About the Project

USAID’s Sustainable Local Development Project is a five-year project supporting local governments, businesses and civil society to increase their efficiency and achieve economies of scale through Inter-Municipal Cooperation (IMC) aimed at accelerating economic growth. The Project’s core activities are focused on supporting inter-municipal partners to add jobs and reduce unemployment in regional economies. The Project provides technical assistance, grants and subcontracts. 

ACTIVITIES 

• Assisting IMC partners to add jobs by supporting private sector expansion

The Project supports IMC partners to identify and execute specific activities targeted at increased production and inflowing investments, improved marketing and enhanced overall regional competitiveness

• Strengthening public administration to enable inter-municipal business growth and investments

The Project helps partnering local governments to build institutional and technical knowledge and skills for comprehensive inter-municipal economic growth

• Reinforcing IMC partnerships to integrate youth equitably into local economies

The Project helps IMC areas forge partnerships between the public, private and civil society sectors to curb youth outmigration and unemployment and increase participatory decision-making so as to grow local economies equitably and sustainably. 

RESULTS 

Private Sector Expansion to Grow Jobs in IMC Areas:

• A more than 1 million euro Public-private partnership (PPP) established between Lafarge Corporation and Beocin to create a new business park, attract investors and generate new jobs in Novi Sad-led IMC area
• Multi-media laboratory in the Kraljevo Mechanical Engineering Faculty, is Business Innovation Center furnished to assist Kraljevo-led IMC entrepreneurs acquire new skills, reduce production costs and apply innovation in production processes· Value Chain Analysis and Marketing Plan developed to improve dairy production and increase Pester regional competitiveness in Novi Pazar-led IMC area
• “Diversification of Agricultural Production” study prepared with recommendation for introducing new crop varieties in Subotica-led IMC area

Public administration enables inter-municipal business growth and investments

• Novi Sad, Sombor and Nova Varos, representing three different IMC areas, awarded NALED Business Friendly Certification (BFCs) in 2012; databases of investors and brownfield locations established in 9 municipalities in various IMC areas to improve business enabling environment and advance steps to BFC achievement 
• Regulatory and administrative barriers to business growth in 5 municipalities of Nis-led IMC area identified with NALED and 21 recommendations advanced for IMC area improvement

Youth development and employment

• 44 young entreprenuers matched with business mentors; 28 companies sponsored  40 short–term internships; 209 youth trained in business and social entrepreneurship skills
• 10 Mobile Career Guidance teams formed to deliver career guidance and counseling services to youth in 10 municipalities
• Architectural design prepared for the Regional Workforce Training Centre in Novi Sad to train graduates in skills of high business demand
• Labor supply and demand analysis to support local and youth employment planning conducted with the National Employment Service, surveying 5,500 companies in all partnering municipalities,