RDP design and delivery in the Netherlands has to be situated in ongoing devolution tendencies and recently introduced performance contracts. In multi-annual program periods national and provincial administrations agree on rural policy priority setting, investment budgets, co-financing responsibilities and a set of performances indicators that have to be full filled. Performance contracts challenge provincial administrations to deliver more integrated rural policies and to respond adequately to rural needs and manifold claims on land resources. From mainly controlling and implementation entities, provinces are expected to become pro-active in rural policy design and delivery.

The main research questions

• How is national RDP being incorporated in ongoing transition towards performance based contracts between national and provincial administration?
• In what ways does RDP strengthens / facilitates / hampers ongoing transition towards performance based multi-level governance? 

Research method

Rural policy design and delivery in the Province of Gelderland. Analysis of available qualitative and quantitative material will pay attention to stakeholder perceptions on the relevance of performance based contracts as a critical moment in provincial rural policy design and delivery and its interaction with RDP instruments. Open interviews (about 10-15) with relevant actors to check secondary data analysis findings and deepen insights around main research questions, snowball approach.