The Community Foundation of Eastern Connecticut announced Thursday more than $140,000 in grants that, among other things, will help restore the Niantic River watershed, encourage land trusts in the region to collaborate and allow for more classroom instruction about the environment.

The $144,654 in grants are the first from the newly established, nearly $10 million Peter Grayson Letz Fund to be targeted at environmental causes. A previous round of $75,000 in Letz Fund grants went to help animal and wildlife causes in the region.

Six nonprofit organizations received funding for their environmental work. In all, 40 groups submitted letters of intent, out of which 13 were asked to submit formal proposals.

“I believe that Peter Letz would have been proud of the influence that his generosity will have in our community for many years to come,” Maryam Elahi, president and chief executive of the foundation, said in a statement.

Govind Menon, chairman of the foundation's board, headed up the grant selection committee. The foundation had encouraged diverse organizations to team together to help solve problems and create programs in new, collaborative ways.

"We were aided in our review process by local experts in various environmental conservation and science fields," Menon said in a statement. "We look forward to working with these organizations, as well as many more in the future, as we make grants annually."

The largest grant, $34,572 for Sea Research Foundation Inc. and Mystic Aquarium, will be used to get students and teachers from Norwich and New London engaged in marine science studies. Another $30,000 went to the Connecticut Land Conservation Council for an initiative to bring together land trusts in New London County to work in a more cooperative way.

Other grant recipients were:

• New London Youth Affairs, $12,300 for aquatic environmental programs for preschoolers and their families in partnership with Denison Pequotsepos Nature Center, New England Science and Sailing and Child & Family Agency of Southeastern Connecticut.

• Niantic River Watershed Committee Inc., $24,000 for the Niantic River Watershed Protection Plan that aims at restoring and preserving the Niantic River watershed.

• Regional Multicultural Magnet School and LEARN, $24,000 for a three-year program immersing students in the natural world.

• Science and Technology Magnet High School of Southeastern Connecticut, $19,782 for a regional aquatic program for high school students partnered with FRESH New London, NESS, Thames Valley Sustainable Connections and Eastern Connecticut Community Gardens.

For information about foundation grants, contact Jennifer O’Brien, program director, at jennob@cfect.org or (860) 442-3572. A complete list of grants can be found at www.cfect.org/grants.

l.howard@theday.com

Twitter: @KingstonLeeHow