What’s new with us?

The purpose of this support is to preserve meeting places and strengthen ecological and economic sustainability through more efficient water consumption and increased use of rainwater and wastewater. It is aimed at associations that own, manage, or use a meeting place in the island's rural areas. The support is paid out after the project is completed and finalized.

It is now possible to apply for the new mini-support ”Preparedness in the countryside 2.0”. It is aimed at non-profit associations in the island's rural areas, such as community center associations, local heritage associations, development companies, and similar. The support is paid out after the project has been completed and finalized.

This new mini support is aimed at businesses in the island's rural areas. The purpose of the support is to develop and strengthen environmentally sustainable local tourism. The support is paid out after the project has been completed and finalized.

A new mini support is now being launched for entrepreneurs in Gotland's rural areas. The purpose is for companies to be able to further develop in four important areas: product and service development, increased local service, digitalization, or marketing. The support is paid out after the project has been completed and finalized.

The interest in cultivation and processing of fruit is becoming stronger in Gotland. Now Sörmlandsäpplen has started a project with support from Leader Gute to develop and expand the island's fruit industry.

How can ”odd” fish, shellfish, and sea plants in the Baltic Sea be used as part of a regenerative food tourism on islands and in coastal regions within the Baltic Sea area? That was the theme for workshops and study visits on the island of Ösel in Estonia from June 1 to 4. The activity was part of the project Regenerative Blue Food Tourism led by Leader Gute and funded by the Swedish Institute.

Thursday the 10/9 at 18.00 it is time for VIP-AW in the southeastern cluster within Leader Gute's project ”Together for our community”. We meet at Strandakar – and EVERYONE in Etelhem, Garda, Stånga, Burs, När and Eke is welcome! During the evening, the Gotland artist Molly P Bröms will perform.

On Thursday, September 17 at 18:00, there will be VIP-AW at Tofta Bygdegård for the parishes within the Klint area's Future as well as Tofta and Etelhem. It’s time for the next step in the project ”Together for our community” in the area. The ideas from the previous AW will be taken further to concrete plans.

Now – in June 2026 – Leader Gute has allocated the vast majority of the budget for project support during this program period (2023–2027). Due to returns from completed projects generated during the spring, there is now a limited amount left to apply for:
500,000 kronor within ”General Project Support” and 600,000 kronor within the call ”Rural Enterprises”.

On August 29, it’s time for the youth festival ”RomaPalooza” at Roma Kungsgård. Sign up as a volunteer/safety host!

Leader Gute's project Together for our community has reached ”midway”. Three rural areas on the island are ready – and are now moving forward to concretize plans developed within the project. Two more areas have just started, and a sixth and final area will be formed after the summer.

There is interest among both fishermen and restaurateurs on Gotland to jointly develop a new model for local food from the sea. A model that can make the island both more sustainable and attractive to visitors.

At Leader Gute's annual general meeting on March 26, 2026, two new regular members were elected to the board: Paola Ciliberto, Region Gotland and Emelie Lundberg, GUBIS.
Here the two new members introduce themselves.

New mini-grants within ”Preparation for rural businesses” are now available for application. Businesses and development companies in the island's rural areas can apply for support for both services and products within the theme.

New mini-supports are now being launched under the theme "Companies that improve the environment". The support is aimed at companies and development companies in Gotland's rural areas and comes in two different forms - purchases of services and purchases of products.

This support has existed before but is now being renewed in a second round of applications. The support is aimed at associations that own, manage or use a meeting place in the island's rural areas. The goal is to reduce energy consumption in public meeting places.

On April 13, Emmalill Ljungberg took up the position as junior project manager in the Leader Gutes Inheritance Fund-funded project Young vitality in collaboration.

Leader Gute held its 2026 annual general meeting on March 26 at Halla community center. Two new members were voted into the board: Paola Ciliberto, Region Gotland and Emelie Lundberg, GUBIS.

There is a shortage of housing suitable for the elderly in Gotland's rural areas. Now Hela Sverige ska Leva Gotland is developing a method to solve the problem with the Leader Gute-funded project "A parish for a lifetime". The project kicked off with a well-attended and interesting meeting in Etelhem community center.

Now the project "Together for our community" starts in the area that includes the parishes of Etelhem, Garda, Stånga, När, Burs and Eke!

Leader Gute's 2026 general meeting will take place on March 26th from 6:00 PM to 7:30 PM in Halla community center.

On March 19th, it is time for the final Release-AW within "Together for our community" for the parishes of Lummelunda, Stenkyrka, Martebo, Tingstäde, Hangvar and Hall. EVERYONE in the community is welcome to the meeting at Gotland's Defense Museum in Tingstäde!

