To help local communities by funding charities supported by partner credit unions, Autoland Inc. has created its Charitable Grant Program.

Credit unions wishing to have a charity considered for a grant can complete an application, providing details on the charity's mission and goals, the specific project or projects the grant would support, and how those projects benefit the local community, according to Autoland, an auto buying CUSO based in Chatsworth, Calif.

Each quarter throughout 2012, Autoland said, it will select a different charity to receive a grant of between $1,500 and $2,000. A charity may also complete an application itself and list the credit unions that support the organization.

The deadline for the first quarter grant is March 30, and the funds will be awarded by mid-April, according to Autoland. To be eligible for a grant, a charitable organization must have a non-profit IRS 501(c)(3) status, and be located in California, Oregon, Washington or Nevada.

Grant applications and more details about Autoland's charitable grant program are available in the resources area of the CUSO's website.