Norwich — The Sachem Fund Committee has received 13 grant requests in what could be the final grant round until the fund is replenished.

The Sachem Fund was created in 2007 by the city and the Mohegan Tribe, with each to contribute $200,000 per year for five years to support arts, economic development and local events. But the recession and financial constraints in both governments reduced allocations to $50,000 in the past two years and again in the coming fiscal year.

With $171,452 remaining in the fund as of March, the governing committee approved a spring funding round.

The city received 12 applications by last Monday's deadline and one additional request by the Connecticut Pardon Team on Thursday, past the deadline. The Sachem Fund Committee will meet Wednesday at 6 p.m. to hear brief presentations by all applicants and will make recommendations to the City Council in early June.

The requests vary from affordable housing and a historic ship restoration to theater programs and a request from the city community development office to run a training program to teach nonprofit agencies how to apply for grants.

When the Norwich Arts Center announced its financial difficulties in February, several city officials suggested the agency turn to the Sachem Fund for assistance. The center submitted requests totaling $48,500, including $28,500 to match a state grant for arts events, $10,000 for building upgrades at its 60 Broadway home and $10,000 to hire part-time staff.

The neighboring Spirit of Broadway Theater is seeking $45,000 to help fund its planned 15th anniversary season in 2012 and to create a business venture to market the rental of the theater's numerous costumes and sets to other productions.

Habitat for Humanity of Southeastern Connecticut described plans to build a new home on Fairmount Street and renovate a vacant house in Greeneville. The two projects total $315,094. Agency officials did not list a grant request but said they need to raise $236,390 to complete funding.

Mark Fields, leader of a project to restore a 135-foot-long, 1930 vessel, The Stevana, is seeking $40,100 to cover costs of towing the ship from New Jersey to Norwich. The ship would be docked at the Shetucket Iron & Metal scrap metal yard in Norwich Harbor for restoration. When completed, The Stevana would run dinner cruises on the Thames River.

Norwich City Manager Alan Bergren hopes the Sachem Fund will provide the match for a $17,500 state grant the city just received from the Commission on Culture and Tourism to preserve the Yantic Falls area known as Indian Leap. The city recently took a small mill building at the falls for back taxes and would use the funds to study possible uses of the structures and to design preservation programs for the site of a legendary Indian battle in 1643.

"The overall goal is that with the input of professionals, the city of Norwich, the Mohegan Tribe and the public that this unique site will become a most valuable heritage asset for the city of Norwich, the region and the state," Bergren wrote in the application.

c.bessette@theday.com