The project "Together for our community" is now starting in the area that includes the parishes within the Klintetraktens Framtid
as well as Eskelhem and Tofta! We start with Idé-AW in Sanda community center on March 12. EVERYONE in the area is welcome!

On March 5, it’s time for the last AW in Roma and surrounding areas within the project ”Together for our community”! It will be a Release-AW where drafts of four plans will be presented, discussed, and finalized. EVERYONE in the community is welcome!

We are looking for you who want to work as a junior project manager in the Heritage Fund project ”Young Vitality in Collaboration” run by Leader Gute. You will actively work to be where young people are and adapt content and the project's activities according to young people's needs and interests.

On Wednesday, February 11, from 14:00 to 18:00, Leader Gute invites you to Open House at our office at Gotland Grönt Centrum in Roma. We will inform you about our current support. If you want to apply for project support within the Rural Business call, it is possible to book a separate time for a review.

On Thursday, January 22, it is time for the next AW within the project ”Together for Our Community” in Roma. It will be a VIP-AW at Romabrunnen – now we will Move from Idea to Plan!

Ida Kellström took up the position as administrator at Leader Gute in December 2025. She comes most recently from a position as an administrator for investment support at the County Administrative Board of Östergötland.

On November 28, the deadline is to submit the checklist regarding project support for the next application round. Currently, there are only two types of project support available through specific calls regarding Environmental Projects and Rural Businesses.

Leader Gute's own project ”Together for Our Community” continues! There will be a VIP-AW in Kappelshamn on November 19 for the parishes of Stenkyrka, Lummelunda, Martebo, Tingstäde, Hangvar, and Hall. And a Release-AW at Änggårde on November 20 for Hemse and surrounding areas. EVERYONE in the respective community is welcome to participate!

On October 8-9, the Rural Network organized the annual national Leader meeting at Donners Event in Visby. Over 200 people from Leader associations across Sweden participated. Leader Gute was the host and was responsible for an evening program and also arranged a bus tour for about 20 participants on October 10.

IF Hansa-Hoburg with 17-year-old project manager Felix Dahlby will organize a floorball disco in Hemsehallen on Fridays. The project has received mini support within ”Young Leisure” from Leader Gute.

The Heritage Fund project ”Young Vitality in Collaboration” is run by Leader Gute. Now the project has been strengthened with a junior project manager.

Are you 16-25 years old and want to realize your ideas in the island's rural areas? Then you are welcome to an idea workshop at Hotel Kokoloko in Visby on September 26!
The organizer is the Heritage Fund project ”Young Vitality in Collaboration” run by Leader Gute.

Are you active in a non-profit association with activities in Gotland's rural areas? Then please respond to our survey! We need your perspectives on the inclusion of young people in associations.

On October 2, we take the next step in the project ”Together for our community” in the Hemse area. Now we will move from Idea to Plan! Everyone in the community is welcome to join.

”Meeting Place Åminne” is run by Sportfiskarna in Gotland and targets children, youth, and adults with disabilities as well as individuals in involuntary loneliness. The project takes place in close collaboration with a number of organizations and local actors and is funded by Leader Gute. The common thread in the project is fishing and the activities are characterized by community, learning, and joy.

In Leader Gute's booth for information about current support, the focus will be on youth, businesses, and the environment.

A new feature at this year's Harvest Festival on September 6 – 7 is a special youth square. The organizer is the Heritage Fund project ”Young vitality in collaboration” run by Leader Gute. At the square, nine associations and actors will offer young people a wide range of try-out activities – including Gotlandic sports, airbrush, linedance, and DJ workshops.

Is your association or business planning to apply for project support from Leader Gute this autumn? On September 10, we have an Open house and welcome you to our office in Roma.

We are looking for you with good administrative experience, interest in problem-solving, and commitment to local initiatives that want to make a difference for Gotland's rural areas!

An important part of Leader Gute's strategy is to support development within rural businesses in ways that also benefit the communities at large. Therefore, a call for project support is now being launched that is specifically aimed at businesses with addresses and operations in the island's rural areas.

During 2023 and 2024, RF-SISU Gotland carried out the project ”Get Gotland moving” with support from Leader Gute. The goal was to contribute to positive public health in the island's rural areas through movement, joy, and social community. A long series of training sessions and activities were conducted. And several of them have laid the foundation for appreciated local health activities that continue and develop. A wonderful example is the tennis group ”On the bounce” for 65+ in Fårösund.

