UP TO £50,000 in grant money is being made available to charities in Dorset by the Gannett Grant Foundation.

The cash is up for grabs from the charitable arm of the US media firm Gannett, which owns Newsquest Media, the publisher of the Dorset Echo.

Registered charities in South and West Dorset are invited to submit detailed applications to the Dorset Echo outlining how much money they want, between £1,000 and £5,000, and why the money is needed.

The grants are designed to support projects that take a ‘creative approach to local community needs’, particularly those that benefit a broad section of the local population or are seen to have ‘lasting benefit’ to the community such as specially adapted mini buses for elderly or disabled people.

Projects that support sports, the environment, local history or conservation or people with disabilities will also be viewed favourably.

Among the groups not eligible for a grant are organisations that are not registered charities, individuals, political, religious or uniformed groups, medical researchers, animal charities and school groups – except special needs schools.

Applications will also not be considered if they are intended to fund salaries, training or publicity, endowment funds or national or regional organisations, unless for a specific local purpose, or general appeals or multi-year campaigns.

It is highly unlikely that village halls will be considered if they raise any money of their own through renting out their facilities or plan to do so when any proposed new hall is built.

Previous applicants who have been given a grant in the last two years will also not be considered during this round of funding.

In 2007, Weymouth Rowing Club successfully bid for £4,5000 and used the money to buy six new junior oars and lifejackets.

How to apply

APPLICATIONS must be submitted on an official form, available upon request from the Dorset Echo, and returned to the paper’s Granby Industrial Estate address by Monday, September 13.

This deadline has been set to ensure the Dorset Echo can vet applications before forwarding them to the grant foundation’s administrators no later than Monday, September 20.

Applications returned to the Dorset Echo after September 13 will not be forwarded to grant administrators.

Applicants should apply for grant money for specified items or purposes and include detailed costings.

Please call 01305 830987 or email daniel.goater@dorsetecho.co.uk for more information or a form.

Please note that applications can only be submitted on paper this year, so make sure to include your full postal address when requesting a form.