Across Europe, hunting associations are looking for practical ways to help hunters improve their skills in safe, structured, and engaging settings. One great opportunity is EU LEADER funding. This funding can help local hunting clubs invest in high-tech hunting and shooting simulators. These tools are excellent for hunter education, shooting practice, safety training, and bringing the community together at game fairs and local events.

LEADER is a community-led local development initiative under the EU’s Common Agricultural Policy (CAP). It is run locally by Local Action Groups (LAGs), which follow a specific strategy for their area. Because of this, rules, priorities, and funding limits vary between countries and regions. If your hunting club is interested, you should contact your local LAG early on to check if your project fits and to understand the application and co-financing rules.

SimWay AB, a FACE Patron, has years of experience building training simulators for hunters and shooters worldwide. They work closely with hunting professionals, clubs, and regional associations to make simulation technology a practical tool for daily training.

Success in using LEADER funding
Experience from some Nordic countries shows exactly how LEADER funding can bring hunting simulators to life. Several local and regional hunting clubs have successfully used this support to invest in simulators for:

• Hunter education and safety training
• Shooting practice and skills development
• Youth engagement and community activities
• Exhibitions and hunting fairs

In Finland, SimWay teamed up with the Finnish Hunters’ Association to see how LEADER funding could support hunter education and how to share these success stories. For example, in northern Finland, a small community joined forces with local hunting clubs to buy a simulator through LEADER funding. Today, that simulator is a shared training hub for local hunters and young people.

Key Takeaways for Applicants
This experience proves that LEADER funding is a powerful funding tool for hunting associations when projects align with local rural development goals. To build a strong application, you should:

• Link the project clearly to your local LEADER strategy
• Show the benefits to the wider rural community
• Highlight the educational and safety value of the simulator
• Apply directly through your competent Local Action Group

Moving forward, please get in touch if you wish to explore this funding pathway for hunter education. By sharing these practical examples across our network, we can help hunting organisations assess whether similar projects could work in their own countries and regions to support sustainable hunting and safety.