WIREDGOV

The People’s Millions 2010 competition opens its doors today for projects across the UK to put in their bids to receive up to £50,000 from the Big Lottery Fund (BIG).

It is the sixth year of The People’s Millions competition, which provides funding to communities to help them improve facilities or get more enjoyment from their local area.

Seventy-five Big Lottery Fund grants of £50,000 are on offer, with a total of £3.8 million to be awarded to community projects across the .

The People’s Millions, a partnership between the Big Lottery Fund (BIG) and ITV, aims to improve communities across the and gives the public the chance to vote on which local projects should receive lottery good-cause funding.

Shortlisted projects will be showcased on local ITV evening news where they will have to convince the public why they need the cash. It will then be up to the public to vote for groups to win the funding.

To date over two million votes have decided where £21.4m of Lottery money has been spent. Grants have been made to a diverse range of community projects across the nation, from community allotments to the restoration of a Victorian railway carriage, the refurbishment of a town band hall and the building of a specially adapted yacht for people with disabilities.

Peter Wanless, chief executive of the Big Lottery Fund, said: “BIG and ITV are calling on people to come forward with their brilliant ideas to improve their communities. It’s a unique opportunity to get funding for a special project that you know will make a real difference to the people around you.”

This year a new streamlined online entry form will mean that applying to the contest will be even simpler. Entry forms are available from 10 March at www.peoplesmillions.org.uk. Entries need to be returned to the Big Lottery Fund by the deadline, 12 noon on Friday 14 May 2010.

For more information please call:

Big Lottery Fund Press Office: 020 7211 1888 Out of Hours contact: 07867 500 572

Full details of Big Lottery Fund programmes and grant awards are available at: www.biglotteryfund.org.uk 

Notes to Editors

· 75 awards are up for grabs across the – four awards and one bonus award in each of the 15 ITV regions:

ITV Anglia, ITV Border, ITV Central, ITV Granada, ITV London, ITV Meridian (East of the region), ITV Meridian (West of the region), ITV Tyne Tees, ITV West, ITV Westcountry, ITV Yorkshire , stv Central, stv North, UTV

The People’s Millions: Key dates for forward-planning diaries:

· 14 May 2010: Closing date for applications

· October 2010: Final project shortlist announced to the media

· November 2010:The People's Millions competition televised on ITV


































•Since the launch of People’s Millions in 2005, the aim of the contest has been to fund projects that improve the quality of life of local communities through transforming the local environment.


•New and existing voluntary or community organisations, schools, local authorities and health bodies are all eligible to apply.


•Telephone voting numbers – As with previous years, ITV and the Big Lottery Fund will use a low cost telephone number. ITV and Big do not make a profit from the voting telephone numbers.


•The Big Lottery Fund (BIG) is the largest distributor of National Lottery good cause funding responsible for giving out half the money raised for good causes by the National Lottery.


•BIG is committed to bringing real improvements to communities and the lives of people most in need and has been rolling out grants to health, education, environment and charitable causes across the since June 2004. The Fund was formally established by Parliament on 1 December 2006.


•Since the National Lottery began in 1994, 28p from every pound spent by the public has gone to good causes. As a result, over £24 billion has now been raised and more than 317,500 grants awarded across arts, sport, heritage, charities, health, education and the environment.


•On 16 March 2010 from 1pm to 3pm, the Chair of the Big Lottery Fund, Sir Clive Booth, will be taking part in a live web chat. Questions to Sir Clive can be submitted between now and 16 March via www.bigchat.org.uk.