Public participation in rural areas supported by regional governments in the context of sustainable rural development: The case of Poland

Form: allocated funds in the municipality’s budget

Barrier of entry: consent of the municipality to allocate a fund and to finance the tasks. Annual task-oriented nature.

The maximum amount for one sołectwo: depends on the municipality’s decision

Own contribution: own funds of the municipality granted discretionary to a given sołectwo

Requirements: Task for implementation selected at a village meeting in the form of a resolution.

Form: (barrier to entry) a long-term program that offers various forms of support. Access to them depends on the status of a given sołectwo (beginner participant, participant, advanced participant, leader, passive participant)

Long-term engagement of a given sołectwo in the activities (strategic, long-term nature)

The maximum amount for one sołectwo: determined in the form of individual competitions.

Own contribution: depending on a given competition

Requirements: among others the functioning of a leader and at least a 5-person group of village renewal or association, development and adoption of a village renewal plan by the village meeting, and then its updating and implementation.

Form: 3-year program; targeted grant from the region’s budget for cofinancing of the municipalities’ own tasks in the implementation of small local projects

Annual initiatives, maximum one-third of municipalities’ sołectwo each year.

The maximum amount for one sołectwo: 5,000 PLN

Own contribution: required, at least 20% of the costs

Requirements: Task for implementation selected at a village meeting in the form of a resolution.

A given sołectwo may use the grant once during the program’s duration.

Scope: strengthening of the civil society.

How: Directly, by indication of the action directions (among others): improvement of the standard of living of the rural population, transformation of the agrarian structure, development of nonagricultural activity of the residents of rural areas

Scope: active civil society

How: Indirectly, the lack of direct inclusion in the strategy. Indirectly included in the following strategic goal: “Rural areas attractive in terms of settlement, which use internal potentials for multifunctional development”

Scope: shaping and developing the civic activity, as well as strengthening of social capital and economic development of rural areas

How: Directly, by indication of the action directions (among others): rational use of natural resources, preservation of animate and inanimate nature in an unchanged state, maintaining the stability of ecosystems and ecological processes, and preservation of biological diversity

Scope: development of civil society as well as social capital

How: Indirectly, the strategy indicates the action direction called “Multifunctional development of rural areas”. It is compliant with the implementation of activities aimed at SRD, while taking into account the economic aspects in connection with the social and environmental ones

Scope: supporting the development of civil society

How: Directly, while taking into account public participation: the strategy emphasized that the implementation of actions aimed at multifunctional development of rural areas, among others by provision of an opportunity to implement bottom-up initiatives, compliant with the local development strategies, aimed at sustainable development of the Opolskie rural areas, as well as favorable structural changes, constituted the basis for making rural areas an attractive place to live, rest, and run a business activity. In this scope, the strategic direction consisted of striving to integrate local communities, which are the most important potential of the Opolskie rural areas.

Scope: social capital as a catalyst for development processes, including: improvement of social and civic competences of the region’s residents

How: Indirectly, the operational goal called “Environmental protection and rational management of environmental resources” took into account the issues of sustainable waste management, also in rural areas, associated with agricultural production.

Scope: high level of social capital/improvement of the regional cultural and civic community

How: Indirectly, general principle of sustainable development—it was assumed that achievement of a sustained improvement in the standard of living of the residents requires the development implemented while ensuring social, ecological, and spatial balance.

Scope: Silesia province as a region characterized by high quality of life, based on universal access to high-standard public services

How: Directly, among others the following action directions were indicated: sustainable increase in productivity and competitiveness of the agri-food sector, rational management of the water resources, reduction of consumption of the environmental resources and energy, and environmental education.

Scope: Improvement of social activity as a result of the development of social capital, as well as an increase in the availability and quality of public services

How: Directly, the strategic area called “Modern village” was indicated. The effects associated with SRD, e.g., increased specialization in the scope of production of high-quality food based on regional natural resources, aimed at supporting the income level of the region’s residents.

Scope: Building a social capital for the benefit of civil society

How: Indirectly, the action directions of activities may be found in the horizontal objective entitled “Sustainable development.”

Scope: Increase in the identity and social cohesion of the region, including support in the scope of civil society development

How: Directly, the mission included the following references (among others): activation of rural areas aimed at their multifunctional development, as well as increase in the efficiency and competitiveness of agriculture, activities aimed at improvement of the living conditions of local communities, and support in the scope of development of the local democracy and civil society.