Driven entrepreneurship

Is for those who want to take advantage of the location's opportunities and transform them into concrete business development - with benefits for both your company and the region.

If you have an idea that you want to test and develop, you can apply to
SEK 40,000 in support. Read more below and stay tuned for the next application period.

How to seek support for your idea (sub-activity)

Driven entrepreneurship is aimed at entrepreneurs, business owners and idea carriers in rural areas who want to strengthen their entrepreneurship based on the area's cultural and natural resources can apply for funding for a sub-activity to create new locally produced products, services and collaborations in northwestern Skaraborg - which in turn can preserve and/or create new jobs.

How to apply

Application period

Application period January 19th and closes February 1st is closed.

The next round opens September 1-14, 2026.

You fill out the application form (download template) and send it via email to emma@leadernvskaraborg.se within the application period.

If you have any questions or would like to pitch your idea, please contact Emma Häggberg by January 30th for this call for applications.

Download application (not possible)
Download instructions for application

It is important that your application is complete.

Your application should be:

1. Completely filled out with short and clear answers to the questions.
2. Include a detailed budget. Which means that a calculation and what the expense item applies to must be clear.

For example:
Not approved. Marketing 2500 SEK.
Approved: Sponsorship Meta 3 pieces of 800 SEK = 2400 SEK

Not approved: Education 8000 SEK
Approved: Course fee 4995 SEK. Accommodation 1700 SEK. Train ticket 1300 SEK.

Not approved: Own work 14,000 SEK
Approved: Own work 40 hours at 340 SEK = 13,600 SEK

NOTE: Own work can only be budgeted by a sole proprietorship at 340 SEK/hour.
For AB, the expense for personnel is stated as = salary + salary cost surcharge 44.31 %.

• Describe expected results (e.g. new product/service, number of working hours).
• Have an implementation time including final report of a maximum of 8 months.

Clearly show:
• What you want to do and why – need & solution to what?
• Who you are doing it for and who is the recipient (target audience)
• How to implement it – clear activities
• That the budget is reasonable in relation to the activities
• What benefits it brings to you, your company and our local leader area
• What difference it makes from the current situation to the finished result
• How to take advantage of the results and integrate them into continued operations

Mandatory attachments:

3. Registration certificate or other supporting documentation which shows the corporate registration number, company name and signatory.
4. Cost basis (quotes, screenshots or other) for specified expenses in your budget, so that administrators and the assessment committee can easily assess that the budget is reasonable compared to market prices.

 

 

Support level & co-financing

The support – the money you receive and your share

You can apply for up to a maximum of SEK 40,000 in support and a 70% support level, you must have your own co-financing equivalent to 30% of your total budget.

Example: Your sub-activity has a total budget of SEK 57,000. You can receive 70% in support, which corresponds to SEK 39,900, and then your private co-financing will be SEK 17,100.

The money is paid out after you have completed your sub-activity and submitted a final report with correct supporting documents to Leader Nordvästra Skaraborg. This means that you yourself must have the liquidity to spend the money before you receive the support.

 

The support is for ideas that

  • Develops target group-adapted products and services with local roots.
  • Make newly created products and services available so they reach the right target group and market.
  • Strengthen your company with conscious and active sustainability work.
  • Creates collaborations with benefits for multiple parties.
  • Helps preserve employment and create growth.

Who can apply?

  • People with an existing company or idea bearers with a clear business idea and in the process of starting a business.
  • Documentation of contact information, organization and signatory is required when applying. 

You cannot apply for support for

  • Existing business or operation
  • Investments: You may not budget for investments which according to the Swedish Board of Agriculture's definition is – a physical or intangible asset over 24,000 SEK excl. VAT with a lifespan of more than 3 years. The amount of 24,000 SEK excl. VAT also includes associated expenses for getting the investment in place/installed.
  • Efforts that have already begun before the application has been decided.
  • Sub-activities within the Lidköping urban area that are outside our leader area, it is not rural according to the EU.

important that your idea (sub-activity)

Has a clear local anchoring and is based on the area's natural and cultural resources.

