Application forms for Community awards from the Manx Lottery Trust can now be downloaded from its website – www.mlt.org.im - and submitted via email.

The website and the Trust’s forms and literature have been all been refreshed to coincide with the announcement of its new five-year programme, Community Awards, financed by ?3 million of funding from the Big Lottery Fund.

Community Awards will offer grants of between ?2,501 and ?50,000, while Manx Lottery Trust’s Smaller Grants Programme, will provide amounts between ?300 and ?2,500.

The new-look website gives a simple breakdown of the criteria for each programme so potential applicants can quickly see whether or not they qualify. They can also download guidance notes, terms and conditions and application forms, which can be filled in and returned via email.

Chairman Malcolm Kelly commented: ‘Since announcing details of the new programme the level of inquiries we have received has surpassed even our expectations. We hope by making the forms and guidance notes available online we can streamline the application process and subsequent communication with our officers. We appreciate not everyone has access to the internet or email, so we will still be accepting hard copies of the application forms.’

As well as checking the News section of the website, you can stay up-to-date via the Manx Lottery Trust Facebook page and Twitter @MLTgrants, which will be updated with information about recently completed projects and the continued success of others.

To find out more go to www.mlt.org.im.

Photograph: (L to R) Manx Lottery Trust Chairman, Malcolm Kelly and Officers, Breda Craine, Trevor Butler and Jan Blake.