CHARITIES have just over four weeks left to send in their applications for a share of the Gannett Foundation grant.

Each year imaginative ideas on how to benefit the community are rewarded by the charitable arm of the US media firm Gannett, which owns Newsquest Media, publisher of the Dorset Echo.

Registered charities in south and west Dorset are being urged to submit detailed applications to the Dorset Echo outlining how they would benefit from a grant.

The grants are designed to support projects that benefit a broad section of the local population or are seen to have lasting legacy to the community.

Imaginative and ambitious applications from causes and projects that take a creative approach to local community needs are welcome, along with charitable enterprises to fund individuals to obtain skills that will benefit the community.

Last year Dorset Search and Rescue (DorSAR) secured £2,950 to buy 10 Memory Map 3500 GPS units to help with its life saving work.

Secretary Dave Wraight said they were able to get the best units available at the time thanks to the grant.

He said: “The grant has provided us with the most up to date GPS units to allow people to have maps in front of them all the time.

“They have been handed out to 10 people who use them for navigation when training or searching for people.

“Rather than printing out maps to find search areas they have actually got them on the GPS units in front of them so they can plot where they are on the screen.

“It makes it faster for people to get out on the ground.”

Successful applicants will include schemes for neighbourhood improvement and local problem-solving, economic development, youth development, education and cultural creativity, help for the disadvantaged or disabled and environmental conservation.

Applications will not be considered if they are from non-registered charities, intended to fund salaries or general running costs, political or regional organisations or state or privately owned schools – except special needs schools, or hospitals other than hospices.

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

Last year other successful applicants were the Dorchester Amateur Boxing Club, Dorset Youth Association for their Routes cafe bar and Waterside Weymouth Community Forum.

To download the Gannett Grant 2011 application form click here Gannettapplicationform2011.doc