Polish-Swiss Programme for the Development of Cities – project recruitment has begun
The City of Hajnówka is among the cities eligible to take part in the recruitment process for the Polish-Swiss Programme for the Development of Cities, financed under the second edition of the Swiss Funds for Poland.
The programme aims to reduce socio-economic disparities in and between medium-sized Polish cities, as well as to strengthen cities’ institutional capacity in the areas of strategic planning, urban planning, and management.
The programme operator — the institution responsible for preparing and implementing the programme — is the Ministry of Funds and Regional Policy. Information, educational, and advisory support for cities will be provided by the Union of Polish Cities (Związek Miast Polskich).
A total of 139 medium-sized cities in Poland may apply for a share of PLN 1.424 billion in support from the Swiss Funds.
Cities may apply for funding to carry out comprehensive projects aimed at improving residents’ quality of life, selected from among the following thematic areas:
- education and vocational and specialist training,
- financing for micro, small, and medium-sized enterprises,
- supporting migration management and promoting integration measures,
- improving public safety,
- energy efficiency and renewable energy,
- public transport,
- water supply and sewage management,
- waste management,
- nature protection and biodiversity,
- health and social assistance,
- minorities and socially disadvantaged groups,
- civic engagement and transparency.
The projects prepared should align with the city’s development strategies and should be comprehensive in nature — that is, they should include both infrastructure investments and social initiatives that engage residents and civil society organizations.
A city may apply for funding of up to 100% of the project’s planned eligible expenditures, provided that none of the activities included in the project involve state aid or de minimis aid.
The minimum amount of funding requested at the Preliminary Project Proposal stage is PLN 44,848,000.
The maximum amount of project funding is PLN 80,726,400.
The project recruitment procedure consists of 2 stages:
Stage I: submission of Preliminary Project Proposals to the Ministry of Funds and Regional Policy by December 16, 2024.
Stage II: selection of finalists (estimated to be a dozen or so cities), who will be invited to submit a Complete Project Proposal. The time allowed to prepare the proposal will be at least 5 months from the date the ranking list is announced.
The recruitment announcement and all related information are available at: