AUGUSTA – The Community Building Grant Program of the Maine Community Foundation recently awarded $99,231 in grants to 18 organizations across Maine.

Among the funded organizations was the Southern Kennebec Child Development Corp. of Augusta. The grant will be used to plan and build a sustainable community garden at the South Gardiner Head Start Center.

Local grant awards went to:

United Somali Women of Maine, Lewiston, for the Cultural Awareness Project, a project to develop fee-for-service trainings, workshops and other cross-cultural services for providers, employers and the community statewide.

A Call to Men, Maine: Kennebec/Somerset, Solon, for a Web site, flyers, education and recognition awards.

Kennebec Valley Art Association, Hallowell, for a board retreat to create a strategic plan and for technical assistance for an artist affordable housing project.

Maine Audubon Society, Falmouth, to develop vernal pool conservation plans.

Maine State Housing Authority, Augusta, for the cost of homelessness study.

Mid Coast Hunger Prevention Program, Brunswick, to provide skills training in healthy lifestyles for disadvantaged families.

SAD 75 Education Fund, Topsham, to support students’ and staff members’ ideas for community-engaged learning through a mini-grant program.

New Mainers Workforce Alliance, Portland, for the Job Readiness Program.

Pine Tree Legal Assistance, Portland, to support outreach and community education for the Foreclosure Prevention Project.

A committee made up of community leaders from around the state reviews proposals and makes recommendations twice a year. The next deadline for submitting applications to the Community Building Grant Program is Jan. 15, 2009.

For more information about the program, contact Lelia De Andrade at 761-2440 or [email protected].