The Big Lottery Fund has partnered with ITV to distribute £3.6m of special grants to new community projects in England, Scotland and Wales in celebration of the Queen's Diamond Jubilee in 2012.

Community groups are invited to bid for one of 60 Jubilee People's Millions grants of £60,000 to improve their local communities. Finalists will be showcased on ITV regional news in June next year for the public to vote on which projects will receive the funding.

Anna Southall, vice chair of the Big Lottery Fund, said: “The Jubilee People’s Millions is a fantastic opportunity to call on the strength of British community spirit to create projects that make a real difference.

"We want to encourage as many people as possible to think about what they could do with £60,000 of Lottery money in their local area with the benefits being reaped during the Queen’s Diamond Jubilee year."

Applications can be submitted until 4 February 2011. Projects receiving the most votes will receive the funds in the summer of the same year.