Local Action Group (LAG) „Stopini Salaspils Partnership”  is established in year 2009 and its main objective is to develop and expand Stopini region and Salaspils region rural territory. LAG is a partnership which brings together public, private and civil society sector organisations from a rural territory to implement Leader rural development methods with main aim to improve quality of life and develop sustainable local territory and implement different social activities. A thematic approach focuses EU rural development policy on a number of core themes. These themes are referred to as the „axes” of EU rural development policy. There are four axes. Axis 4 is focused purely on supporting Leader rural development approaches (Leader axis). „Leader” is the term used to describe a special type of local development approach for rural areas. Leader’s approach involves a rural development methodology based a number of core components including partnership, ‘bottom-up’ territorial development, innovation and cooperation. Leader methodologies are implemented by LAG. LAG is a Leader partnership. LAG has a Local Development Strategy (LDS) which contains a set of rural development actions and objectives that have been suggested by local community in the LAG territory. Leader approach ensures that all Leader actions are driven from the ‘bottom-up’. LAG receive a budget from the Ministry of agriculture of Latvia to finance projects in the LAG territory. All LAG projects must fit with the aims of the LAG’s LDS.

Right now LAG is implementing mostly Leader projects but it is planned that LAG will became important mediator for other development programs as well.

Mission of the LAG:

To encourage people to take joint responsibility of development and improvement of local territories, social life and working environment.

Tasks of the LAG:

• promote and support community involvement in development of rural territories;
• to work out and implement strategy of sustainable development of rural local territories;
• to develop collaboration with organizations of local municipalities, state organizations, business enterprises and also with other organizations in Latvia and abroad;
•  to encourage community cooperation network development;
• to coordinate and attract financial, material, intellectual support and other kind of resources to achieve objectives of the LAG,
• to represent interests of rural population on national and international level;

Additional tasks of the LAG:

• to raise funding from different sources to support local interest groups;
• to set priorities in witch support local interest groups;
• Strengthen civil society in rural territories, promoting local initiatives and cooperation;
• to promote private-public partnership in order to develop regional activities;
• to become important rural social center by insuring wider popularity and publicity in local society.

LAG is working on two actions:

1. action: to develop availability of services by improving infrastructure and providing appropriate equipment;

2. action: to improve infrastructure for diversification of social activities.

"Stopinu Salaspils Partnership" is situated in the central part of Latvia, in Vidzeme, 7 km from the capital - Riga. It includes two counties: Stopini (5349.9 ha and the population - 10 156) and Salaspils (11 327.5ha and population 4176), with the total area 166.5 km2 and 13,297 people.

Partnership is located on the largest river of Latvia Daugava and there is one of the most hitorically important islands - the Dole with its natural park and the Daugava museum. There is also some smaler rivers, lakes and pounds suitable for boating and fishing. Although Salaspils local history is more than 850 years long, historic buildings in the therritory almost have not survived, except some manor hauses. The density of population mostly focuses in the villages. Most of the villages was formed after World War II, several villages in the 1990ies.

Municipalities are responsible for the wide network of educational institutions - pre-school, primary, secondary, vocational music and arts school. There are private educational institutions and with educational institutions associated societies "Learn with joy" and Ulbrokas Secondary school Support Association "Tērcīte". There`re also Gaismas special boarding school and Upesleju boarding - rehabilitation centre in Stopinu County. Part of social and integration also takes non-governmental organizations - the Association of Persons with Disabilities, the Repressed and Pensioners' Association, the association of large families "Mara" and "Mārtiņsala" and Association "Socintegra."

Residents have wide opportunities for creative expression and lifelong learning in the Day care centres and libraries. Informal learning opportunities are offered by several non-governmental organizations Ulbroka Music and Arts School Support Association "BUMMS" and Society "A Real Adventure."

Active cultural life goes on in the Partnership`s territory . There are children, youth and middle age amateur dance groups, choirs and ensembles, amateur collective societies "Raksti" and "Rīgava". During cultural events and festivals everyone can enjoy both - in houses of culture and outdoors - in Līgo parks on the open-air stage, where the unique stone mark garden, made ​​by sculptor U.Sterģis, is located.
Sports complex, open-air sports fields and a swimming pool is accessible for going in for sports, wellness and various events and it is meant for different ages and abilities, athletes and team events (competitions).

Economic development in Stopinu County and Salaspils district is closely related to the proximity of the capital, developed technical infrastructure and skilled labour. The dominant branches are industry and services sphere, but agriculture is comparatively weak. However, there are successfully working several agricultural, food production and fishery companies in the area.

LEADER projects so far are implemented in two main areas, diversification of social activities and accessibility improvement of services for local residents (EAFRD) and the village area development and tourism (EFF).

We see our territorial development potential in creative and active recreation service management and their improvement:

• In developing services and community activity centres.

• In developing industrial, research and environmental tourism.

• In developing activity trails and recreation sites near lakes,

  rivers and pounds, working out bicycle paths and routes.

• In forming cultural and historical memorial places (including

   the World War I and II) and building trail activities.