Aragón grants 398,901 euros to rural multi-service centers to combat depopulation

The Department of Housing, Development, Logistics, and Territorial Cohesion of the Government of Aragon has resolved the call for grants to local entities intended for the maintenance, improvement, equipment, and modernization of Rural Multi-service establishments, with a total granted amount of 398,901.28 euros. The decision is formalized in Order VFL/1364/2026, of September 11, published in the Official Gazette of Aragon number 186, of September 24, 2026, in section III of Other Provisions and Agreements (official reference BOA20260924015). The regulation bears the signature of Councilor Octavio López Rodríguez.

The call is framed within the Special Territorial Planning Guideline for Demographic Policy and against Depopulation, approved by Decree 165/2017, of October 31, and is financed by the Territorial Cohesion Fund, regulated in article 45 of Law 17/2023, of December 22, on the Budgets of the Autonomous Community of Aragon for 2024 and extended for 2026. The regulatory bases are those of Order VMV/1795/2021, of November 30, and the applied line is the third base, letter b), point 1, “Economic activities and labor market,” linked to axes 1 and 10 of the Guideline.

A network of basic services in rural areas

The stated objective is to consolidate, renew, and update a network of establishments that guarantees the provision of basic services in rural areas that are less economically and demographically developed, where private initiative does not reach or is disappearing. The recipients are the local entities that own establishments affiliated with the Rural Multi-service Network of Aragon.

The actions seek to facilitate access to services such as:

• The acquisition of basic necessity products.
• Basic banking services.
• Hospitality services.
• Access to culture and the practice of physical or sporting activity, as a novelty of this call.

The call was published via Order FOM/549/2026, of March 30, in the Official Gazette of Aragon number 73, of April 17, 2026, with a total credit of 400,000.00 euros linked to chapter VII expenditure (capital transfers). The actions are financed through budget application 13070/G/1260/760145/91002, PEP 2018/000140.

Six allegations and final resolution

Following the application deadline on June 2, 2026, the Evaluation Commission issued a report on July 21, 2026, and the Director General of Depopulation, as the instructing body, issued the provisional resolution proposal on that same day, published in the Official Gazette of Aragon number 148, of August 3, 2026, with five business days for allegations.

The period for submitting allegations concluded on August 10, 2026, with 6 allegations filed. The Evaluation Commission met on August 31, 2026, and the Director General of Depopulation submitted the proposal for the final resolution on September 1, 2026, with the following result:

• Allegations for files FCT-2026-EELL-MSR-029, FCT-2026-EELL-MSR-049, FCT-2026-EELL-MSR-057, and FCT-2026-EELL-MSR-086 were dismissed.
• The allegation for file FCT-2026-EELL-MSR-082 was upheld.
• The allegation for file FCT-2026-EELL-MSR-021 was partially upheld.

The Order approves the admitted applications and their scores (Annex I), those fully or partially upheld for 398,901.28 euros (Annex II), those dismissed due to insufficient credit (Annex III), and those deemed inadmissible (Annex IV). The annexes can be consulted at the link published by the Government of Aragon.

Execution, justification, and appeal deadlines

The period for carrying out the subsidized activity spans from September 1, 2025, to October 25, 2026, both inclusive. The justification to the Directorate General of Depopulation may be submitted from the day following the publication of the Order until October 31, 2026, inclusive.

If no express waiver is made within ten business days from the publication, the aid is understood to be tacitly accepted. The waiver is processed electronically at the electronic office of the Public Administration of the Autonomous Community of Aragon, under procedure number 11469. Released surpluses may be reassigned to applications in Annex III in order of score.

An optional appeal for reversal may be filed against the Order before the counselor within one month, or a contentious-administrative appeal may be filed before the Contentious-Administrative Chamber of the High Court of Justice of Aragon within two months.

The impact of these grants is direct on the daily life of the smallest municipalities: sustaining multi-service centers avoids travel to buy basic products, conduct banking operations, or access hospitality services, and reinforces a fragile sector in the territories most affected by population loss. With nearly all the credit committed, the 2026 call excludes applicants due to lack of funds, which points to a demand exceeding the planned allocation.

Source: Official Gazette of Aragon, number 186, of September 24, 2026, section III. Other Provisions and Agreements (official reference: BOA20260924015).