The Leesville Daily Leader and Beauregard Daily News and their parent company, Gannett, are committed to helping build stronger communities.

As part of Gannett’s USA TODAY Network,The Leesville Daily Leader and Beauregard Daily News will help build stronger communities through a grant and crowdfunding program called A Community Thrives.

The program is part of the Gannett Foundation, the philanthropic arm of Gannett, and it supports nonprofit organizations’ leading projects focused on community building and has distributed nearly $6.7 million since 2017.

 A Community Thrives initiative turns community improvement ideas into reality with grants up to $100,000.

A Community Thrives, part of the USA TODAY Network, supports ideas for positive community change and community building.

The nationwide crowdfunding and grant program is entering its fourth year of supporting organizations that address social issues, including education, housing, arts and culture, wellness and the environment.

Typically, organizations apply to raise money for a specific community-building project. Accepted organizations will work to raise money on their own through a crowdfunding campaign using a national platform, and they then may be eligible for major grants to be awarded across the country, ranging from $25,000 to $100,000.

Recipients of the national and local operating grants will be required to meet Gannett Foundation selection criteria, which includes meeting a minimum local fundraising goal.

The top national grant is worth $100,000, and three of those will be awarded, along with seven $50,000 grants and six $25,000 grants.

In addition, A Community Thrives will award more than 100 grants nationally that will be targeted specifically toward communities such as northeastern Louisiana, that are served by Gannett news organizations.

These local grants, which start at $2,500, can be used for general operating expenses. They are chosen by local leaders at Gannett news organizations.

The deadline for organizations to submit applications is Sept. 11. The fundraising phase will be from Sept. 21 to Oct. 16. A review of the applications to select grant recipients will happen from Oct. 17 to Nov. 30. And grant recipients will be announced in early December.

They must apply through the A Community Thrives website: 

https://acommunitythrives.mightycause.com/giving-events/act20/home/?utm_source=weekly&utm_medium=editorial&utm_campaign=act

Eligible applicants include registered 501(c)3 organizations (most nonprofits), municipal programs or entities such as libraries and public schools, and fiscally sponsored programs, which are individuals or programs partnered with a registered 501(c)3 organization.

This article originally appeared on Leesville Daily Leader: Nonprofits can receive grants from A Community Thrives initiative from USA TODAY Network