This SHERPA Position Paper builds on the contributions of all 41 SHERPA Multi-Actor Platforms (MAPs) involved in the fourth (and final) cycle of the SHERPA project. During this final cycle, MAPs were asked to reflect on how to empower regional and local institutions and actors in multi-level decision-making processes in rural areas, and propose recommendations for policy and future research on this topic. Each MAP discussed the elements they found most relevant for their geographical area in relation to multi-level governance in rural areas, and used this as their MAP input for the development of this Position Paper. More information on this topic from each individual MAP can be found in the MAP Fiches.