The government delegate in Galicia, Pedro Blanco, today encouraged the Galician municipalities of less than 5,000 inhabitants to avail themselves of the new grants called by the Ministry for Ecological Transition and the Demographic Challenge (MITECO) to promote innovative projects and tackle depopulation.

He transferred it during his visit to the City Council of Xermade (Lugo), where, accompanied by the subdelegate of the Government in Lugo, Olimpia López, he held an institutional meeting with the mayor, Roberto García Pernas, in which he reported in detail on the characteristics of this call and its potential impact on the Galician rural.

Pedro Blanco stressed that this aid, with a total budget of 52 million euros, more than double that in the previous call, “is a real opportunity to transform the territory, support entrepreneurship, improve services and generate opportunities in municipalities with greater demographic difficulties.”

The delegate stressed that the Government of Spain “maintains a clear commitment to rural areas, with active policies that translate into concrete resources for municipalities and the social and economic fabric”.

The grants are aimed at financing innovative projects for territorial transformation and the fight against depopulation in municipalities or population centres of less than 5,000 inhabitants. They include three modalities: projects promoted by local entities; by non-profit entities of supraprovincial scope; and by SMEs, autonomous persons and entities of the social economy.

The projects may be aimed, among other areas, at improving public services, supporting rural entrepreneurship, culture and leisure, social and care services, mobility, housing, associationism or the recovery of areas affected by fires and other natural disasters.

Grants of up to 300,000 euros per project, with funding of up to 90%

The grants can cover up to 90% of the eligible cost in the case of local entities and non-profit entities, with a maximum amount of 300,000 euros per project, and up to 70% in the case of SMEs and self-employed persons.

The deadline for submitting applications will be 20 January 2026 and selected projects can be implemented until 2028.

Pedro Blanco encouraged the small Galician municipalities, companies and rural entities to “take advantage of this call and present ambitious and transformative projects”, reiterating the willingness of the Government Delegation to inform and accompany the interested entities.

Government investments in Xermade

During the meeting, the delegate and the mayor also reviewed the investments of the Government in the municipality, highlighting the implementation of a Classroom Mentor or the more than 400,000 euros of Just Transition funds to rehabilitate the old rectoral house and turn it into the International Center of the Tornaria.

Pedro Blanco pointed out Xermade as “an example of dynamism and shows how rural people can generate activity, attract initiatives and combat depopulation when they have public support”, reiterating the Government’s commitment to equal rights and services regardless of where they live.