Why Cooperate?

What is a good cooperation project?

TNC projects have quite distinct characteristics, but a number of common TNC success factors exist that can help ensure good cooperation projects. These include:

• EU rural Review (Issue 11) article "cooperation project examples" on page 14.

• Following a territorial approach. Leader is supporting "territorial cooperation" between LAGs; TNC projects should fit well with each LAG’s local development strategy. Projects should address challenges in LAG areas in order to ensure their relevance and added value.

• Having a strong and clear project idea which contributes to the realisation of the objectives of the LAGs’ local development strategies. A general topic (even if it will be adapted at a later stage with the partners) may fail to provide such a contribution.

• Going beyond simple exchanges. TNC projects should go beyond simple exchanges. They should include common actions which create tangible results. Concrete and common actions (like joint acquisition of technology, creation of common events or products, joint experimentation/piloting etc.) are an effective way to find answers to the challenges of rural areas.

• Planning properly for human resources. The development, coordination, implementation and management of a cooperation partnership and project can be demanding. Human resources requirements need to be carefully considered from the early stages of project development.

• Building a strong partnership. Throughout the life-cycle of a TNC project it is beneficial to:

  • define the profile of your desired partner(s) to make the partner search easier;
  • negotiate and distribute roles and responsibilities between the partners while developing the project (and include these in the partnership agreement); and
  • maintain and manage the partnership during the implementation of the TNC project.

  Advice about these matters is presented in the following sections of the TNC.