Everyone in Roma and surrounding areas is welcome to the inaugural AW meeting within the project ”Together for our community”. The AW takes place on May 15 at 5:00 PM at Restaurant Romabrunnen. Together we will come up with ideas that can strengthen social cohesion in the area. A lovely buffet, interviews with rural heroes from the community, and mingling will be offered.

Raise your voice for the countryside – and for locally led development to remain an important part of EU policy. Sign the petition!

Leader Gute held the 2025 association meeting on March 20 at Hotel Slitebaden in Slite. Four new members were elected to the association's board: Alvin Johansson, LRF Gotland, Åsa Dammström, Region Gotland, Eva Engström, GUBIS, and Björn Ahlsén, Gotland's Rural Community District. Read how the new members introduce themselves!

Over three days in March, Liljeblads Möbelsnickeri organized a course in intarsia – the technique where wood veneer is joined to create decorative motifs. 13 enthusiastic Gotlanders participated in the course held at Ringvide Studios in Stenkyrka. Now the initiator William Liljeblad hopes for a revival of the old wood processing technique and that intarsia motifs will become a renewed element in furniture production and crafts on Gotland.
The course was funded with mini-support from Leader Gute within the theme ”Skills development – Strengthened cultural entrepreneurship”.

Do you live in Stenkyrka, Lummelunda, Martebo, Tingstäde, Hangvar, or Hall? Then you are welcome to the introductory AW meeting for these six parishes within the project ”Together for our community”. The AW takes place on April 24 at 5:00 PM at the Defense Museum in Tingstäde. Together we will come up with ideas that can strengthen social cohesion in the area. A lovely buffet, interviews with rural heroes from the community, and mingling will be offered.

Due to recalled projects, Leader Gute is now announcing support for two additional mini-projects within the theme ”Energy Savings for Meeting Places”.

The new project ”Together for our community” is now starting! It is run by Leader Gute in collaboration with rural areas in Gotland. The project aims to lead to concrete plans for strengthened social cohesion in rural areas through local AW meetings and ”writing meetings”. Hemse and its surroundings are first out with the introductory AW meeting on April 7.

Leader Gute's project ”Together for our community” and Region Gotland's Financing Team invite you to a study visit in Väte during EU Day on May 9, which falls during Rural Week.

Leader Gute is now looking for a junior project manager who wants to work with our new large youth project!

Leader Gute receives just over 5.3 million kronor from the Inheritance Fund for the youth project ”Young Vitality in Collaboration”. The project will be run by a young action group and aims to increase young people's engagement and influence in Gotland's rural areas. At the same time, associations will receive support to better include and collaborate with young people. This will, among other things, lead to more activities and events that young people want around the island.

Leader Gute and Blue Center Gotland were the only Swedish actors to receive the ”Technical Assistance Award” at this year's forum for the EU mission ”Restore our Ocean and Waters” on March 4 in Brussels.

On March 5, Leader Gute and Uppsala University, Campus Gotland organized a network meeting on how children and young people on the island can be offered opportunities to engage in local environmental issues. At the same time, Leader Gute's new mini-support ”Young Environment” was presented.

Now the project ”Local Economic Analysis for Local Development Fårö/Heligholm” is in full swing. New local economic analyses and surveys will lead to a number of concrete development initiatives in Fårö and Storsudret.

Non-profit associations and public actors with operations in Gotland's rural areas can now apply for the mini-support Young Environment.

Leader Gute's association meeting 2025 will take place on March 20 from 18:00 to 19:15 at Hotell Slitebaden in Slite.

Leader Gute is looking for a driven youth project leader to promote young vitality in civil society in Gotland's rural areas!

On October 8–9, 2025, this year's national Leader meeting will come to Gotland and Visby. About 200 people from Leader associations across Sweden will gather to be inspired and exchange knowledge and experiences regarding rural development. The meeting is organized by the Rural Network in collaboration with Leader Gute.

During February and March, Leader Gute invites you to Open House on three occasions. You can meet our office staff and get answers to questions. At the first occasion, we will talk about all our support and our entire operation. At the other two occasions, we focus on questions about the checklist and application regarding our larger project support.

It is now possible to apply for the new mini support ”Youth Leisure”. It can be applied for by non-profit associations with activities in Gotland's rural areas in collaboration with young people (12–25 years old). The projects should realize young people's ideas in the community.

Leader Gute is now looking for young people who want to engage in Gotland's rural areas – and become part of our young decision committee that decides which projects receive funding within the mini supports ”Young environment” and ”Youth leisure”.

From Saturday, December 21 to Monday, January 6, Leader Gute's office will be closed for Christmas holiday. Reopening from Tuesday, January 7.

