The Polish-Swiss Urban Development Programme is financed by the Second Swiss Financial Contribution to selected European Union Member States. Its aim is to reduce socio-economic disparities within the European Union. It is another important source of funding for development activities in medium-sized towns, which will significantly improve the quality of life of their inhabitants. 

Programme objective: To improve the quality of life of residents of medium-sized towns in Poland, which will result in a reduction of socio-economic disparities in our country. This objective will be achieved by financing projects that implement the principles of sustainable development, focused on economic, environmental and social development. The Programme also aims to strengthen the strategic management process in the cities participating in the competition through staff training, advisory services and, at the project implementation stage, the exchange of good practices with Swiss cities.  

Programme Operator: Ministry of Development Funds and Regional Policy

Total amount of funding: available under the Urban Development Programme: PLN 1,423,976,095, of which 85% is Swiss financial contribution and 15% is national financial contribution.

Project funding value: the minimum amount of funding requested by cities at the stage of the call for Preliminary Project Proposals is PLN 44,848,000. The maximum amount of project funding is PLN 80,726,400.

Level of funding: up to 100% of eligible costs, and in projects involving activities covered by public aid, funding in accordance with the applicable regulations.

Beneficiaries: medium-sized cities qualified by the Strategy for Responsible Development as one of the 139 towns with the most difficult socio-economic situation (updated list of cities compiled by the Institute of Geography and Spatial Organisation of the Polish Academy of Sciences) ready for systemic changes in the development management process. 

Competition rules: the competition is addressed to 139 medium-sized towns losing their socio-economic functions.

Details of the call for proposals and project selection can be found in the Rules of the call for proposals on the Programme Operator's website programszwajcarski.gov.pl.