• Jetstar to offer $120,000 in travel and grants in 2013
• Jules Lund and Gorgi Coghlan to lead Flying Start judging panel
• First calls for grant applications from Queensland and the Northern Territory

Jetstar today launched an exciting grant initiative to help not-for-profit organisations fund projects that make a positive impact in their community.

Jetstar’s Flying Start program will offer a $30,000 grant, made up of $15,000 worth of Jetstar travel and $15,000 cash, to a local Australian community group or organisation every three months.

Jetstar Australia & New Zealand CEO David Hall said the airline was thrilled to be launching this initiative to Australian communities.

“This is about helping groups of people with big ideas to grow, thrive and quite literally go places. The program will allow Jetstar to make a meaningful contribution to the communities we fly to," Mr Hall said.

Entries will be reviewed each quarter by a panel of judges including Austereo’s Fox FM radio host, Jules Lund, television personality, Gorgi Coghlan, CEO Jetstar Australia & New Zealand, David Hall, Jetstar Management Pilot, Jeremy Schmidt and a member of the local Jetstar team in each relevant state or territory.

“I’m passionate about helping improve the lives of everyday Aussies. I can speak for the whole panel when I say we are looking forward to making a difference and helping community groups take their great work to the next level further!” said Jules Lund.

Each quarter Jetstar will be accepting entries from a different Australian states and territories, with the inaugural call to Queensland and the Northern Territory. Quarter two will call entries from New South Wales/Australian Capital Territory, Victoria/Tasmania for quarter three and South Australia/Western Australia in quarter four.

Entry is open to Australian not-for-profit community groups and organisations of any size. Charities, educational, health, arts or sporting organisations with a specific activity in mind are all encouraged to apply for a Jetstar Flying Start Programme grant.

If you are a community group or organisation that can do with a flying start we invite you to apply.

Full application details are available at jetstar.com, and follow the links to the application page.