THE latest round of Gannett Foundation grants has been launched, giving chairties and comunity groups across the south Bucks area the chance to apply for funding toward projects which aim to bring real benefits to their areas.

The Gannett Foundation is the charitable arm of Gannett Co Inc., the parent company of Newsquest Media Group, one of the UK's largest publishers and owners of the South Bucks Star and Bucks Free Press. We provide funding to registered charities in the areas where we operate local newspapers and websites.

We support those registered charities with projects which take a creative approach to fundamental issues such as education and neighbourhood improvements, economic development, youth development, local problem-solving, assistance to disadvantaged or disabled people, environmental conservation and cultural enrichment.

We value projects that bring lasting benefits to communities served by our local newspapers and websites. While preference may be given to ideas which create a durable legacy for the community, we will consider single events or projects of limited duration that otherwise meet our criteria.

We entertain applications of any size or ambition, though typically our grants are made for substantial projects which require and merit awards of between £5,000 and £10,000. We will consider much more modest applications as well, but we actively encourage adventurous projects on a larger scale.

We are able to join with other contributors to support elements of larger projects, though we prefer to be in a position of making a donation which will fund a project entirely or which constitutes the final instalment to complete a project. Decisions in respect of the value of the funding will be made by the trustees and based on the evidence submitted.

In 2010, for instance, the South Bucks Hospice were awarded a whopping £20,445 grant to pay for a new van to transport goods between its shops and warehouse.

The following year an award of more than £5,000 was given to Chiltern Citizens Advice Bureau to help furnish its new office.

The Foundation will favour projects that demonstrate good planning, oversight and financial responsibility. As a prerequisite, the submission of copies of the charity’s most recent financial accounts are required. In addition, any supporting materials and further details concerning the overall aims of the charity should be included with each submission.

Each nomination will be judged on its own merits at the absolute discretion of the trustees, whose decision is final. Applications must be submitted on the approved application form, which can be downloaded by clicking here.

Any applications which do not meet our criteria or which do not follow our rules and procedures will be rejected.

The completed form and supporting document should be sent via email to nphillips@london.newsquest.co.uk by 5pm on Friday, September 12.

Submissions on paper will not be accepted.