Families: 50 million to support growth in small towns

50 million euros have been set aside for small municipalities to organise activities for children and young people aged 0 to 14, as well as intergenerational community projects. This initiative, in the form of a call for proposals, is entitled ‘Growing Up in Small Towns’, promoted by the Ministry for the Family, led by Eugenia Roccella, to encourage the provision of local services and educational, social and relational opportunities for children and families in villages and small towns. Municipalities with a population of up to 5,000 may apply for funding, either individually or in partnership, provided they submit their application by 29 September.

Eligible projects must fall within at least one of the following areas: educational, recreational, cultural, sport and socialisation aimed at children and young people, with particular focus on the 0–14 age group, and intergenerational initiatives for socialising and out-of-school activities designed to promote the exchange of skills and experiences between generations and to strengthen community ties. Each project must involve areas with at least fifteen resident children aged 0–14, including through collaboration between local authorities.

“The aim of the initiative is to enhance opportunities for families, foster social cohesion within local communities and combat the depopulation of small towns,” reads a statement from the Ministry for the Family, which collaborated with Alessandro Santoni, coordinator of the ANCI Council of Small Municipalities, in developing the project. “To preserve our local areas,” the Ministry adds, “it is important that opportunities and services are widely available and reach even the smallest communities. For this very reason, the government has made funding for summer camps in local authorities a permanent feature, and this same vision guides the work we are carrying out with the regions on Family Centres.”

“The publication of the call for proposals ‘Growing in Small Towns 2026’, with a budget of 50 million euros earmarked for towns with up to 5,000 inhabitants, represents another tangible result of the process that the ANCI Council of Small Towns is pursuing with the government. It is an important measure, which demonstrates how institutional dialogue can lead to concrete solutions for communities,” added Alessandro Santoni, national coordinator of ANCI’s Small Municipalities Council.