New national network to empower community-led local development across Scotland

Urban Foresight has been appointed to design and facilitate a new national Community‑Led Local Development (CLLD) network that connects Scotland’s 20 Local Action Groups (LAGs) across rural and island areas.

The network will provide a practical platform for collaboration, peer learning and policy engagement so that local priorities are heard and acted upon.

Connecting voices to amplify impact

CLLD programmes are part of a national funding initiative by Scottish Government, and are focussed on enabling people to shape the future of their place. They put decisions about investment and action into the hands of local partnerships that understand their area best.

At a time of evolving rural and islands policy and new funding arrangements, there is a recognised need for a coordinated, national forum that can amplify local voices, share what works, and support cooperation across regions.

Co-designing the network

Working with the Cairngorms Trust and all Scottish LAGs, our role is to convene, co‑design and set up the foundations of the network. That includes:

• Bringing together LAGs and stakeholder organisations through an inclusive programme of engagements and a national co‑design workshop in November 2025.
• Agreeing the network’s purpose, governance and terms of reference, and developing a shared vision and practical workplan.
• Launching mechanisms for peer support and knowledge exchange, including regular forums and resources that make it easy to learn from each other’s projects.
• Building the network’s evidence and communications so the impact of CLLD is clear to funders and policymakers.
• Supporting opportunities for cooperation projects and future funding.

“CLLD puts power and resources in local hands,” said Stuart Oliver, Head of Economic Development at Urban Foresight. “By coordinating across Scotland, this network will help great local ideas travel further, build confidence in what works, and make sure rural and island communities are represented in national conversations.”

Urban Foresight brings extensive experience of working with rural communities and island places to turn local priorities into projects that strengthen local economies. For example, we co‑designed a Just Transition Plan for West Kildare to diversify a peatland economy, built capacity through EMERGE, a community mentoring programme across Ireland’s Midlands, and removed practical barriers to enterprise by unlocking grid constraints in Applecross.

Get involved

To learn more or be connected with your Local Action Group, contact: CLLDNet@urbanforesight.com