The aim of the paper is to present good practices of the European funds for protection and use natural and cultural heritage resources in rural areas. Such examples demonstrates that tourism development, promotion of traditional material and non-material culture as well as natural environment protection could accompany local economy development. Good practices also result in local self-governments’ activation, local small entrepreneurship development and improvement of quality of life in rural areas. In Poland, the Pilot Program Leader+ was implemented in years 2004–2006 and since then it has been an attractive option for rural society, a way to get funds for development. About eighty projects have won competitions and have been subsidized. The paper presents analysis of 25-projects sample, mainly concerning proposed activities supporting cultural and natural landscape, being a part of national strategy for rural areas sustainable development.

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