LEADER is the European Union’s place-based, participatory and bottom-up approach to rural development. It is based on a set of seven core principles, which have remained unchanged over time: - area-based local development strategies; - a bottom-up approach; - public-private partnerships; - facilitating innovation; - integrated and multi-sectoral actions; - networking; and - co-operation. LEADER has been delivered in rural Scotland since 1991. This research, commissioned by the Scottish Government and carried out by a team from SRUC’s Rural Policy Centre, reviews the achievements of LEADER in Scotland over time to explore its legacy and the key factors which have contributed to the impacts that it has had.