Smart Rural 21 roadmap toolbox

Author: Smart Rural 21 project 

The roadmap is organised around ten steps: getting started; mapping context and stakeholders; engaging stakeholders; designing a strategy; smart village strategy; planning actions; finding solutions; generating actions; financing; and monitoring. Users can enter the roadmap at the stage most relevant to their needs rather than necessarily following it from beginning to end.

The individual sections combine explanations of each step with practical resources. For example, mapping context & stakeholders provides methods for identifying local challenges, assets and stakeholders, including an ‘idea wheel’ and ‘local community profiling tool’. Engaging stakeholders offers methods for involving local people and organisations in strategy development and implementation, while designing a strategy supports communities in defining objectives, actions and indicators. 

Later stages focus on turning strategies into action. Users can explore smart village strategies developed by participating communities, plan actions in greater detail, search for relevant smart solutions, consider ways of mobilising local actors and resources, explore financing approaches, and use tools to monitor strategy development and implementation. The monitoring section, for instance, includes self-monitoring templates and a tool for assessing local websites and communication. 

Why it is useful for rural areas

The roadmap translates the Smart Village approach into practical steps and tools that rural communities can adapt to their own circumstances. It covers not only strategy development, but also stakeholder participation, implementation, financing and monitoring.

Its practical focus makes it useful for communities looking to identify local needs and assets, mobilise stakeholders, develop a shared strategy and turn ideas into concrete actions. Examples and tools developed through the Smart Rural 21 villages also allow users to learn from approaches tested in different rural contexts across Europe.

Who is this resource for?

The toolbox is primarily relevant for rural communities and village representatives; local authorities; Local Action Groups and rural development organisations; community organisations; and facilitators supporting locally led Smart Village processes.

About the initiative

Smart Rural 21 was a two-and-a-half-year project supported by the European Commission’s Directorate-General for Agriculture and Rural Development (DG AGRI). It worked with 21 selected villages and other participating rural communities across Europe to support the development and implementation of Smart Village approaches and strategies and to draw lessons for future policy support. 

Smart Villages Community Group  

Rural Pact resources on Smart Villages