About us

ICRA was established in 1999 as a limited liability company, owned by Municipalities of Idrija and Cerkno. Its purpose is to promote local development in the sub-region of Idrija and Cerkno, but it operates also on regional level as part of regional development agency for Goriška region. 

ICRA operates in the following fields:

• Business development
• Human resource development
• Rural development
• Regional development
• Environment and spatial planning
• Cultural heritage preservation and development

Employees have a lot of experiences in project management in the field of fostering development of entrepreneurship, human resources, environment and spatial planning, rural development, cultural heritage and tourism. Employees are involved in different projects on local, regional or international level. We have enough resources – human and financial – for running such projects.

We are very result oriented, so we seek and prepare projects that have a tangible impact. We are connecting different stakeholders of local and regional development. We have lots of experiences, connections and good practise from different EU projects. 

Some of our references:

• LUIGI (Linking Urban and Inner-Alpine Green Infrastructure - Multifunctional Ecosystem Services for more liveable territories) / program Interreg Alpine Space / duration 2019 – 2022
  
• CHEERS (Cultural HEritagE. Risks and Securing activities) is a European project dealing with the protection of cultural heritage exposed to various environmental risks, such as natural disasters, climate change, etc. / Program Interreg Alpine Space / duration 2019 – 2021.
• BhENEFIT (built heritage, energy and environmental – friendly integrated tools for sustainable management of historic urban areas) Preservation of architectural heritage must meet the modern needs of a changing world, so the BhENEFIT project proposes a comprehensive approach to the management of built architectural heritage (Historic Built Areas-HBA), taking into account a wide range of interrelated aspects of daily maintenance in relation to sustainable conservation and valuing cultural heritage. / Program Interreg Central Europe / duration 2017 - 2020.
• INTESI (Integrated spatial strategies for the provision of services of general interest) / The presence of services of general interest (shorter GSP) is one of the basic conditions for the connectivity and accessibility of Alpine areas. Their establishment and provision are the responsibility of different levels of government. Typically, authorities and service providers have a strictly sectoral approach to providing GSP, leading to narrowly focused solutions that do not exploit synergy potentials and do not optimize the use of public money. The project is based on the exchange of experience and knowledge. Idrija-Cerkno was pilot region and ICRA was external experts for pilot activities. / Program Interreg Alpine Space / duration 2015 - 2018.
• Re-growCity / With the project, the municipality of Idrija addresses the problems of modern times, especially loneliness and lack of sociability and socializing. The main tasks of the project are the preparation of agreements for the establishment of community space based on visits to good practices, preparation of plans for the establishment of community space, organization of an international workshop on tackling demographic change (Idrija, October 2019) and promotional activities for community space. / Program URBACT III / duration 2019 - 2021.
• City Centre Doctor / The project was concerned with downtown innovation. ICRA was part of ULG team and external expert for project management. / Program URBACT III / duration 2017-2018.
• 3SMART (Smart Building-Smart Grit-Smart City)/ Modular software tool for energy management on building and distribution grid side. Five pilot actions in different Danube Region countries including buildings and grids with intersected technology / regulatory setups. Strategy to enable city-wide energy management and related regulatory barriers removal in the Danube Region./ Program Interreg Danube / duration 2017-2019.
• Regional network of cycling connections of Goriška region / ERDF fund and Municipalities in Goriška region / in progress.
• Basic and professional competencies / The purpose of the operation is to increase the involvement of adults in lifelong learning and to improve the competencies they need due to the needs of the labour market, greater employability and mobility, and personal development and functioning in modern society. The aim of the operation is to improve the basic and professional competencies of adults who are less educated and older than 45 years. / ESF and Ministry of education, science and sport. / Duration 2018 – 2022 (before this was similar operation 2016 - 2018).
• Idrija žlikrofi - guaranteed traditional specialty. Idrija-Cerkno Development Agency, manages and monitors the procedures for maintaining the certificate. / From 2002.
• Regional spatial planning / pilot MOP - Pilot project for the implementation of spatial and construction legislation and in more detail the pillar related to the verification of the process of preparation of the regional spatial plan. / Ministry of environment and spatial planning from duration 2020 - 2022
• SPOT - implementation of comprehensive support services for potential entrepreneurs and SMEs, networking of various institutions and establishing partnerships to promote entrepreneurship at local and regional level, recording needs at local and regional level, reporting on perceived administrative barriers by consultants in the creation and operation of companies. /ERDF fund / duration 2017 -2022.

Projects from CLLD program:

• Protected area of nature / Partners in the LAG have prepared a joint project in order to preserve the natural heritage of the mountain environment and the Upper Idrijca Landscape Park and present and promote it in a modern way and bring it closer to all interested. / EAFRD fund / duration 2020 - 2022.
• Artisans / The project is based on the identified common needs and opportunities in the field of documenting traditional handicraft skills. / EAFRD fund / duration 2020 – 2022.
• NAOKOLI (nature, environment, integration) is an operation that deals with the integration of the contents of the protection and conservation of nature and the environment into various products. / EAFRD fund / duration 2020 – 2022.
• Smelting furnaces / The purpose of the operation is to support the research and protection of cultural heritage and further development of content related to the heritage of the Idrija mercury mine. / EAFRD fund / duration 2020 – 2021.
• Rural Challenges / The activities in the project follow the educational needs of the target groups in rural areas, as well as raising awareness about nature conservation and protection, and follows the principles of sustainable development. / EAFRD fund / duration 2018 – 2020.
• Let’s meet at the market / The aim of the project is to connect, network and coordinate local providers, development work, improving the quality of the culinary offer, increasing self-sufficiency, new activities in rural areas, improving the conditions for the operation of the local market. / ERDF fund / duration 2018 – 2022.
• FORMICA / Creating conditions for new jobs and strengthening entrepreneurship / ERDF fund / duration 2018 – 2022.
• Strengthening the community / Establishment of community centres, work with vulnerable groups, training of coordinators. EAFRD fund / duration 2020 – 2022.

Older EU projects:

• Idrija - Mercury Mine smelter area - 1st phase of renovation/ Norwegian fund / 2015 – 2017.
• Praticons / Architectural heritage conservation practices / Interreg Slovenia – Italy / 2012 – 2015.
• Enjoytour / Bon Appetit across cross-border flavours / Interreg Slovenia – Italy / 2012 – 2015.
• LANATURA / Tradition and innovation in the use of animal materials / Interreg Slovenia – Italy / 2011 – 2014.