Now, Democracy for Children's Future (DBF) has started the new project ”Young CultureBoost Gotland” with project support from Leader Gute. Through workshops and personal counseling, young people on the island have the opportunity to develop their interests in music, dance, film, and other cultural expressions into sustainable businesses. The project has quickly met with great interest among young Gotlanders – over 70 young people participated in the first three meetings.

Now, Leader Gute's program period 2014 – 2022 has been summarized in an evaluation report.
– It is very encouraging that during this period we have allocated almost the entire budget for support, achieved most of the goals, and that a clear majority of project owners are satisfied with their projects, says operations manager Ellen Lundkvist.

Gotland Green Center's project ”Sustainable Water for the Future” has been awarded nearly 1.7 million kronor in project support from Leader Gute. The project is now underway with the aim of raising competence in the increasingly challenging water issue in Gotland's nature and fields.

Leader Gute is now concluding the program period 2014–2022. During the period, a long series of fine projects have been implemented around the island. We celebrate this with a country festival and closing conference at Hop Shed Brew on Thursday, November 14. Warm welcome! But the number of places is limited – read more and register!

On September 11 from 5:00 PM to 7:00 PM, Leader Gute invites you to Open House. There will be information about all of Leader Gute's current support, including news in both project support and support for mini-projects. Pre-registration is required.

During the Harvest Festival at Gotland Green Center in Roma, on September 7–8, Young Vitality is organizing three exciting segments for young people:
Inspiration and competition with rally star Linus Erixon, graffiti painting with artist James Johansson plus concert and interview with The Hugos!

On August 15, a new application round for Leader Gute's Project Support opened! A checklist must be sent to Leader Gute's office no later than September 25 – you will receive feedback on your project idea in good time before the application round closes on October 15.

On Saturday, August 24, a motor day will be organized for those aged 15 to 25 at Follingbo Race Track!
It will be an action-packed program with, among others, rally star Linus Erixon from Endre and his team – free admission and no pre-registration required.
There will also be an inspiration evening with, among others, rally drivers and entrepreneurs in motors – it costs nothing and we provide dinner. But for this session, pre-registration is required.

Leader Gute's office will be closed for summer vacation from July 6 to August 4. A new application round for project support opens on August 15. Applications for support for mini-projects must be submitted no later than September 19 to be considered for decision on September 26.

It has been an intense spring and early summer with a long series of events and meetings within Leader Gute's project ”We rural builders in Gotland,” including the special focus on youth in rural areas – ”Young Vitality.”.

During May and June 2024, 13 applications for support for mini-projects were granted by Leader Gute. Stelor Gård (the picture) was granted 38,500 kronor to develop marketing for Västergarn via its website and social media. Read about all 13 who received support!

At the spring association meeting in Leader Gute, three new members were elected to the board. Here they are presented in more detail.

Leader Gute and the project ”We rural builders in Gotland” invite you to an afternoon AW at restaurant Kapten Grogg during Fish Day, on June 1 from 14:00 to 15:30 in Ronehamn. A thrilling program and a light tasting buffet with innovative blue food – both from fish caught in Ronehamn and from sea plants will be offered. NOTE! Pre-registration is required.

Leader Gute invites you to After Work with information and dialogue about local development in Roma and surrounding areas. We meet on Thursday, May 23 at 18:00 at restaurant Romabrunnen. A lovely barbecue buffet, an exciting program, and subsequent mingling will be offered! NOTE! Pre-registration to info@leadergute.se is required due to limited seating.

Announcements and feasibility studies within ”New co-creative Meeting Places” and ”Environmental Projects” are news in Leader Gute's project support.

Leader Gute invites you to After Work with information and dialogue about local development in the Hemse area. We meet on Thursday, April 4 at 17:00 at restaurant Bank o Mat in Hemse. A selection from the menu, an exciting program, and subsequent mingling will be offered!
NOTE! Pre-registration to info@leadergute.se is required due to limited seating.

Leader Gute invites you to After Work with information and dialogue about local development in Stenkyrka and surrounding areas. We meet on Wednesday, March 27 at 17:00 at Mejeriet in Stenkyrka. A pizza buffet, an exciting program, and subsequent mingling will be offered!
NOTE! Pre-registration to info@leadergute.se is required due to limited seating.

Leader Gute's association meeting 2024 takes place on March 21 from 18:00 to 20:30 at Gotland Grönt Centrum, Roma, in the large conference room above the restaurant.

Leader Gute invites you to After Work with information and dialogue about local development in Northern Gotland. We meet at Magasinet Kök & Bar on Wednesday, March 13 at 17:00. An important question in the program will be what opportunities the future national park Bästeträsk can open for sustainable and local entrepreneurship. NOTE! Pre-registration to info@leadergute.se is required due to limited number of places.

