Causes close to your heart have a chance of flourishing further thanks to the News & Star.

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 News & Star.

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 neighbourhood improvements, local problem-solving, economic development, youth enterprise, sport and healthy living, assistance to disadvantaged or disabled people, care of the elderly, environmental conservation, and educational or 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.

Typically our grants are modest sums for practical projects, but we will consider awards to larger projects which deserve our backing.

We are also 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 about funding will be made by the trustees based on the evidence submitted.

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 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 electronically via email to alison.sisson@newsquest.co.uk Submissions on paper are not encouraged, but if unavoidable, they must be sent to Alison Sisson, Newsquest Cumbria, Newspaper House, Dalston Road, Carlisle, CA2 5UA.

In every case, applications must arrive by 5pm on Monday, October 8, 2018.