GROUPS that bring communities together through sport can take advantage of a £250,000 funding pot on offer through the Lancashire Telegraph.

The Lancashire Telegraph has teamed up with the Big Lottery Fund to give Lottery cash grants of between £10,000 and £30,000 to community groups across its readership area.

The Lancashire Telegraph Community Cash Awards are aimed at encouraging communities to think about how funding of this type could help them make a difference to their area.

Applications are now being accepted and must be made before the deadline, which is on Sunday, July 21.

To apply, fill in a form that can be found online at www.lancsfoundatino.org.uk or by calling 0151 2322444 to get a paper copy.

To apply for a grant you will need to be a not for profit organisation with a bank account that requires at least two people to sign each cheque or withdrawal and you must be in a position to use the grant within a year.

The project needs to be working within the readership area of the Lancashire Telegraph, East Lancashire. Full guidelines are available with the application form.

The application form is straightforward and needs to be submitted by Sunday, July 21.

From September 9, a shortlist of the best ideas will be revealed in the Lancashire Telegraph and every day for two weeks readers will have the chance to vote for the projects they would like to see get the cash.

The projects with the highest votes will be awarded the funding until all £250,000 of the Big Lottery Fund money has been spent.

The winners will be announced week of 30 September 2013.