LEADER Heraklion: €2.4m for rural investments, applications open 12 November
End date: 27/01/2027 (15:00)
The Heraklion Development Agency (ANHER), acting as Local Action Group, published the 1st call of the CLLD LEADER Local Programme for Heraklion (call code KAP-045) on 3 November 2026. The call funds the establishment, modernisation, expansion or relocation of businesses in the rural areas of the Regional Unit of Heraklion, with aid rates from 60% to 80% for investments and up to 100% for training and cooperation. The indicative public expenditure available is €2,404,000.
Key facts
Source: call KAP-045, chapters 3, 5 and 6.
Tourism and agri-food processing take 62% of the funds
Of the €2,404,000, €800,000 goes to tourism and €690,000 to the processing of agricultural products. In sub-measures 1.1 to 1.7 the budget for intangible actions (studies, certifications, training) is capped at €20,000.
Where two rates are given, the first applies to micro and small businesses and the second to medium and large ones. Source: call KAP-045, chapters 1 and 3, Annex II.
Area covered
The call covers communities in all eight municipalities of the Regional Unit of Heraklion (Archanes-Asterousia, Viannos, Gortyna, Heraklion, Malevizi, Minoa Pediada, Phaistos, Hersonissos), with 145,353 permanent residents. The city of Heraklion is excluded, apart from ten peri-urban settlements such as Gournes, Knossos and Foinikia. Check the exact community of the project in Table 1 of the call, because some sub-measures have additional exclusions:
- Heraklion Industrial Area (VIPE): excluded for sub-measures 1.1, 1.2 and 1.4.
- Nea Alikarnassos and Kallithea: excluded for sub-measures 1.6 and 1.7.
- Tourism: separate geographical conditions, described below.
Tourism has the strictest conditions
Sub-measure 1.5 has the most money, but also the most exclusions:
- New accommodation is funded only in mountainous areas, with the exception of Vasileies and Stalida. A building permit is an eligibility criterion. Camping is not subject to the mountain restriction.
- Modernisation of accommodation and the establishment or modernisation of food service businesses are excluded in the settlements of Heraklion, Vasileies, Skalani, Nea Alikarnassos, Kallithea, Limenas Hersonissou, Hersonissos, Malia, Stalida and Gazi.
- Visitable educational farms must be located on, or connected to, the "OREA KRITI" or "LOCAL TOUR" routes and must hold a service activity code (KAD) separate from the primary sector.
- Other tourism businesses (alternative tourism agencies, tour guides, mountain guides, themed visitor sites) are eligible throughout the area.
Conditions that often rule projects out
- A project completed before submission, or with less than 10% of the requested budget still to be spent, is rejected. Expenditure from 01/01/2023 is in principle eligible.
- A new business for which an operating licence has already been issued is not eligible.
- In sub-measures 1.1, 1.2, 1.4 and 1.5, 10% of expenditure must relate to environmental protection, energy or water saving, or innovation (e.g. photovoltaics, heat pump, automation).
- All sub-measures except 1.1 are granted as de minimis aid: up to €300,000 in total per single undertaking over a rolling three-year period, including any aid already received.
- Olive mills are supported only for conversion to two-phase systems.
- Quotations supporting reasonable cost must be detailed, comparable and from unrelated suppliers. Building works are costed using the simplified cost guide.
After approval
An advance payment of up to 50% of the public aid may be requested. Within 18 months of the approval decision, a payment claim of at least 15% of the public expenditure must be submitted, otherwise the approval is revoked. The investment must be maintained for 3 years from the final payment for SMEs and for 5 years for accommodation, infrastructure projects and projects on leased or granted property.
MDC Stiakakis carries out an eligibility pre-check (community, activity code, de minimis history) and undertakes the viability study and the submission of the application on OPSKE.
This article summarises the call with protocol no. 1348/03-11-2026 and does not replace it. The full text and any amendments, published at www.anher.gr, are binding.
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