The Regional Programme on Local Democracy in the Western Balkans 3 (ReLOaD3) is implemented by UNDP with financial support from the European Union (EU).

The goal of the ReLOaD3 initiative is to improve the quality of life and strengthen democracy in local communities by enhancing cooperation between local authorities and civil society organizations (CSOs), as well as by encouraging the more active involvement of citizens in decision‑making processes.

In Serbia, ReLOaD3 is implemented in partnership with five local self‑governments: Aranđelovac, Vranje, Vrnjačka Banja, Ćuprija, and Šabac.

ReLOaD3 supports these local self‑governments in improving mechanisms for the public financing of civil society organizations by applying a proven model of transparent CSO funding (the LOD methodology). The initiative also provides support to civil society organizations through capacity‑building and the provision of grants for the implementation of projects that address locally identified priorities in the five partner cities and municipalities. In this way, ReLOaD3 contributes to ensuring that citizens in these local communities receive higher‑quality services that respond to their real needs.

As a regional initiative, ReLOaD3 is implemented across the Western Balkans, specifically in Albania, Bosnia and Herzegovina (BiH), Kosovo*, North Macedonia, Montenegro, and Serbia. It builds on earlier successful initiatives also financially supported by the EU – the Local Democracy Strengthening Project (LOD, 2009–2016), the Regional Programme on Local Democracy in the Western Balkans (ReLOaD, 2017–2020), and ReLOaD2 (2021–2024).

* For the European Union, this designation is without prejudice to positions on status and is in line with United Nations Security Council Resolution 1244/1999 and the International Court of Justice Opinion on the Kosovo declaration of independence. For UNDP, all references to Kosovo shall be understood in the context of UN Security Council Resolution 1244/1999.