Sometimes it's good to stop and think about what we've accomplished. Since you, as a taxpayer, also fund our operations, we've compiled a list of six things we at Liiver are proud of!
- Finland's best strategy. The amount of money available to the Leader group depends, among other things, on how well the group manages to make a good development strategy. On 21 January 2015, the Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry assessed Liiveri's strategy as the best in Finland with a total score of 4.6, compared to the national average of 3.4 points. Thanks to this, Liiveri received the largest sum in its history – a record pot of 10 million euros for implementing the strategy. The pot contains both public and private money, and it is used for the benefit of local entrepreneurs and projects in Ilmajoki, Jalasjärvi and Seinäjoki. So far, 115 project ideas and 73 business support have been implemented with the money. As a reward for good work, Liiveri has also just been awarded additional money.
- The number one booster of new business ideas in Finland. Liiveri has supported the most start-up companies among Leader groups this programming period. With its help, start-up companies have been able to prepare marketing plans, test services and make initial investments, for example. But why should new companies be supported? To create new, successful and growing companies for developing industries more quickly. The companies supported by Liiveri in the previous programming period are doing quite well. Of the start-up companies, 80 % are still in operation more than five years after their establishment, while in Finland, on average, half of new companies close down within the same period. Support has also been targeted effectively for existing companies: after Liiveri's development investment, the companies have doubled their turnover on average. None have closed down.
- 200 new jobs in companies in Seinäjoki, Ilmajoki and Jalasjärvi. By accelerating the start-up and growth of local companies, 200 new jobs have been created in the Liiveri area in companies that Liiveri has supported over the past ten years. The result is good when you compare it to the amount of funding. For example, in 2007–2013, Liiveri supported 14 companies in hiring their first employee. Each of the companies responded to our survey, which revealed the following: 90 % support gave a growth boost and 95 % it lowered the threshold for hiring the first employee. Now those companies employ an average of 6 people in addition to the entrepreneurs themselves. When counting only the tax revenue paid by employees, the amount of support used to hire the first employee five years ago now pays for itself in just six months.
- Projects in almost every village. In Liiver, as in other Leader groups, people are encouraged to get involved by asking what they could do for their own place of residence. Thanks to the activation, 80 %s out of the 55 villages in the Liiver area have implemented projects and developed their own local communities. The village hall serves as the center of many villages, almost every one of which has been renovated or improved with Leader funding. The combination of volunteer work and Leader is unbeatable, as it also creates ten new hobby places in Ilmajoki, Jalasjärvi and Seinäjoki per year. In order for a Leader group to succeed in its mission, it must be easy to approach and the threshold for presenting ideas must be low. For example, in Liiver, one project inquiry is answered per day and over 70 of the % clients are starting a Leader project for the first time in their lives.
- Young people are being turned into developers. Liiveri wants to increase the opportunities for young people in their area to have an impact. That is why we grant funding twice a year for young people's own projects, in which young people are the actors, not the objects of action. Applications are assessed by Liiveri's youth division, which is a group of young people in the area. So far, we have funded 70 projects designed, implemented and reported by young people. Of those who reported, 100 % said that the project increased their belief in their own opportunities to have an impact and their experience of belonging to a community. We have also worked systematically to get young people to become developers in associations. In a couple of summers, 40 young people have found jobs and have been able to show their skills in development tasks in associations, with Liiveri paying 90 % of the young people's salaries. Next summer's application is currently underway!
- Find out if you could benefit from Leader funding. We finance dozens of projects and business grants every year. We have a proven track record of satisfied customers: 44 of our customers responded to last year's customer satisfaction survey, and 97 of them would recommend our financing to others, 100 found the service fast and flexible, and 100 said it was easy to ask us for advice. So are you one of them who will call us this week?