THOUSANDS of pounds are up for grabs by community groups thanks to a charitable trust set up by the Bury Times group’s parent company.

The Gannett Foundation awards money to support local projects and organisations and, in the past 10 years, has made grants in the UK alone totalling more than £4 million.

Priority is given to projects that bring lasting benefits to communities, including schemes for neighbourhood improvement and problem-solving, economic development, youth development, education and cultural creativity, help for the disadvantaged or disabled and environmental conservation.

Applications are welcome for specific items of equipment, anything from a box of toys for disadvantaged children, to sophisticated medical equipment for cancer research. Applications must be by registered charities.

A spokesman for the foundation said: “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.”

Two local groups to have benefited from a Gannett Foundation grant have been furniture charity RE>BUILD Bury, which received a cheque for £450, and the town’s talking newspaper for the blind, Pipeline, which was awarded a grant of £520.

RE>BUILD began in 1998 and the charity provides low-cost items for families on low incomes.

Bury Pipeline produces and circulates news CDs to blind and visually impaired clients throughout the borough.

The foundation, the charitable arm of Gannett Co Inc which is the parent company of Newsquest Media Group — one of the UK's largest publishers and owners of the Bury Times group — favours projects that demonstrate good planning, oversight and financial responsibility.

For an application form, contact Lisa Schofield, The Wellsprings, Civic Centre, Bolton, BL1 1AR, or email at lisa.schofield@nqnw.co.uk, or download it here: GANNETT FOUNDATION APPLICATION FORM 2014 V1.docx

The closing date for forms to be returned is September 12.