Digital Rural

From 2021 to 2027, significant EU funding has been dedicated to enhancing digital infrastructure, skills, and inclusion in rural areas, ensuring that communities can fully participate in today’s digital world. Programs like the European Regional Development Fund (ERDF), Cohesion Funds, and Common Agricultural Policy (CAP) along with newer initiatives like the Just Transition Fund (JTF), Digital Europe, and InvestEU are all working to support rural digital growth.

Yet, to truly bridge the digital divide between urban and rural communities, these initiatives must be designed with a deep understanding of rural needs. A tailored approach, which includes engaging local communities and recognizing their unique starting points, is essential.

About Digital Rural 

The Digital Rural project created by local and regional policymakers, aims to maximize the impact of these funds through a dual approach:

1. Bottom-Up Engagement: Communities will guide the digital priorities, assessing local needs and building digital strategies from the ground up.
2. Top-Down Innovation: By sharing successful practices across regions, the initiative incorporates innovative policies that can be adapted to suit rural areas.

Our Goal

We aim to make the allocation of EU, national, and local funds as effective as possible, promoting the Smart Village concept and helping rural areas thrive alongside urban counterparts. Through a community-led approach, each area will define its own digital priorities, supported by insights from interregional exchanges and strengthened by collaboration across all levels.

By working together, we can ensure that every rural community has the digital tools, resources, and connectivity it needs to succeed in today’s digital landscape.