The first specific objective is the supporting of local bottom-up initiatives in order to strengthen sustainable rural economic development. This objective will be achieved through knowledge transfer and networking among partners from both sides of the border; through promotion of cooperation between various parties at local level, through the establishment and development of partnership relations, and through increasing the awareness of local population and local authority concerning the needs and opportunities of local development. A secondary objective is to learn about the possibilities and problems of adapting LEADER approach in Russia. The LEADER approach will be implemented in the Ladoga area. This means that three LAGs will be created on the Russian territory. LAG boards will work out the Local Development Strategies, with the possibility of including one or more (two-three) priorities of local development to be implemented later on. Achievements: The overall objective of the project was the promotion of rural development in selected Russian regions on the basis of knowledge transfer from the Finnish partner (LEADER approach). The objective was implemented with the reallocation of the grant to 30 micro projects. The awarded projects were implemented in the rural areas of the Leningrad region and the southwest part of the Republic of Karelia. The set goals were addressed by the themes of education, activating, and transformation. The project results were seen in local people and communities as increased cooperation and gumption. Although the project may be seen as successful via the positive outcomes, it also brought up the risks and challenges in such experimental actions of transferring social practices or social innovations from one context to another. In addition to the project named partners, several organisations involved with the LEADER funding in Finland were communicated and posted with the project outcomes. In Russia, the Government of the Republic of Karelia and Leningrad oblast and the Ministry of Economic Development were also informed of the results of the project realisation and its intermediate results. Adequate sustainability of funded actions via micro projects is expected.