FUNDA
Functional Danube Areas
The FUNDA project aims to enhance coherent governance in Functional Urban Areas across the Danube macro-region by testing FUA-specific solutions with digital and soft tools in pilot areas — focusing on public services, green infrastructure, and the economic environment — while promoting transnational collaboration of engaged cities and stakeholders through the FUA-NET model network.
Strengthening Institutional Capacities for Managing Functional Urban Areas in the Danube Region
The FUNDA project aims to improve cooperation between cities and surrounding municipalities across the Danube region, with a focus on planning and managing Functional Urban Areas (FUAs).
Project Information
Duration: April 1, 2025 – September 30, 2027
Status: Ongoing
Total Budget: €2,540,082
EU Co-financing: 80%
Countries involved: 9Project partners: 11
What is a Functional Urban Area?
A Functional Urban Area (FUA) is a territory organized around a city or urban center, where surrounding settlements are connected through:
- commuting flows
- economic activities
- public services
- infrastructure
- social and cultural interactions
These areas are not defined by administrative borders, but by real-life connections and everyday interactions.
Project Objectives
The FUNDA project supports sustainable urban–rural cooperation by strengthening:
- joint planning processes
- participatory decision-making
- data-driven development
- territorial governance
The project also develops digital and methodological tools, tests solutions through pilot actions, and contributes to building a long-term international cooperation network (FUA-NET).
Key Focus Areas
- Public services
- Green infrastructure
- Economic environment
- Territorial cooperation
- Strategic planning
- Participatory and data-driven governance
Partnership
The project is led by Lechner Knowledge Centre (Hungary), with partners from 9 countries.
The Serbian partner is CESCI Balkans, based in Novi Sad.