• 3 min de lectura
• 3 min de lectura
The Empresa Portuaria Valparaíso (EPV) announced the awarding of 45 projects corresponding to the 2026 Contestable Funds, which this year distributed nearly $100 million among social, sports, functional, and community organizations in Valparaíso.
The winning initiatives were selected from a total of 129 applications, which translates into the largest call for applications since its creation.
The awards were distributed across three funding lines: "Community Infrastructure" with 18 projects; the "Social Actions" fund totaled 22 projects; and, in this edition, as part of the program's fifth year, the Anniversary Fund was added, primarily aimed at the Barrio Puerto, which awarded 5 projects.
"The 2026 process registered high demand, with beneficiaries including neighborhood associations, sports clubs, senior citizen clubs, functional organizations, corporations, foundations, and a mothers' center, in a new demonstration of the organizational diversity that characterizes the program year after year," communicated Puerto Valparaíso.
Soledad Rojas, president of Neighborhood Association N°38 of Porvenir Bajo, who won contestable funds in 2022 and 2023, and did so again this year, shared her previous experience with attendees and thanked EPV "for trusting in our ideas and our ability to build community. For our organization, having your support not only means financial help but also recognition of our community work and trust in our management. May this support encourage us to continue creating spaces for gathering, strengthening our ties, and demonstrating that, when we organize with affection and cooperation, change is possible."
Beatriz Mella, director of Puerto Valparaíso and member of this version's Evaluation Commission, highlighted that "today we had the tremendous opportunity to award the organizations and organized groups that applied for the contestable funds of the Valparaíso port company. Today we have a group of people who are fulfilling dreams, expectations, and looking forward, and we are very happy to be part of these challenges that the community is setting for itself."
It should be noted that Puerto Valparaíso's Contestable Funds have shown sustained growth since their origin in 2022, when 26 projects were awarded in 17 sectors of the city. In 2023, the figure rose to 38 projects in 16 sectors; in 2024, to 43 projects in 20 sectors; and in 2025, to 46 projects in 22 sectors.
Emilio Vega, vice superintendent of the Valparaíso Fire Department, commented that "these resources are very welcome. You know that firefighters are always short of resources, and this will also be transmitted to the citizenry, because this is for prevention for neighborhood associations, for social organizations. It is a tremendous contribution, not only for the Fire Department, because one sees here that there are sports clubs, mothers' centers, etc. The money is well distributed to all entities."
Likewise, Katia Medina, coach of Valparaíso Handball Club, indicated that "by having these implements, such as balls, bibs, cones, etc., it will improve the performance of our girls, as we will be able to have a variety of activities within the same training sessions."
Finally, the next steps consist of the organizations initiating the administrative processes for the delivery of resources by Puerto Valparaíso and the implementation of each of the 45 projects.
