Santander opens grants of up to 5,000 euros for hiring young people and women over 45

The Santander City Council has announced the Santander Crea y Emplea grants, two subsidy lines aimed at entrepreneurship and the hiring of young people, women aged 45 or older, and returning youth. The call was approved by agreement of the Local Government Board on October 13, 2026, and its summary is published in the Official Gazette of Cantabria no. 204, dated October 23, 2026, with official reference CVE-2026-8249. The deadline for submitting applications is 20 calendar days starting from the day following the publication of the summary.

Regulatory framework and governing rules

The call is governed by the regulatory bases for Grants aimed at the Promotion of Employment, Entrepreneurship, and Business Development, published in the Official Gazette of Cantabria no. 112, dated June 11, 2024. The summary is disseminated in accordance with articles 17.3.b and 20.8.a of Law 38/2003, of November 17, General Subsidies Law, and the full text can be consulted in the National Grants Database with the identifier BDNS 936129.

The signing body is the delegated Department of Employment, Entrepreneurship, and Business Development, headed by Isabel Gómez-Barreda García, according to the document dated in Santander on October 14, 2026.

Santander Crea Program: up to 4,000 euros for new businesses

The first line supports the launch of new business, commercial, or professional activities in the municipality, with priority for projects led by young people and women aged 45 or older. Natural and legal persons who have started their activity in Santander between June 17, 2025, and the date of application submission may apply, provided they have not carried out business or professional activity in the previous twenty-four months.

The maximum amounts are as follows:

• Over 30 years old (or 35 with a disability equal to or greater than 33%): up to 100% of investment and startup costs, with a minimum justified investment of 1,000 euros, taxes excluded, and a maximum of 3,000 euros.
• Persons aged 30 or younger (or 35 with a disability): base grant of 1,000 euros plus up to 3,000 additional euros, with no minimum investment required, up to a maximum of 4,000 euros.
• Women aged 45 or older (or 40 with a disability): base grant of 1,000 euros plus up to 3,000 additional euros, with no minimum investment, up to 4,000 euros.

Santander Emplea Program: 4,000 euros per contract

The second line seeks to facilitate labor market access for young people and women aged 45 or older registered in Santander and to encourage the return of young talent. It is aimed at natural and legal persons with a workplace in the city who, between September 18, 2025, and the date of the application, hire or have hired the aforementioned groups, transfer young people to a workplace in Santander, or hire returning young people. Cooperatives and labor companies that incorporate young people or women meeting these characteristics as partners may also be beneficiaries.

The amounts are:

• 4,000 euros for each formalized contract, with an additional 1,000 euros if the workforce consists of 10 or fewer workers.
• 5,000 euros if the hired person is a returning youth and the company has more than 10 workers, with an additional 1,000 euros if the workforce does not exceed ten.
• 2,000 euros when the incorporation results from the transfer of a returning youth to a headquarters in Santander, in companies with more than 10 workers, increasable by 1,000 euros for workforces of ten or fewer.
• Part-time contracts reduce the amount proportionally to the working day and are not eligible for subsidies if it is less than 50% of the usual day.

A returning youth is considered to be a person aged 30 or younger (35 with a disability equal to or greater than 33%) born or registered in Santander for at least the three years prior to their departure from the municipality, who has resided outside the city for the three months prior to the formalization of the contract or the transfer, and who is registered in the municipality at the time of submitting the application.

Impact for freelancers and small businesses

The call combines support for initial investment and direct hiring bonuses, with preferential treatment for profiles with greater insertion difficulties and for small workforces. For freelancers and micro-SMEs in Santander, the hiring incentive can reach 5,000 euros per worker, while new businesses can fully cover their startup costs. The deadline is tight: 20 calendar days from the day following October 23, 2026, therefore applications must be prepared in advance and submitted in accordance with the guidelines published in 2024.

Source: Official Gazette of Cantabria, no. 204, of October 23, 2026, section 6 (Santander City Council), pp. 54879-54880 (official reference: CVE-2026-8249).