Rural focus is important and we are looking for ideas that

  • Based on local raw materials and resources – for example, food production, processing, drinks or cultivation on land, from water or in the forest. This is about creating products with clear transparency and stories that show where the food comes from, why it is unique and how it strengthens pride and identity in the place.
  • Creating experiences in the hospitality industry and nature tourism – accommodation, guided tours, activities or farm shops. The experiences should tell the history of the place and give the visitor a feeling of being part of the countryside. It can be storytelling about local traditions, the characteristics of nature or the people behind it – experiences that strengthen identity and make the countryside attractive to both residents and visitors.
  • Building on culture and craftsmanship – art, music, traditions or local design that is not only produced here, but also shares value with the local area. This can involve creating experiences, meeting places or products that strengthen pride and identity in the countryside.
  • Offers services with local roots – green care, health, knowledge or service that makes a difference for people in the local area. The focus is on services that contribute to community, accessibility and development locally, rather than activities that are only aimed at external markets.

When making a decision, the following is also assessed: Local anchoring, degree of need and ability to solve problems, benefit for the company and the leader area, collaborations, sustainability work and long-term perspective.

 

examples you can seek support for

Product development – transforming ideas into finished products that carry the identity of the place and strengthen sustainable development.

Develop an existing product or test a new one – with a clear connection to the site's resources.

You can seek support to:

  • Adapt your product to a new market or target group
  • Sample batches, taste panels and evaluations
  • Produce table of contents, label layout or packaging
  • Conduct knowledge acquisition and study visits
  • Strengthen collaborations and create offerings with complementary features
  • Working with sustainability – e.g. shorter supply chains, resource-efficient packaging, climate-smart raw materials or circular solutions

Targeted communication efforts – tell your story and reach out with what you have created – with sustainability as part of the message.

Make your new product, service or experience visible and spread it – so that it reaches the right target group and strengthens the region.

You can seek support to:

  • Create material (photo, film, layout, text)
  • Make translations into other languages to reach more visitors
  • Implement marketing that highlights the local and unique
  • Increase inclusion and diversity perspectives in hosting
  • Highlighting sustainability values – e.g. transparent supply chains, stories about local raw materials, climate-conscious choices or social responsibility

Application procedure & assessment committee

Processing and decisions

Processing of incoming applications begins after the application period has closed.

1. First, a check is made of the approved and correct application:
– Application received on time.
– The benefit accrues to our leader area and the sub-activity fulfills the umbrella's purpose and goals. 
– The application is complete with a detailed budget, consisting of only eligible expenses and mandatory annexes submitted.

• If the application is deemed approved in step 1 – certain additions may be requested before assessment.
• If your application does not meet the approval level in step 1 for continued processing and assessment, a decision of rejection will be issued.

2. An assessment committee with three representatives from the LAG board decides which applications are granted or rejected, based on our selection criteria linked to the umbrella's purpose and goals.

When deciding:
– Priority is given to applications with clear and active sustainability work.
– Applications can be rejected due to insufficient budget.

• Decisions are communicated to applicants shortly after the decision-making meeting.
• For approved applications, an agreement is signed between Leader Nordvästra Skaraborg and the applicant, with e-identification.

Implementation & final report

Decisions and waiting times

• You have a maximum of 8 months to complete your sub-activity.
• When you are finished, fill out our final report form and attach:
– Copy of invoices + proof of payment from your bank
– Documentation related to expenses, such as information materials, travel, training or food (requires driving log, invitation and participant lists)

• Our administrators assess whether the final report is approved.
• Once approved and processed, the support will be paid to the bank account specified in your final report.

Important to know

You cannot apply for or receive support for:
• Existing business or operation
• Investments (purchases over SEK 24,000 excl. VAT with a lifespan of more than 3 years)
• Initiatives that have already begun before the application is decided or after the specified end date. 

When submitting your final report, you can only receive support for:
• Expenses that are eligible and approved in your application
• Expenses that you have paid yourself during the period of your partial activity, with proof of payment from your bank
• Expenses that are reported with correct and approved documentation.

Sustainability – an obvious part of Driven Entrepreneurship

All sub-activities that receive support must demonstrate how they contribute to social, economic or environmental sustainability whether you take small steps or make a major change.

Examples of how sustainability can be seen in your application

  • Small steps that make a difference – perhaps you already use local raw materials, reduce transportation or collaborate with other actors. Even if you do it today, it is important to tell about it, so that the benefits become clear.
  • Major changes – you can seek support to make changes to the extent possible within the scope of the umbrella, find out your climate footprint or develop circular solutions.
  • Local compensation – initiatives that strengthen the countryside, such as replanting, local collaborations or social initiatives that benefit more than just your company.
  • The story of sustainability – to make visible how you work with sustainability in your communication, so that customers and visitors understand the value and can choose consciously.