Local Development, Poverty Reduction and Enhanced Roma Inclusion Programme (Local Development) is implemented by the Romanian Social Development Fund (RSDF),  and is funded by EEA and Norway Grants 2014-2021.

The overall budget of the Programme is 91.941.176 Euro, out of wich 78.900.000 Euro EEA and Norway Grantsand 13.041.176 Euro national contribution.

The overall objectives of the EEA and Norway Grants 2014-2021 are to contribute to the reduction of economic and social disparities in the European Economic Area and to strengthen bilateral relations between the Donor States (Iceland, Liechtenstein and Norway) and the Beneficiary States through financial contributions in 5 priority sectors:

1. Innovation, Research, Education and Competitiveness
2. Social Inclusion, Youth Employment and Poverty Reduction
3. Environment, Energy, Climate Change and Low Carbon Economy
4. Culture, Civil Society, Good Governance, and Fundamental Rights and Freedoms
5. Justice and Home Affairs

The Programme is covering 5 out of the 23 programme areas targeted by the EEA and Norway Grants 2014-2021, respectively:

1. Local Development and Poverty Reduction
2. Roma Inclusion and Empowerment
3. Human Rights – national implementation
4. Children and Youth at Risk
5. Good governance, Accountable Institutions, Transparency

The general objective of the Programme is to actively contribute to the strengthening of social and economic cohesion at national and local level in Romania. By facilitating cooperation and partnerships between entities in Romania and the Donor States, the Programme will also contribute to strengthening the bilateral relations between the Donor States and Romania.

Following the objectives of the five areas of action, the Programme aims to improve the inclusion and empowerment of Roma and social inclusion of children and young people at risk, to increase the use of social services by disadvantaged groups, to raise the knowledge of the central and local administration in order to implement the principles of good governance and to increase the implementation of the recommendations made by the European Court of Human Rights for Romania.

To achieve these objectives, within the Programme will be launched 5 calls for proposals, in the following areas:

• Local development
• Poverty reduction
• Children and Youth at risk
• Roma Inclusion
• Human rights

In addition to the calls for project proposals, the Programme also includes two small grant schemes:

• Access to financing
• Priority interventions

Consultative meetings regarding future calls for projects Local Development and Enhanced Roma Inclusion and empowerment

During May 15-16, 2019, the RSDF organized two consultative meetings on two future calls for proposals for local development projects and Enhanced Roma Inclusion and Empowerment.

The expected results of the Program include:

• 15,000 people belonging to disadvantaged groups, beneficiaries of personalized social services
• 8,000 Roma, beneficiaries of educational services and 4,500 Roma beneficiaries of integrated services
• 7,000 children and young people at risk of early school leaving, beneficiaries of specific support services
• 3,500 civil servants and politicians, trained on the principles of good governance
• 2,400 teachers trained on the competences for a democratic culture
• 200 Romanian participants, exchanged experiences / good practices with representatives of relevant entities from the Donor States
• 6 ECHR recommendations regarding the respect of human rights in Romania, implemented at national level