At ”92 opportunities,” at Wisby Strand on Tuesday, January 23, Leader Gute will participate with a booth. Here we inform about the association's support and activities. Additionally, our operations manager Ellen Lundkvist will lead a breakout session in the program – about youth in rural areas.

On February 8, the Open House meeting will be about Leader Gute's activities and all our support – both larger project support and support for mini-projects.
At the Open House meetings on February 21 and March 7, there will be in-depth information on how to prepare and write an application for larger project support.

”Hosting 2030” is awarded 810,000 kronor in project support from Leader Gute. The project will develop and test a new digital model for circular collaboration in local business networks.
Pilot projects will take place in Roma, Klintehamn, and Hemse.

13 applications totaling 360,000 kronor were granted mini-support from Leader Gute during November and December. Right now, it is possible to apply for mini-support in seven different current themes.

– The mini-supports from Leader Gute have meant a lot for Akebäck's community center – and for the activities that local residents conduct here through local associations, says Gun Pettersson, chairperson of Akebäck's Women's Association. Now the community center has received a new air heat pump thanks to the current mini-support ”Energy savings for meeting places.”.

Is your association active in Gotland's rural areas? Then you can apply for support to become even better at running local projects! Leader Gute's competence development vouchers can be used to fund qualified training in process and project management. Here, Nanna at Körsbärsgården and Pia at Vuxenskolan share what the voucher and training have meant for them.

The four new supports – which are available for application from November 10, 2023 – are ”Living rural areas – feasibility studies,” ”Strengthen the tourism industry in your area – associations,” ”Young sustainable rural entrepreneurs,” and ”Strengthen the tourism industry in your area – businesses.”.

On December 1, the next application round for project support for larger development projects in the island's rural areas opens. Before the application round, Leader Gute invites you to an Open House on November 16 – focusing on how to write an application.

The assignment includes the administration of the association's ongoing bookkeeping of various projects, preparation of financial statements and annual reports, preparation of tax returns, and payroll administration.

Leader Gute is now seeking a driven junior project assistant to strengthen youth entrepreneurship in rural areas!

The future of waste management, digital walks, robot films, and living in wooden huts or rafts. These are creative proposals for sustainable tourism in and around the planned national park Bästeträsk from high school students and university students.

Around Gotland, information brochures and signs from the Leader Gute-supported project ”From ai to åi” are now being spread. Through QR codes, one can access stories about over 200 Estonian Swedes who were buried in Gotland during the 20th century. The stories contain life journeys that provide a deeper and dramatic picture of a painfully dark epoch in European history. Here is, among other things, the story of Signe who was deported to Siberia before she came to Gotland. 

It is now possible to apply for support for mini-projects within two new themes: ”Energy saving for meeting places” and ”Environmentally sustainable entrepreneurship.”.

An easy-to-use digital platform and free training in event management. This is Easy Arr's solution for even more events in the island's rural areas.

The new application round regarding project support from Leader Gute is now open! This support is intended for larger development projects with broad anchoring and benefit in a locality. To support you who want to apply for project support, we invite you to two Open House meetings in August and September.

Within the project We Rural Builders in Gotland, Leader Gute has now started an initiative to better reach out to young people in the island's rural areas. As one of the initial steps in this work, Leader Gute/We Rural Builders in Gotland participated in the project Youth Up North's closing conference on April 19-20.

Leader Gute is now conducting an attitude survey among the island's rural residents within the project ”We Rural Builders in Gotland.”.

During Rural Week, Leader Gute and our project ”We Rural Builders in Gotland” are organizing two bus trips to innovative entrepreneurs in the island's rural areas. On May 4 to companies in crafts, sustainability, and recycling. On May 5 to companies in innovative and sustainable future food.

On EU Day, May 9, 2023, Leader Gute and our project ”We Rural Builders in Gotland” celebrate with a study visit and mini-seminar at the Wool Office in Endre!
Here we want to concretely show in collaboration with others how EU support can contribute to sustainable rural development, social entrepreneurship, and circular economy.

On March 15 from 4:00 PM to 6:00 PM, Leader Gute is organizing an Open House on how to write an application for project support in the Agricultural Agency's E-service. We will start by going through the E-service overview. Then emphasis will be placed on a few particularly important points.

Leader Gute has now received a start notice from the Agricultural Agency. Thus, the association's new program period is fully underway.

Leader Gute conducts a direct procurement in order to receive bids for the audit of the association's management and accounts for the financial year January 1, 2023 to December 31, 2023.

Leader Gute's association meeting 2023 takes place at 19:00 on March 22 at Follingbo community center.