New London — The Community Foundation of Eastern Connecticut announced Thursday nearly $1 million in awards to local nonprofits focusing largely on children and families.

The most recent round of donations totaling $967,461 raises to $2.3 million the amount of grants funneled through the foundation to nonprofits so far this year.

Grants announced Thursday ranged from $2,500 for the historic Avery-Copp House in Groton to $25,000 for FRESH New London, which promotes healthy eating and community gardens in the region. The full list of grants is available at the foundation's website, www.cfect.org.

Maryam Elahi, president and chief executive of the foundation, said the grants were based largely on community input during a series of meetings that helped shape the organization's giving priorities. The sharing of insights, she added, helped the foundation build a strategic framework for creating the most impact on local people's lives.

"It's exciting to watch as our nonprofit partners now put those priorities into action," she said in a statement.

Priorities identified included paving the way for youths to improve their education and career prospects; bettering health and human services; preserving the environment, and taking care of wildlife and animals.

More than 100 charitable projects are expected to result from the grants, including improved access to food, housing, education and jobs.

The majority of funding in this round of grants came from the Southeast General Grants program, which awarded $797,050 in grants. The Norwich Youth Grants program, geared toward young people from Norwich, added $151,281 in grants, while the Willimantic Welfare Bureau Grants program kicked in an additional $19,130.

l.howard@theday.com