Changes to Local Option Sales Tax application forms for 2009-10 were approved Tuesday.

The Plymouth County Supervisors approved the application forms with revisions. The forms are used by community groups to request grants for community betterment projects.

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After the changes, applicants will no longer be given more or less priority based on how their project fit a specific theme.

Prior to this, the scoring system for LOST grants included a four-year cycle of categories: "Quality of Life," "Public Safety," "Educational Opportunities" and "Public Health."

One of those categories was the focus each year, and applications that fit that topic were given more weight.

Now projects under those four categories will be given equal priority every year. Each project will stand on its own merit.

Other revisions include:

* Requiring applicants to check whether they are a nonprofit or tax supported organization.

* Emphasizing the page limit for each application at three by underlining and bold printing that information.

* Listing in the cover letter of the application a statement to remind both the LOST Advisory Board and the applicants that LOST money cannot be used for property tax relief.

* Requiring applicants to number the grant application questions and answer those questions in the sequence in which they appear on the application.