Who are we
Welcome to Folkungaland, a vibrant non-profit organization nestled in the heart of Östergötland, Sweden! We’re proud to be part of a fantastic family of 40 Leader areas in Sweden and about 3,500 similar groups across Europe. Our passion for rural development fuels our commitment to creating wonderful opportunities for everyone to enjoy the good life in the Swedish countryside.

At Folkungaland, we believe in making the beauty of rural living accessible to all. We do this by providing funding for exciting projects that promote local development through LEADER.

Our area covers a beautiful stretch of Östergötland, including the municpalities of Boxholm, Finspång, Linköping, Mjölby, Motala, Vadstena, Åtvidaberg, Ödeshög, and the western part of Norrköping. We even extend our welcoming arms into the Jönköping region through the municipality of Tranås. With around 170,000 rural residents across approximately 7,800 km², there’s a lot of vibrant life here!

Folkungaland is proudly led by a Local Action Group (LAG) made up of dedicated representatives from the private, non-profit, and public sectors. This unique partnership combines a wealth of experience and knowledge about local rural issues. You can find our office in Vreta Kluster, a buzzing business park at the heart of Östergötland’s green sector. 


How we work
Folkungaland operates through LEADER, a European program that empowers local actors to take an active role in the development of their rural regions. The program brings together the private, non-profit, and public sectors to collaborate on local development initiatives and provides funding opportunities for projects that strengthen rural communities.

LEADER also supports cooperation between urban and rural areas, as well as transnational and international exchanges where local actors can share experiences, learn from other regions, and develop new approaches to common challenges. The underlying idea is that sustainable local development is best achieved by the people who live and work in the community, while also benefiting from knowledge exchange and collaboration beyond local and national borders.


Study visit and search for project partners
We believe that cooperation among European local areas brings a wealth of benefits to communities, action groups, and local stakeholders. It helps cultivate vibrant local and European identities by allowing partners to explore their values through each other's perspectives, celebrating diversity as a valuable resource.

We would absolutely love to set up a virtual meeting to chat about the details with you. We encourage you to reach out as early as possible in the process, so we can better plan, anchor, and organize your visit or cooperation. Since we work at the grassroots level, involving local stakeholders and considering their needs is key to our success. If you’re interested in visiting our office, developing a cooperative project, or brainstorming a project idea, please don’t hesitate to contact our LAG Manager. We can’t wait to hear from you!

Sample of Transnational Projects & Collaborations Over the Years

• Sustainability & Environmental Education in Outdoor Sports (SEE) The project arranged 6 exchanges in 6 countries: France, Germany, Ireland, Serbia, Spain and Sweden. SEE was financed by ERASMUS +.Click on the link that captures the Swedish exchange experience and the insights gained from it. The exchange took place in Vadstena in 2022, one of the municipalities within our Leader area.
• Rural areas through young people´s eyes: a youth exchange taking place in Finland with Leader Aisapari (Finland) and Aktion Zivilcourage e.V. (Germany). The youth exchange was financed by ERASMUS +.
• ELARD Staff Exchange with LAG Aljarafe Donana (Spain) that aims to give participants insights into how LEADER offices work, gain new skills, motivation, new perspectives and expand network. The staff exchange was financed through Leader 2007-2013.