The St Albans Review is on the lookout for a special project to support with a cash donation.

Grants are being offered by the Gannett Foundation, the charitable arm of the owner of Newsquest Media group, which publishes the St Albans Review.

The foundation provides funding to support local projects and organisations in areas where Newsquest operates throughout the UK.

In the past 10 years, the foundation has given more than £4 million worth of grants in the UK.

The foundation values projects that bring lasting benefits to the communities and neighbourhoods served by our newspapers.

That includes 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.

Typically our grants are made for substantial projects which require and merit awards of between £5,000 and £10,000.

Watford Mencap Migloo and Peace Hospice

Last year, Watford Mencap’s children’s centre received a £6,000 donation from Gannett. The cash was used to buy a “Migloo”, a changing suite for people with profound and multiple learning and mobility disabilities who need support from carers to use the toilet or to have their continence pads changed.

The Migloo is fully portable and is a complete kit consisting of a roof rack, certified lifting beam, a hoist, supporting legs for the beam and a sturdy and private awning. It can be erected in 15-20 minutes and can be anchored to a roof rack or used as a stand-alone facility.

The Migloo gives people the freedom to visit new venues that are wheelchair accessible and the hoist can be used in all sorts of environments, including on the beach, to help protect the dignity of Mencap clients.

Watford Mencap fundraising manager Carol Tunstall said: “We are so grateful to the Watford Observer for the award. The Migloo will open up a range of new opportunities to a group of vulnerable people.”

The Peace Hospice also received a donation of £9,828, which was used to buy three remote-controlled, complete tilt beds and mattresses for the inpatient unit at the Peace Hospice in Rickmansworth, Watford.

Many patients are confined to bed for most, if not all, of the day so the new beds and mattresses make an enormous difference.

How to apply

The foundation will consider more modest applications, but it encourages imaginative and ambitious projects on a bigger scale.

The foundation can join with other contributors to support elements of larger projects.

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

Prospective applicants must be registered charities, and must not have received Gannett funding in the past two years.

The foundation will not fund: Salaries, professional fees or day-to-day running or maintenance costs; General appeals as opposed to specific projects; Projects that do not bring benefits to local communities; Political or religious organisations; State or privately run schools (other than special needs) or hospitals (other than hospices).

We will favour projects that demonstrate good planning, oversight and financial responsibility. You must supply copies of your most recent accounts (where required by the Charities Commission) or other appropriate financial information, together with any supporting materials and details of your organisation’s managing committee.

To apply for a Gannett Foundation grant from this office the charity must be served by the Watford Observer, the Watford Free or the St Albans and Harpenden Review.

Applications must be submitted on the official application form and scanned in and sent to kelly.pells@london.newsquest.co.uk.

Please note we will only accept electronic applications.

The closing date for nominations for a Gannett grant is October 16 and there will be no extensions to this date.

Download an application form here.