Schools, charities and community groups are being urged to apply for a share of a £250,000 fund aimed at making a difference to people's lives.
The Leicester Mercury has teamed up with the Big Lottery Fund (BIG) to offer grants of between £10,000 and £30,000 to good causes and community projects.
To avoid missing out, groups need to tell fund organisers about their idea or project before the deadline for applications passes a week on Sunday.
Whitwick Community Coffee Shop, in North Street, Whitwick, is a group already making a difference thanks to the Big Lottery Fund.
The social enterprise put £10,000 awarded in last year's round of funding to use to support a pre-apprenticeship training scheme.
Training director Rhonda Dean said: "The aim of the project is to help young people in the village who are unemployed and not involved in education.
"It is designed to lead to actual apprentice schemes for teenagers who are struggling.
"We needed specialist support workers to work with them, and that's what BIG provided."
Some of the money was also used to pay for equipment such as cameras to support the scheme and record trainees' progress towards NVQ qualifications.
"We took five young people through that last year and three of them have now got full-time jobs, so it's a successful programme," said Mrs Dean.
Trainee Charlotte Elliott, 18, from Whitwick, is about to complete an apprenticeship in catering after turning to the charity for help last year.
"I was really bad before I worked here," she said. "I had no confidence and, if I was in the street and I saw somebody I knew, I couldn't speak to them, I'd hide.
"But I feel different now. I've regained my confidence and feel optimistic about the future."
Trainer Kirsty Smith, who works with children who have been expelled from school, said: "With the children you get coming from the school, they lack confidence, they have no self-esteem.
"But over time you can see how their confidence grows.
"It's fantastic to see."
Whether your organisation is looking to run classes to get people more physically active, or set up after-school cooking clubs or tea dances for older people, any inspiring idea will be in with a shout of winning lottery backing.
To make it more exciting, Mercury readers will vote to help decide which projects get a grant.
England Big Lottery Fund director Dharmendra Kanani said: "People's ideas and enthusiasm are essential and funding like this will help to bring people and communities together– particularly in difficult times."
The strongest entries will be short-listed by a panel of judges. Mercury readers will then vote for the finalists they think should get the cash.
The groups with the most votes will get a grant.
Groups eligible for funding Grants of between £10,000 and £30,000 are available. To apply, groups need to operate in Leicester, Leicestershire or Rutland. Examples of groups that can apply include community groups, not-for-profit organisations, parish or town councils, health bodies and schools. Groups do not have to be a registered charity to be eligible, but they must have a bank account requiring at least two people to sign each cheque or withdrawal. They must also be in a position to use the grant within a year. Individuals cannot apply. The deadline for applications is July 14. A shortlist of the best ideas will be published in the September 2 edition of the Mercury, and every day for two weeks readers will have the chance to vote for the projects they would like to see get a grant. The projects with the highest number of votes will be awarded the funding until all £250,000 of the Big Lottery Fund money has been spent. Winners will be announced on September 23. So, what are you waiting for? For details and to apply, call the Leicestershire and Rutland Community Foundation on 0116 2624 916, or: www.llrcommunity.org Standard Local World promotions rules apply. See: www.leicestermercury.co.uk/houserules
