THE Gannett Foundation, the charitable arm of Gannet Co. Inc, the parent company of the Hampshire Chronicle, is seeking applications for cash grants for local worthy causes.

In the last 10 years the foundation has given away over £4m and is appealing for those involved in local charitable organisations to come forward with their requests for support.

The Gannett Foundation is the charitable arm of Gannett Co, Inc., owner of Newsquest Media Group, which publishes regional and local newspapers, websites and magazines across the UK.

It values practical and creative projects that bring lasting benefits to the communities and neighbourhoods served by our newspapers and online audience. That includes schemes for neighbourhood improvement and local problem-solving, economic development, youth development, education and cultural enrichment, care of the elderly or infirm, help for the disadvantaged or disabled, and environmental conservation.

The foundation particularly invites clearly reasoned applications asking for specific items of equipment or materials. Most applications are for relatively modest sums meeting everyday needs, but it will consider worthwhile projects on a bigger scale.

And the foundation is also able to join other contributors to support elements of more ambitious projects. While preference will be given to ideas which create a durable legacy, we will consider single events or projects of limited duration that otherwise meet our criteria.

Each year the foundation chooses a special theme and encourages relevant applications. The needs of rural communities is the chosen theme for 2016. But equal consideration to all other applications we receive that meet the general criteria.

Restrictions:

Applicants must be registered charities;

Applicants must not have received a grant from us within the last two years;

The foundation will NOT fund: salaries, professional fees or day-to-day running or maintenance costs; general appeals as opposed to specific projects; projects that do not bring benefits to local communities; political or religious objectives; state or privately-run schools (other than special needs) or hospitals (other than hospices).

The foundation favours projects that demonstrate good planning, oversight and financial responsibility.

Applicants must supply copies of most recent accounts (where required by the Charities Commission) or other appropriate financial information, together with any supporting materials and details of managing committee. The grants will be monitored by the relevant local newspaper editor, and it will be a condition of each grant that the recipient must report back on its use to the chairman of the trustees within 12 months of the award.

The following are just some examples of the grants made in 2015 all over the UK:

£6,000 to pay for 100 home-starter kits for rough sleepers on the South Coast;

£6,940 for an “eye-gaze” tracker for the disabled in East Sussex, enabling computer control by eye movement;

£3,680 for a polytunnel, fruit trees and gardening tools for a horticultural project in Glasgow;

£3,000 for the Wales Deaf Rugby Union;

£2,500 to modernise the stage at a busy community hall in the North West;£7,200 for a walk-in cold room for a community farm shop in North Yorkshire;

£2,500 for a new pony for disabled riders in Cheshire.

For an application form to register to be considered for a grant, please contact Anne Dickie, PA to the Editor in Chief, Hampshire Chronicle, Newspaper House, Test Lane, Redbridge, SO16 9JX – or email anne.dickie@dailyecho.co.uk.

Closing date for completed application forms is Friday, October 14, 2016.