Rules for nonprofit social action organizations in Spain

Automatic summary, not yet reviewed

1. The law defines the entities of the Third Sector of Social Action: private organizations, born from citizen initiative, with a general interest purpose and no profit motive, that help people or groups in vulnerable situations or at risk of social exclusion. It also strengthens their role as spokespersons before the State Administration.
2. The law applies only to state-wide entities, meaning those that operate in more than one autonomous community or in the Autonomous Cities of Ceuta and Melilla.
3. These entities must follow a set of guiding principles: have their own legal personality, be private, have no profit motive, operate democratically and transparently, stay autonomous from the State, and respect equality and non-discrimination, with special attention to equality between women and men.
4. The State may support these entities with promotion measures: public funding, training, recognition as collaborating entities, and cooperation with companies. In addition, the Government must approve, within 12 months, a promotion program with concrete measures.
5. Two participation bodies are regulated: the State Council of Non-Governmental Social Action Organizations and the Commission for Civil Dialogue with the Third Sector Platform. The entities join the State's institutional participation bodies through them.
6. During 2015, and while the general procedure is being set up, direct grants are awarded to entities recognized as State collaborators, such as Cruz Roja Española, Cáritas Española or the Plataforma del Tercer Sector, to support their core structures.

Who it affects

• State-wide Third Sector of Social Action entities: They must follow the law's principles and can receive promotion measures and grants.
• General State Administration: It must guarantee the participation of these entities and approve a promotion program.
• People and groups in vulnerable situations or at risk of social exclusion: They are the final beneficiaries of these entities' work and of social policies.

Words worth knowing

Tercer Sector de Acción Social (Third Sector of Social Action)

The group of private nonprofit organizations that work with people in vulnerable situations or at risk of social exclusion.

Ánimo de lucro (profit motive)

Seeking economic profit for oneself. These entities cannot have it.

Órgano colegiado (collegiate body)

A body made up of several people who make decisions or give joint opinions, like a committee.

Subvención de concesión directa (direct award grant)

A public grant given to a specific entity without a competition, because it meets specific legal requirements.

It summarizes the law as published in the BOE. It is written by artificial intelligence and may contain mistakes: the official text is what counts. Read the official text · How we make summaries