of Agriculture can be three to six months. During the time leading up to the decision, additional supplementary questions may arise regarding the project.
Implementation
Once your application is submitted, you can start your project – at your own risk. The final decision is made by the Swedish Board of Agriculture within three to six months after the Leader Mälardalen board has made its decision. We help you navigate how to proceed after your project has been approved.
