The ninth edition of the Impulsem el que fas [We promote what you do] programme of grants, awarded by Barcelona City Council through Barcelona Activa to help grow the local economy, focuses on local commerce and creating quality jobs. For this reason, the 2025 call for applications, which opens at the end of June with a budget of €2.5 million, is structured into eight categories, the first three of which are focused on stimulating and protecting the local business fabric.

These first three categories are focused on making use of vacant ground floor premises and opening new stalls in municipal markets, activating municipal ground floor premises that are currently vacant, and diversifying the economy and promoting shops and services in areas with large numbers of tourists.

Specifically, this category of subsidies focuses on three of the areas defined as Espais de Gran Afluència (EGA), or High-Visitor Areas: the Sagrada Família, the area around Park Güell and the Boqueria-Gardunya-Plaça Reial area. This category is for both established local shops and services with a surface area of under 200 m2, and for the establishment of new local economic activities.

“The ‘Impulsem el que fas’ subsidies aim to help generate economic activity and quality employment in the city, in line with the objectives of the Barcelona Impulsa strategy, and in this year’s call for applications there is a particular emphasis on supporting the local business fabric and, specifically, businesses in areas with large numbers of tourists, to help maintain existing businesses and launch new activities that are focused on the needs of local residents. “There is also an emphasis on new categories to bring about innovation in the care sector and to support the professional growth of women” said the head of the Deputy Mayor’s Office for Social Rights, Economic Promotion, Employment, Feminism and Democratic Memory, Raquel Gil.

The other categories, in detail

• Category 2 of these grants aims to promote socio-economic innovation and the Social and Solidarity Economy, as well as new economic initiatives with a positive environmental and social impact.
• Category 3 focuses on fostering quality employment in the territory and is specifically aimed at young people under 30, women, migrants and long-term unemployed people over 50 who are in a vulnerable situation.
• Category 4 of the Impulsem el que fas subsidies for 2025 seeks to promote social and technological solutions in care for older people that promote new care models, improve the efficiency and sustainability of services and/or foster better conditions for caregivers.
• Category 5 seeks to support businesses and organisations pursuing economic activities that help us move towards a more responsible consumption model and, in particular, which guarantee healthy, just and sustainable food in the city and more responsible consumption.
• Category 6 is focused on supporting the professional growth of women in launching new business ventures, business consolidation or in developing their professional career to reduce gender inequalities in these areas.

Various information sessions are set to be held during the month of June. See the full list of sessions here. 

Deadlines and amounts

Applications for these grants can be submitted from the end of June to 15 Julyand the amount of the grants will range from €8,000 to €30,000 depending on the category. In the case of subsidies for sustainable food and responsible consumption, applicants can apply for an additional €2,000 euros if their initiatives are located in ground floor premises. Under no circumstances can the amount of the subsidy exceed 80% of the cost of the project.