LAG HZO: call for project proposals 2026

Research

What?

The Lokale Actiegroep Haspengouw Zuidoost (LAG HZO) launched a call for projects under the LEADER grant programme.

LEADER, stands for Liaison Entre Actions de Développement de l'Économie Rurale and its main objective is to to support rural areas in finding innovative solutions to challenges in rural areas. In Limburg, for the 2023-2027 programme period, four LEADER areas have been demarcated: Kempen, Maasland, Haspengouw Zuidoost and Haspengouw Zuidwest.

The LAG HZO is making available a budget of € 993,487.08 in LEADER support for this call, with no distribution of the available budget among priorities or objectives.

This project call applies to the 3 priorities and corresponding objectives of the Local Development Strategy of the LAG HZO:
Priority 1: Innovative and sustainable local agricultural production and marketing, and valorisation of biomass residues
▪ Objective 1.1: Establish local food strategies and scale up short chain
▪ Objective 1.2: Agricultural innovation and new farming models
Priority 2: Livable and lively villages
▪ Objective 2.1: Developing multifunctional (meeting) places in rural areas*
Priority 3: Biodiversity and landscape quality
▪ Objective 3.1: Regional landscapes and strengthening the functional symbiosis of space
▪ Objective 3.2: Strengthen connection with regional identity
*For investment projects, an upper limit of €100,000 co-financing is applied.

Within the project call, both investment and service projects of the following project types are eligible:

• Regular project
• Dome project

Approved projects can start on 1 January 2026 at the earliest and can run until 30 June 2028 at the latest.

Application?

Project applications must be submitted through the VLM's rural counter by 12 noon on 30 June 2025.

The maximum grant rate for projects is 65%. Promoters and co-promoters are jointly responsible for the remaining amount of the project costs (minimum 35%), of which a minimum of 15% of the project cost of the promoter and/or the co-promoters themselves.

More information?

‘Lokale Ontwikkelingsstrategie LEADER Haspengouw Zuidoost 2023-2027'
Draaiboek van de LAG HZO
Handboek LEADER 2023-2027

Please contact research@uhasselt.be if you want to apply.

Deadline

30.06.2025

Contact Hasselt University?

E-mail sarah.szyr@uhasselt.be

Tel. +3211269052