The Public Call process for participation in the third phase of the Regional Programme on Local Democracy in the Western Balkans (ReLOaD3) has been completed, and the following clusters of local self-governments have been selected:

• Nexus Maris – Municipalities of Bar, Budva and Kotor
• Moving Forward Together – Municipalities of Nikšić and Plužine
• Tara– Municipalities of Mojkovac and Pljevlja
• Central Region – Municipality of Danilovgrad and the Capital City of Podgorica
• The North Matters – Municipalities of Berane and Bijelo Polje

The ReLOaD3 programme, implemented by UNDP with the financial support of the European Union, continues the success of the previous phases of this regional initiative, which has been strengthening local communities since 2017 in six Western Balkan economies: Albania, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Kosovo*, Montenegro, North Macedonia and Serbia.

The third phase of the programme began on 1 February 2025 and will be implemented over a four-year period. Its focus is on enhancing cooperation between local self-governments and civil society organisations through transparent funding of projects that address the needs of citizens, with a particular emphasis on youth.

The selected clusters will receive technical support in adopting and implementing a development-oriented, project-based approach to funding civil society initiatives. This approach will foster participatory democracy and contribute to the EU integration process in the Western Balkans.

More information about the ReLOaD3 programme is available here.

*For UNDP, all references to Kosovo shall be understood in the context of United Nations Security Council Resolution 1244 (1999).