Cantabria announces 2.28 million in grants for ATMs in depopulated municipalities

The Government of Cantabria has announced, through a competitive bidding process, a grant of up to 2,279,500 euros aimed at incentivizing the installation, commissioning, operation, and maintenance of ATMs in municipalities affected by the risk of depopulation. The measure is formalized in Order PRE/141/2026, dated September 28, published in the Official Gazette of Cantabria (BOC) number 190, dated October 2, 2026, with reference CVE-2026-7654. The summary of the call appears in the same issue of the gazette under reference CVE-2026-7664, and the regulation bears the signature of the Councilor for Presidency, Justice, Security, and Administrative Simplification, María Isabel Urrutia de los Mozos.

The call is based on the regulatory frameworks approved by Order PRE/113/2026, dated July 30 (BOC number 149, dated August 5), and continues the project launched in 2021 by the General Directorate of Local Administration, Foreign Action, and Houses of Cantabria, under the Department of the Presidency, to provide a basic financial means to residents of rural areas. That initial impulse was structured through Order PRE/57/2021, dated July 12, regarding regulatory frameworks, and Order PRE/64/2021, dated August 19, which called for the 2021 grants with a duration of five years.

The target municipalities are those delimited in Order PRE/1/2025, dated January 2 (BOC number 2, dated January 3, 2025), to which those qualified by the sole additional provision of that order may be added, as well as Cillorigo de Liébana and Ruente, which lost their “at-risk” status in the last review but may continue to benefit from the action. The Department has formalized a collaboration agreement with each participating city council, as detailed in Annex I of the order, to ensure the provision of spaces and facilities.

Amount, annual installments, and number of ATMs

• The maximum amount of the grants totals 2,279,500 euros, charged to budget application 02.12.496M.771 and early processing expenditure file 2026/PR/40 (2026/338).
• Annual installments: 521,380 euros in 2027; 410,592 euros in each of the fiscal years 2028, 2029, 2030, and 2031; and 115,752 euros in 2032.
• The eligible actions will cover a maximum of 47 ATMs.
• The grant may cover up to 100% of the cost: a maximum of 4,820 euros for the installation, commissioning, and updating of each ATM, and up to 8,736 euros per year (728 euros per month) for operation and maintenance.

Who can apply and how it is awarded

• Eligible beneficiaries may include banking entities authorized to operate in Spain and entities specializing in payment methods authorized by the Bank of Spain.
• There will be a single beneficiary entity, which will be the one obtaining the highest score out of a maximum of 100 points.
• Evaluation criteria: up to 80 points for the lowest maintenance and operation cost, up to 12 points for functional improvements, and up to 8 points for reducing the installation period.
• The submission period is fifteen business days from the day following the publication of the summary, placing the closing date around October 23, 2026, via the General Electronic Registry of the Government of Cantabria.
• The resolution must be notified within a maximum of three months; the call is identified in the National Grants Database with number 932236.

Services and obligations of the awarded company

• ATMs must be installed within a maximum of 90 calendar days in the case of new construction or change of location, and within 30 calendar days if existing installations are utilized.
• They must operate 24 hours a day, every day of the year, with guaranteed operation for five years from the resolution of the grant.
• Breakdowns must be repaired within a maximum of 48 hours; in the event of serious vandalism or theft, the resolution period will be 15 calendar days.
• Required basic functions: cash withdrawal, balance and recent transaction inquiries, transfers between accounts, PIN change, and contactless and wallet technology.
• ATMs must be interoperable with all entities and cards, comply with private security regulations, and be provided under conditions of universal accessibility.
• Non-compliance will be penalized with 100 euros per day of delay or unavailable functionality.

The call guarantees the continuity of an essential service for the residents and businesses of the Cantabrian rural environment, avoiding travel to other towns to withdraw cash or check balances. The competitive bidding model with a single beneficiary entity concentrates the network in a single company, which is obliged to keep the ATMs operational every day of the year and to report quarterly on the number of operations performed.

Source: Official Gazette of Cantabria, number 190, of October 2, 2026, section 6. Grants and aids, pages 49003-49020 (official reference: CVE-2026-7654; summary in CVE-2026-7664, pages 49021-49022).