T-Mobile Fund: More than 200 grant applications

• Compared to last year, the number of applicants for a financial contribution increased by a quarter.
• A total of CZK 3 million will be awarded this year.
• The results of the grant programme will be announced by the end of June.

Prague, 15 May 2006 - This year's T-Mobile Fund grant programme has attracted a record number of applicants. By the time of the deadline, i.e. Friday, 28 April, the VIA Foundation and the Community Foundation of the Euroregion Labe, which jointly administer the Fund, had received a total of 206 projects applying for financial support. Through its charitable fund, T-Mobile will award a total of CZK 3 million this year. The gala announcement of the results will take place at the end of June.

While 166 applications were received in 2005, the number rose by one quarter this year. At the same time, there has been a significant increase in the total amount requested - in total, the applicants asked for CZK 18 million, which is 7 million more than last year. That is also why the amount of money allocated for the non-profit sector has been increased compared to the previous, first year of the grant programme. The successful applicants will share a total of CZK 3 million. In comparison with last year, the maximum amount that can be awarded to a single project has also been increased - instead of CZK 80,000, applicants can now receive up to CZK 120,000.

"The increased number of applications clearly demonstrates that support of small-scale regional and community projects is the right method," says Jitka Chocová, the Corporate Social Responsibility Manager of T-Mobile. "We are pleased that our offer has attracted so many people. Such feedback shows us that after one year of existence, the T-Mobile Fund has already gained a very good reputation in the non-profit sector."

The T-Mobile Fund grant programme was announced for the second time this year as a T-Mobile initiative for three districts where the mobile operator has its offices: Prague 11 and the districts of Hradec Králové and Louny. The amount of CZK 3 million will be distributed by the Community Foundation of the Euroregion Labe in the Louny district and by the VIA Foundation in the other two districts. This year applications could also be submitted by organizations which provably conduct their activities in the three districts and will implement their projects there even though they are based elsewhere. Next year, the grant programme may be opened to projects not only from the above-mentioned districts, but also from the entire regions.

The submitted applications focus to a great extent on the areas of local development and community social services. They include sports competitions, leisure-time activities for children and young people, cultural projects, and also projects with a "tangible" output. The applicants, for example, ask for financial support to be able to renovate playgrounds, to repair small cultural monuments, such as chapels or statues, or to revive common public premises which serve the local inhabitants.  

The possibility to apply for a financial contribution from the T-Mobile Fund has not been limited to non-governmental, non-profit organizations. "Similar to last year, we have recorded great interest on the part of schools and local administrations," says Jana Zahradnícková of the VIA Foundation.

Region	Number of applications
Louny district	93
Hradec Králové district	82
Prague 11	31

The projects are now being closely examined by individual evaluation committees. The names of the selected projects and organizations will be announced at gala ceremonies in the three above-mentioned regions at the end of June. The results will also be published at www.lepsisvet.cz, as well as on the websites of both foundations: www.nadacevia.cz and www.komunitninadace.cz, where you will also be able to find all information related to the T-Mobile Fund grant programme, including the list of projects supported in 2005.

T-Mobile Czech Republic, a member of the international telecommunications group Deutsche Telekom, has almost 6.2 million customers, the number-one operator in the Czech market. T-Mobile is an integrated operator: in addition to telecommunications services, it offers comprehensive ICT solutions not only for companies, but also for other organizations and individuals. It provides outstanding services in the high-speed network, which was proved repeatedly by benchmark testing performed by umlaut (former P3) with Best-in-Test seal.

T-Mobile Czech Republic places emphasis on taking a responsible approach to the environment and society. It adheres to fair business practices, helps beneficial applications and services to see the light of day, supports non-profit organizations, small businesses and individuals, and lends a helping hand whenever crisis situations arise. The company’s employees serve as volunteers in many places across the entire Czech Republic.

More information about the company is available at www.t-mobile.cz, www.t-press.cz (the portal for journalists) and www.t-mobile.cz/pomahame (information on the company’s CSR activities).

Contact details of the press unit: press@t-press.cz.