\ Thanks to the 0.7% solidarity box in the Personal Income Tax, 80 organisations will be able to develop 117 projects that will reach some 48,000 people between 2023 and 2024.
\ The subsidised actions will help the most vulnerable people and facilitate social cohesion.
TDB keeps you informed. Follow us on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.
Social Affairs awards 7.3 million euros
The Department of Social Affairs and Sports has announced the award of 7,327,331 euros that have reached the Balearic Islands through the collection of the solidarity box of 0.7% of personal income tax and that will finance 117 social projects of 80 entities this year and next year.
These grants are intended for private non-profit organisations to finance the costs of their programmes. For the second time, the Conselleria has opted to make a biennial call for applications in order to give greater security to the entities, guarantee continuity and relieve them of administrative and bureaucratic burdens.
According to the calculations made by the subsidised social entities, the projects will benefit approximately 48,000 people, which will mean considerable help for people in situations of vulnerability and will contribute to social cohesion on the Islands.
In this regard, the councillor for Social Affairs and Sports, Fina Santiago, explained that “with these subsidies, we are promoting, on the one hand, associationism in the Balearic Islands, in other words, civil society organising itself in order to be able to manage services and programmes. At the same time, we promote social cohesion and equity in our autonomous community. And all of this is done by all citizens by simply ticking the 0.7 boxes on their annual income tax return, without this entailing any extra cost to the public, but it is a great boost to the solidarity of the Balearic Islands”.
117 projects for the most vulnerable
Throughout 2023 and 2024, 117 projects will be carried out for the most vulnerable people in the Balearic Islands to improve social cohesion. These are initiatives in different areas, with a predominance of support for social integration difficulties linked to precarious working conditions, unemployment or poverty and against vulnerability, exclusion and social isolation (34 projects); support for people with physical, mental or sensory disabilities (32); and support for family or community integration difficulties arising from mental health disorders and chronic illnesses or drug addiction and other addictions (20).
There are also numerous initiatives aimed at tackling vulnerability, risk or helplessness for the elderly, children and adolescents (15 projects) and those working on social needs, such as those related to homelessness or family breakdown (9). To a lesser extent, there are also projects for social emergencies and help against male violence and discrimination.
By sectors of the population, people with disabilities (physical, mental or intellectual, sensory or due to serious mental disorder), children and young people, and people at risk of exclusion or in situations of need are those to whom most projects are directed. However, there are also initiatives for the homeless, migrants, the terminally or chronically ill, the elderly and other vulnerable groups.
Social income tax collection 2022
The task of raising awareness to opt for the 0.7% box for social purposes has intensified since 2017 when the Balearic Islands were able to directly manage the money contributed by Balearic taxpayers. Since then, the amounts that reach the Balearic Islands have been progressively increasing.
The Department of Social Affairs and Sports has opted to implement various subsidies through the IRPF Social. The first finances social inclusion and integration projects and this year reaches 80 entities with more than 7.3 million euros, which will develop the actions between 2023 and 2024.
A second line allows third-sector entities to acquire electric vehicles for the transport of users of day centres, the sick, the elderly, etc., as well as computer and technological tools used in the provision of social services in the Balearic Islands. Thanks to the proceeds from 2022, it will be possible to carry out actions in this sense to the value of 1,365,945.02 euros.
In addition, since 2021, projects to cover basic needs have been financed with IRPF Social. In the 2022 call for applications, 914,300.95 euros have been allocated to thirteen non-profit organisations. Specifically, these are soup kitchens, food distribution organisations and organisations that distribute food and basic necessities.