– Krosno, just like Jarosław, Nisko, Stalowa Wola and Przemyśl, received today a huge financial support - over EUR 3.5 million from the Local Development Program. Thanks to such large financial support from the Norwegian Funds, another city will be able to develop its potential - said Waldemar Buda, Deputy Minister of Funds and Regional Policy.

 

Krosno – a city that creates, develops, activates, motivates, determines and changes

The project prepared by Krosno assumes the development of the city as an attractive, green, friendly, open and safe center for its residents. The funds received are intended to strengthen the city's economy. Financial support from the Norwegian Funds is also intended to contribute to improving the tourist attractiveness of Krosno. The city also plans to involve residents in co-managing the city.

Project titled “We create+ We develop+ We Activate+ We Motivate+ We Determine+ We change=KROSNO” is multi-faceted, integrating various areas of the city's activity in order to comprehensively improve the quality of life and better adapt local government administration to the needs of citizens. 

It was created with the broad participation of residents and many socio-economic partners. It assumes cooperation with 12 partners, including the Carpathian State University, the National Real Estate Resource, the Krosno Housing Cooperative, the Guild of Miscellanous Crafts, six non-governmental organizations and two cities: Rzeszów and Gdynia.

The overarching challenge, implementing a number of planned activities, is to keep young people in Krosno, create conditions for their development and settlement, and meet their expectations.

As part of the preparation of the project, a Local Development Plan was developed, which includes several dozen investment and "soft" projects, including:

• creating an attractive space for young people and students - establishing a Youth Activity Center in a historic tenement house on the Krosno Market Square, establishing a student club, along with a rich program of workshops, animation activities, integration activities, promoting social activity, as well as other events that fully meet the needs and interests of young people
• housing development - participatory development of the concept of developing new areas for a housing estate;
• arrangement of green areas, development of an adaptation plan to climate change;
• development of recreational zones - construction of bicycle and walking paths along the Wisłok River, creation of sports and recreational zones in housing estates;
• strengthening the area of ​​entrepreneurship - including, among others, innovations in vocational education, dual education, developing polytechnic interests among young people and a career counselling program, as well as promotion of local entrepreneurs in the "Buy- from -your- local -entrepreneur Program;
• tourism development – ​​including, among others: organization of craft fairs

An important part of the project is the strengthening of local institutions and non-governmental organizations, in line with the goals set out in the Institutional Development Plan. Projects are planned contributing to the development of strategic management, improving the standards of public service provision, implementing accessibility standards, and increasing the effectiveness of public participation.

"Local development" to improve the standard of living of residents

The "Local Development" program is comprehensive support for the development of small and medium-sized towns. The submitted projects included long-term, integrated and multi-thematic urban development concepts. They are intended to improve the quality of life of residents. The total budget of the project is EUR 117.6 million.

On June 30, Prime Minister Mateusz Morawiecki and Deputy Minister Waldemar Buda inaugurated the announcement of the winners of the competition in the Local Development Program.

Norwegian and EEA Funds

The Norwegian and EEA Funds are a form of non-repayable foreign aid granted by Iceland, Norway and Liechtenstein to new members of the European Union and the Baltic countries. In exchange for financial assistance, donor countries benefit from access to the EU's internal market even though they are not members. The main objective of the Norwegian Funds and the EEA Funds is to contribute to reducing economic and social disparities within the EEA and to strengthen bilateral relations between donor countries and the beneficiary country.