The Association of Bialystok Functional Area was established at a founding meeting on 6 December 2013. It was registered in the National Court Register on 13 January 2014.
The Association of Białystok Functional Area comprises: the capital of the Podlaskie Voivodeship - the city of Białystok and 9 municipalities belonging to the poviat Białystok, including the urban-rural municipalities: Choroszcz, Czarna Białostocka, Łapy, Supraśl, Wasilków, Zabłudów and the rural municipalities: Dobrzyniewo Duże, Juchnowiec Kościelny, Turośń Kościelna.
The Białystok Functional Area is located in the central part of Podlaskie Voivodeship and covers an area of 1,728.15 km², i.e. 8.6% of the voivodeship's area. The Białystok Functional Area is inhabited by over 413 000 people, i.e. around 34% of the population of the Podlaskie Voivodeship.
Objectives:
1) preparation and implementation of the common development strategy for the functional area, hereinafter referred to as the Strategy;
2) preparation and implementation of documents, plans, concepts other than the Strategy, concerning the development of municipalities of the Association within their territory;
3) acquiring external funds, i.e. domestic and foreign funds, including European Union funds, for the implementation of joint tasks;
4) cooperation to effectively use financial resources of the Regional Operational Programme of Podlaskie Voivodeship for 2014-2020 and the programme European Funds for Podlaskie for 2021-2027, in particular within the framework of Integrated Territorial Investments;
5) initiating and supporting cooperation between members of the Association in the preparation and implementation of projects and undertakings financed from the funds referred to in points 1 - 4;
6) coordinating activities related to the implementation of joint development projects financed from the funds referred to in points 1 - 4;
7) popularising the idea of local and regional self-government and supporting its development;
8) protecting the common interests of the Association Members;
9) initiating cooperation of the Association Members within the scope of own and commissioned tasks resulting from the Act on Municipal Self-Government;
10) supporting the members of the Association in the implementation of their own and commissioned tasks arising from the Act on Municipal Self-Government;
11) performing the function of an intermediate body in the event of entrusting the implementation of tasks by the Managing Authority;
12) integrating the Members of the Association, in matters concerning tourism;
13) the tourism promotion of the Białystok Functional Area;
14) developing tourist information concerning the Białystok Functional Area;
15) coordinating tourist activities, including tourist information and pro-tourist activities of the Association Members;
16) initiating, giving opinions on and supporting plans for the development and modernisation of tourist infrastructure in the Białystok Functional Area;
17) cooperation with regional, national and international organisations aimed at supporting the development and promotion of tourism;
18) conducting research and analysis in the field of tourism related to the Białystok Functional Area;
19) supporting environmental protection and educating the public on sustainable development and the economical as well as environmentally friendly use of energy.
Tasks:
1) the performance of tasks concerning the preparation and implementation of the Strategy;
2) the performance of tasks concerning the preparation and implementation of documents, plans and concepts other than the Strategy, concerning the development of the municipalities of the Association within their territory;
3) the performance of tasks concerning the implementation of projects co-financed from national and European funds, including those from the Regional Operational Programme of the Podlaskie Voivodeship for 2014-2020 and the European Funds for Podlaskie for 2021-2027 programme, in particular within the framework of Integrated Territorial Investments;
4) expressing opinions and positions of the Association members towards the government administration (central and voivodeship) and voivodeship self-government, as well as other self-government, economic and social organisations;
5) cooperation and exchange of information between municipalities, districts and voivodeship self-government;
6) applying for funding from national and European funds as well as organizing and carrying out work related to the implementation of projects involving external funds;
7) participating as a leader or partner in the implementation of projects financed from national and foreign funds, including projects with the participation of foreign entities;
8) organizing meetings, seminars, preparing publications familiarizing interested groups of the population and institutions as well as other entities with innovative possibilities of energy utilization;
9) undertaking all other tasks aimed at achieving the objectives of the Association.
