GOOD causes up and down the county are being offered another chance to bid for cash from the Oxford Mail’s parent company.

Every year Gannett Media’s charitable arm, the Gannett Foundation, gives away a total of about £20,000 to a range of worthy causes in Oxfordshire.

Applications for this year’s round are now open and organisations which have registered charity status are invited to step up and pitch for their share of £5,000 to £10,000 worth of grants.

Oxford Mail editor Simon O’Neill said: “We are once again delighted to hear from registered charities with projects that 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.

“The grants focus on projects that bring lasting benefits to communities served by our newspapers and websites.”

While preference may be given to ideas that create a durable legacy, the foundation will consider single events or projects of limited duration that otherwise meet our criteria.

It will not consider applications for general appeals, salaries or running costs, political and religious organisations, state or privately run schools or hospitals — other than hospices.

Mr O’Neill added: “We will accept 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 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.”

In the past, grants from the Gannett Foundation have given a much-needed boost to existing organisations or helped new ones get on their feet.

Mabel Pritchard special school in Blackbird Leys now has a sensory garden, wheelchair swing and integrated roundabout for children to enjoy, and officially launched the new space on Tuesday, June 5 in the company of delighted families, staff and Oxford East MP Andrew Smith.

The school had received a crucial £4,500 from the Gannett Foundation in December. More than £5,000 was also donated to Sobell House Hospice, based in the Churchill Hospital, to buy wheelchairs for patients needing palliative and end-of-life care.

* The deadline for applications is Friday, October 16.

Applications must be made on an official form available from oxfordmail.co.uk/news/community/gannettfoundation

Correspondence will not be entered into. Entry forms must be completed in full and emailed to gannettapplications@nqo.com with supporting documents.

Winners will be notified in December.