📋 Tender Overview
The government proposes to expand the scheme with rural growth agreements by NOK 15 million to a total of NOK 25 million. This means that several municipalities will be able to participate in the scheme.The government is busy trying out new tools in district policy. Just before the summer the ministry announced NOK 10 million for the development of rural development agreements. The agreements are a new district political tool which will contribute to housing access to a workforce with legal skills and future-oriented business development in some of the most sparsely built-up areas of Norway. Among other things the agreements should help to make better use of existing licenses and resources across sectors and levels of administration. After eight years with the Solberg governments centralization policy there is a great need for new measures in district policy. The application round shows great interest in rural development agreements and we are therefore now prioritizing that more municipalities should be able to be part of the scheme says Minister for Municipalities and Districts Sigbjrn Gjelsvik Sp.BackgroundNOK 10 million has already been authorized for rural development agreements in 2022. The application deadline for these funds expired on 30 September. With the licensing from 2022 it has been previously announced that up to five projects will be selected in two counties of which Finnmark will be one. If the Storting agrees to the extension it will make it possible for more projects to start their work.In the first instance the municipalities receive funds to prepare a rural development agreement phase 1. If an agreement is entered into with the state the municipalities will be able to apply for funds to implement the rural development agreements phase 2.In the state budget for 2023 the government proposes to expand the scheme by NOK 15 million to a total of NOK 25 million.
