During 2007 two comprehensive community networks are established by means of economic support from the Ministry of Environment and the Ministry of Local Government and Regional Development: Green energy communities and “Vigorus” communities. The ambition is to involve 200 out of 431 Norwegian municipalities in these two networks. The goals of the netttworks are:

• To develop a more offensive policy on sustainable development in the participating communities in close co-operation with the inhabitants, NGOs, local business and regional and national authorities
• To strengthen the competence in the communities on sustainable development.
• To develop and utilise tools and methods that support the local work on sustainable development
• To develop new indicators that can assess the local work on sustainable development for use at the national level of governance
• To contribute in developing new and adjusting existing national framework conditions that are important for the local work on sustainable development

The evaluation will address the following research questions: What are the goal achievements of the two networks? (2) What are the possible non-intended effects of the two networks? What are the effect of using government to establish networks as a means to stimulate communities in their work for sustainable development? The project is a joint effort between Western Norway Research Institute, Møre research, Oslo University College and the Idea bank (an environmental NGO). The latter organisation has the responsibility for popular publication of the results from the evaluation.