The Provincial Council of León opens grants to repair rural schools

The Provincial Council of León has opened the 2026-2027 call for grants intended to finance repair, conservation, and improvement works in early childhood and primary education schools in rural areas. The provincial Governing Board, by delegation of the Plenary, approved the guidelines in its session on September 25, 2026, and the announcement is published in the Official Gazette of the Province of León no. 195, dated October 14, 2026. The call is endowed with 450,000 euros and is processed under references BOP-LE-2026-195001 (guidelines) and BOP-LE-2026-195002 (extract), with identification number BDNS 934514.

The grants are awarded on a competitive basis under article 17.2 of the General Grants Law 38/2003, of November 17, and the General Grants Ordinance of the Council, approved by the Plenary on July 27, 2022, and published in the BOP of León no. 206/2022, of October 27. The call implements the agreement signed between the provincial institution and the Department of Education of the Regional Government of Castilla y León and is included in the Strategic Grants Plan of the Council of León 2026-2028, approved by the Plenary on November 28, 2025, whose objective is to “finance repair, conservation, and improvement works in early childhood and primary education schools in rural areas.”

The file, processed under number 1780517Q, was signed by the deputy for Cooperation and SAM, Valentín Martínez Redondo, on October 9, 2026, by virtue of the delegation granted by Resolution 10355, of September 13, 2023. The expenditure is charged to budget application 401.45043.46239, with accounting entry RC 220269000262.

Beneficiaries and amount

• City councils in the province of León with a population of fewer than 20,000 inhabitants that own the properties where early childhood and primary education schools with classes during the 2026-2027 academic year are located may apply for the grants.
• The total endowment is 450,000 euros for the 2027 annual period: 300,000 euros provided by the Regional Government of Castilla y León and 150,000 euros by the Council of León.
• The maximum grant covers 80% of the construction project; beneficiary city councils must provide at least the remaining 20%.
• Fees for the drafting of technical projects or valued reports, nor those for health and safety management or coordination, are not considered eligible expenses.

Deadlines and evaluation criteria

Applications are submitted through the electronic office of the Provincial Council within thirty business days from the day following the publication of the summary in the BOP, accompanied by a technical document and a commitment from the competent body to provide the municipal portion. The execution of the works may take place between September 1, 2026, and September 1, 2027, and the justification period ends on September 15, 2027.

The Agreement Monitoring Commission scores the requests in this order:

• Roof repair: 5 points.
• Restroom renovation: 4 points.
• Removal of architectural barriers, including adapted restrooms: 3 points, which increase to 5 if students with mobility issues are accredited.
• Energy efficiency (lighting, windows, heating, or ventilation): 2 points.
• Repair, conservation, and improvement works for buildings, courtyards, annexes, or sports facilities: 1 point.

If more than one action is requested, only the one with the greatest economic weight is scored. The grant proposal is approved by the Governing Board, following a report from the auditing body, and is published along with the result of the draw for the 10% of beneficiaries who will be subject to a full verification of the justification.

Obligations and control

City councils must contract the work in accordance with Law 9/2017, of November 8, on Public Sector Contracts, place a funding dissemination sign during execution, and later replace it with a permanent plaque. Payment is made once the expenditure has been justified, with no possibility of an advance, and the grants are compatible with others from different public or private administrations, but incompatible with others from the Provincial Council itself.

The call for applications reaches all municipalities in the province with rural schools, which are the most exposed to infrastructure deterioration and the loss of students. With 450,000 euros and a point-based distribution that prioritizes roofs, restrooms, and accessibility, the Provincial Council and the Regional Government seek to ensure that rural centers start the school year in adequate conditions.

Source: Official Gazette of the Province of León, no. 195, of October 14, 2026, Local Administration, pages 4-17 of 75 (official reference: BOP-LE-2026-195001 and BOP-LE-2026-195002).