The CECA Foundations and Obra Social Executive Committee holds its annual meeting with the involvement of more than 20 foundations and the collaboration of Fundación Ávila
Antonio Romero, CEO of CECA, stressed the importance of the work carried out by foundations, deeply rooted in their communities, as key to strengthening territorial cohesion and achieving real social impact
On 18 and 19 September, CECA held the annual meeting of its Foundations and Obra Social Executive Committee in Ávila, bringing together key representatives of its member organisations. The event, organised in collaboration with Fundación Ávila, highlighted the fundamental role that foundations in the sector play in promoting social cohesion, territorial integration, and heritage preservation.
Over the course of two days, representatives from CECA and its partner foundations developed a work program that combined institutional meetings with cultural and territorial development activities. The highlights included the institutional reception at the Provincial Council of Ávila, chaired by Carlos García González as well as the presentation of Fundación Ávila: driver of change, which highlighted the host entity's contribution to the cultural, educational and social development of the province. The director general of Fundación Ávila, Carlos Carrera, expressed his gratitude for CECA's trust and noted that "this meeting reinforces Fundación Ávila's commitment to being a dynamic force in the cultural and social life of our region".
CECA's CEO, Antonio Romero, emphasised that among the association's top priorities is promoting the role played by its member foundations, which he underlined "represent not only our social vocation, but also the guarantee that this vocation translates into action, real impact, and transformation in people's lives".
He also thanked Fundación Ávila for its role as host and emphasised that this meeting reflects the mindset of the sector's foundations, deeply rooted in their communities and familiar with the realities of each region. Romero also underlined the value of cooperation between entities and public-private partnerships, as well as the need to advance new methodologies for measuring social impact, supported by technological tools that make the sector's contribution more visible. Romero concluded by highlighting the preparations for CECA's centenary, which will be celebrated in 2028, as an opportunity to highlight the historical and current contributions of the association and its foundations.
The attendees included representatives from more than 20 foundations across Spain, including Fundación Caja Burgos, Fundación Caja Rioja, Fundación Círculo de Burgos, Fundación Caja Navarra, Fundación La Caja de Canarias, Fundación Mediterráneo, Fundación Caja Extremadura, FUNCAS, Fundación CAI, FUNDOS, Fundación Caja Castellón, Fundación Ibercaja, Caixa Pollença, Fundación Montemadrid and CaixaBank, as well as CECA's management team and Fundación Ávila as host.
The meeting also served to reaffirm the joint commitment of CECA and its foundations in key areas such as financial inclusion, support for young people and the elderly, the fight against rural depopulation, cultural promotion, and sustainability. CECA's foundations represent Spain's largest private social investor, with more than €900 million allocated in 2024. 36% of the investment was allocated to social programs, and more than 172 million was dedicated to culture and heritage.