Extremadura provides 200,000 euros in funding for the employment launchpads of Santa María la Real

The General Secretariat for Employment of the Extremadura Public Employment Service (SEXPE) has agreed to the direct granting of a subsidy of 200,000 euros to the Santa María la Real Foundation to finance the “Employment Launcher” project for the 2026 fiscal year. The decision is formalized through the Resolution of June 9, 2026, published in the Official Gazette of Extremadura number 169, dated September 1, 2026 (reference 2026062211).

The aid is structured as a direct and exceptional grant, without a public call, under article 22.4.c) and article 32 of Law 6/2011, of March 23, on Subsidies of the Autonomous Community of Extremadura, as it involves a non-profit private entity and reasons of public and social interest have been accredited. The entity submitted its application on February 18, 2026, accompanied by an action plan and certificates proving it is up to date with its tax and Social Security obligations.

A program with 10 launchers and three modalities

The project involves the development of 10 employment launchers during the execution period between March 2 and December 31, 2026:

• 2 Mixed Employment Launchers, with a unit cost of 25,813.12 euros.
• 4 Senior Employment Launchers, with a unit cost of 18,571.72 euros.
• 4 Women’s Employment Launchers, with a unit cost of 18,521.72 euros.

Transversally, 2 training courses of at least 50 hours are included for those who fail to enter the labor market or require qualification or professional reorientation. In-person actions will be carried out in two rounds in Cáceres and Badajoz, while the women’s launchers will be delivered in an online format, prioritizing rural towns such as Zorita, Cañaveral, Serradilla, Segura de León, Salvaleón, and Burguillos del Cerro.

A program with a track record and priority groups

The Santa María la Real Foundation (NIF G-34147827) is a non-profit institution that has developed the Employment Launchers program since 2012, with more than 950 launchers and nearly 28,000 people served across the national territory. Since 2021, SEXPE has financed 48 launchers that have boosted the employability of 1,060 people in Extremadura.

The program is aimed at groups with particular insertion difficulties:

• Unemployed women, with a female unemployment rate of 16.68% compared to 10.85% for men.
• People over 45 years old, who represent 54.50% of the unemployed people in the region.
• Long-term unemployed people, approximately 26,700 in Extremadura.
• People residing in rural environments, 34.77% of the unemployed.
• Other vulnerable groups, such as young people under 25 and foreign nationals.

The resolution justifies the measure based on the employment situation in Extremadura, with an unemployment rate of 13.56% in the third quarter of 2025, 3.11 points above the national average, and a risk of poverty or social exclusion index (AROPE) of 32.8%.

Payment, justification, and monitoring

Payment will be made in two installments: 50% in advance once the grant is accepted, and the remaining 50% upon justification of the completion of half of the activities. The entity is exempt from providing a guarantee. The intermediate justification must be submitted before November 15, 2026, and the final justification account before March 1, 2027.

The Fundación Santa María la Real must report monthly to the Directorate General for Employment on the individualized development of the actions, present a final results report, and deliver a methodological transfer dossier to the technical staff of the SEXPE. The plan commits to the insertion of at least 25% of the participants, with contracts of a minimum duration of one month.

The grant reinforces the Junta de Extremadura’s commitment to the employability of the most vulnerable groups in a context of high regional unemployment. With this funding, the “lanzaderas” (launchpad) program expands its territorial reach and consolidates a collaborative methodology that has demonstrated an average success rate of 47.17% in the region.

Source: Official Gazette of Extremadura, number 169, of September 1, 2026, section III (official reference: 2026062211).