SEPE Grants 2026: Who Can Apply and How to Access

Key data

Trade unions, business associations and non-profit entities have an open window to access public funding from the SEPE in 2026 without going through a competitive process. The Royal Decree 370/2026, of May 6, regulates the direct granting of subsidies in the field of employment and vocational training for the 2026 budget year.

The key lies in the chosen mechanism: direct granting eliminates competition between entities, which reduces bureaucracy and accelerates access to funds. For organizations that meet the requirements, this represents a concrete opportunity to finance training programs or employment initiatives without depending on the outcome of an open call.

What does this regulation establish?

Royal Decree 370/2026 creates the legal framework that allows the SEPE to transfer public funds directly, without competitive bidding, to entities with competencies in training and employment during the 2026 budget year.

The central elements of the decree are:

• Direct granting: No competitive bidding is required between applicant entities. This streamlines the process and reduces uncertainty for beneficiaries.
• Scope of application: Subsidies in employment and vocational training matters.
• Budget year: Subsidies are linked exclusively to the 2026 budget year.
• Specific requirements: The decree establishes concrete access conditions, application deadlines and justification obligations that each entity must comply with.

The intended beneficiary entities under the decree are:

Economic and operational impact

For entities that fit the beneficiary profile, the impact is direct: access to public funding for employment and training programs without competing with other organizations. Direct granting eliminates the risk of being excluded by scoring criteria or by competition from other better-positioned entities.

For companies and self-employed workers, the impact is indirect but relevant:

• Business associations to which they belong can channel training programs for their employees funded by these subsidies.
• Hiring incentives that are implemented through these aids can reduce the cost of hiring new employees.
• Subsidized training for active workers improves team qualification at no direct cost to the company.

The main operational risk is not reviewing the decree's requirements and deadlines in time. Since it is a closed budget year (2026), unclaimed or incorrectly justified funds are lost with no possibility of recovery later.

Who does it affect?

Direct beneficiaries:

• Trade unions with activity in the labor and training sector.
• Business associations with competencies in employment or vocational training.
• Non-profit entities in the labor sector.
• Other organizations with recognized competencies in training and employment.

Indirect beneficiaries:

• Companies whose employees access training programs funded through these subsidies.
• Self-employed workers who hire employees under incentives implemented by beneficiary entities.
• Active workers or unemployed persons who participate in funded programs.

Not directly affected:

• Companies that do not belong to any beneficiary business association.
• Entities that do not meet the specific requirements established in the decree.

Practical example

A business association in the retail trade sector, with recognized competencies in vocational training, can benefit from Royal Decree 370/2026 to finance a digitalization training program for employees of its member companies.

Since it is a direct grant, the association does not compete with other entities in the sector: if it meets the decree's requirements and submits the application within the established deadline, it accesses the subsidy. Member companies, in turn, can offer this training to their employees without assuming the direct cost.

The critical point is justification: the decree establishes specific conditions to prove the use of funds. An association that does not correctly justify the subsidy received may be forced to return the amount and be excluded from future calls.

What should companies do now?

1. Identify if you belong to a beneficiary entity: Check if your company is a member of a business association that can benefit from Royal Decree 370/2026. If so, contact it to learn about available programs.
2. Review the specific requirements of the decree: Access the full text of the Royal Decree 370/2026 on the BOE and verify the access conditions applicable to your type of entity.
3. Verify application deadlines: The decree establishes specific deadlines for submitting the application. Since the budget year is 2026, the deadlines are tight. Do not wait until the last minute.
4. Prepare justification documentation: Direct granting does not exempt from justifying the use of funds. Prepare from the start the monitoring and documentation systems that prove the correct execution of funded programs.
5. Consult with a specialist advisor in public subsidies: If your entity fits the beneficiary profile, a professional review of the requirements and deadlines can make the difference between accessing financing or losing it.

Official source

Royal Decree 370/2026, of May 6, in the Official State Gazette (BOE)