Paju City Announces Contest for "2026 Village Community Resident Proposal Project"

Public Recruitment Open from January 27 to February 23

Paju City in Gyeonggi Province will publicly recruit communities to participate in the "2026 Village Community Resident Proposal Contest Project" from January 27 to February 23.

Paju City Hall exterior. Provided by Paju City

The Village Community Resident Proposal Contest Project is a resident-led initiative in which residents directly propose and implement projects aimed at solving local issues and restoring the community. A total project budget of 120 million won will be provided to support these efforts.

Eligible applicants are groups of 10 or more residents who either reside in Paju City or have their daily lives (such as work or school) based there. Groups in the formation stage with at least 5 members may also apply. Applications must be submitted with the required documents to the administrative welfare center in the area where the group is based by 6:00 p.m. on February 23.

The recruitment target is approximately 41 groups in total, with around 34 for the general contest and 7 for the designated contest. The general contest is divided into three categories based on prior participation experience: about 18 groups in the formation stage (first year), about 10 in the growth stage (second year), and about 6 in the sustainability stage (third year). The designated contest is divided into three fields: village media, apartment complexes, and basic society-type communities. Selected communities will receive project funding ranging from 2 million won to a maximum of 6 million won, depending on the stage.

In particular, the basic society-type village community is a newly established pilot model this year, in line with the city’s policy goal of "Building a Leading City for a Basic Society." This model refers to a local community that guarantees the essentials of life by operating services such as housing, education, culture, and care at the village level. The purpose of the basic society-type village community is to transform the village into a field-based medium for realizing a basic society and to restore the true meaning of community.

Project participants will be selected through a review process in March, and further details can be found in the announcement posted on the Paju City Hall website.

Lee Igoo, Head of the Livelihood Economy Division, stated, "The process of residents discovering and solving village issues themselves is the starting point for revitalizing village communities," adding, "We look forward to your creative proposals and active participation."