Local Action Groups (LAGs) are multi-sectoral, area-based partnerships operating throughout the European Union to support participatory local development in rural areas. One of the operational elements of the programme is that multi-sectoral partnerships at the local level select and fund local development projects. The aim of this paper is to explore the dynamics of the selection process at the local level, paying attention to both exogenous and endogenous dynamics that originate at both the EU, national and local levels and how these influence the selection and funding of local development projects. We present the results of qualitative case studies conducted of 15 LAGs in rural Poland. Results indicate that centrally prescribed scoring criteria for the selection of projects issued are used, but, in many cases, local unwritten rules favouring territorial distribution of funds according to number of inhabitants and perceived fairness are highly influential on the selection process. We highlight in this context how local criteria shape top-down rules for the operationalisation of LEADER at the local level, illustrating features of mixed exogenous-endogenous development. We discuss how the interplay of local and external decision-making factors ultimately determine the activities of EU-funded development programmes, highlighting benefits of local decision-making in rural development but also signalling that EU procedures are realised to variable extents.

地方行动小组 (LAG) 是在整个欧盟范围内运作的多部门、以地区为基础的伙伴关系，以支持农村地区的参与性地方发展。该计划的运作要素之一是地方层面的多部门伙伴关系选择和资助地方发展项目。本文的目的是探索地方层面选择过程的动态，关注源自欧盟、国家和地方层面的外生和内生动态，以及它们如何影响地方发展项目的选择和资助. 我们展示了对波兰农村 15 个 LAG 进行的定性案例研究的结果。结果表明，在选择发布的项目时使用了中央规定的评分标准，但在许多情况下，当地不成文的规则有利于根据居民人数和所认为的公平性在地域上分配资金，这对选择过程有很大影响。在此背景下，我们强调了地方标准如何塑造了 LEADER 在地方层面运作的自上而下的规则，说明了混合外生 - 内生发展的特征。我们讨论了地方和外部决策因素的相互作用如何最终决定欧盟资助的发展计划的活动，强调地方决策在农村发展中的好处，但也表明欧盟程序在不同程度上得到了实现。在此背景下，我们强调了地方标准如何塑造了 LEADER 在地方层面运作的自上而下的规则，说明了混合外生 - 内生发展的特征。我们讨论了地方和外部决策因素的相互作用如何最终决定欧盟资助的发展计划的活动，强调地方决策在农村发展中的好处，但也表明欧盟程序在不同程度上得到了实现。在此背景下，我们强调了地方标准如何塑造了 LEADER 在地方层面运作的自上而下的规则，说明了混合外生-内生发展的特征。我们讨论了地方和外部决策因素的相互作用如何最终决定欧盟资助的发展计划的活动，强调地方决策在农村发展中的好处，但也表明欧盟程序在不同程度上得到了实现。