The Foundation created the Santander Ayuda programme to help non-profit organisations develop local and regional community projects that improve the quality of life of vulnerable individuals.

To improve efficiency, in 2022 the Foundation decided to reduce the number of calls for submissions to one, double the amount of the endowment, create a network to enable the beneficiary organisations to share experiences and best practices, and award additional funding to the three best projects. Moreover, from now on the programme remit focuses exclusively on eradicating child and adolescent poverty.

Last year, before the introduction of this single line of action, two special editions of the programme were launched to support the victims of the volcanic eruption on the island of La Palma and Ukrainian refugee children and teenagers in Spain. 

In 2022, the programme benefited 6,617 at-risk individuals through twenty-six projects.

In 2022, the Foundation held the fourth edition of this programme that supports the digital transformation of the third sector with a view to increasing the impact and efficiency of its actions.

Santander Social Tech comprises three phases: free online training in digital skills; personalised online advice to develop a specific aspect of digitalisation; and financial aid to facilitate the process.

To fulfil the programme goals, two calls for submissions per year are launched: one for organisations that want to participate in the first two phases, and the other to enable beneficiaries in the training stage to obtain funding for their own digitalisation projects.

In the 2022 edition, thirteen training workshops were held for 149 organisations, of which 52 also received personalised advice. The digitalisation grants will be awarded in 2023.

Santander BEST Africa aims to contribute to the socio-economic development of this continent by supporting women entrepreneurs and their communities in the sustainable tourism sector. 

The programme promotes a network of businesses related to tourism products or services, preferably led by women, which meet certain conditions associated with the promotion of female employment and social and environmental sustainability.

The beneficiaries of the programme receive technical and financial assistance to support these initiatives, which are selected for their commitment to the conservation of the environment and the inclusive development of the community.

Since its launch in 2020, Santander BEST Africa has operated in Gambia, Senegal and Morocco, and next year the programme will be extended to Mozambique.

In 2022, the programme sponsored sixteen new projects that generate income, preserve jobs or improve the professional skills of more than four hundred people, most of them vulnerable women.

The Foundation set up this programme to create quality employment for young people with training in contemporary culture and to drive the sustainable growth of organisations in this sector.

Two calls for submissions are held per year: the first for organisations interested in participating in the programme, and the second for candidates who want to find work in the sector.

An evaluation panel chooses ten organisations, each of which receives a grant to cover the annual salary of the new employee. The organisations can apply for additional funding if they maintain the employee in post for a second year.

A human resources consulting firm draws up a shortlist of the candidates best suited to the positions available and then the organisations make their choice after a personal interview with the finalists. 

In 2022 the eighth edition of the programme was held. The young people selected took up post in May and throughout the rest of the year follow-up meetings and training workshops were held for organisations and candidates. The ninth call for submissions from organisations opened in November and the winners will be announced in January 2023.