While the March 1 deadline for submitting proposals by mail is just around the corner, the Latvian Foundation will accept e-mailed proposals through March 10, the grant-making organization has announced.

The U.S.-based foundation supports educational, artistic and literary projects, scientific research and cultural events related to the Latvian people and their ethnic identity. Since the foundation was created in 1970, it has granted more than USD 1.3 million in support for projects worldwide.

The foundation seeks proposals in three different monetary categories: small projects requesting up to USD 2,000 in funding; medium projects requesting USD 2,001 to USD 5,000; and large projects requesting from USD 5,001 to USD 8,000.

The foundation’s board of directors will review all proposals and decide which to put to a vote of the foundation’s members. Members are expected to cast ballots this autumn and results are to be announced in November.

Last year the four largest projects receiving funding were for the planned performance of the musical “Eslingena” in Latvia, for the film Sibīrijas bērnu atmiņas, for a youth-oriented Web site focusing on Latvian history, and for an electronic book on Latvian oral history durng the 20th century.

Further information is available from the Latvian Foundation’s new Web site, www.latviesufonds.info (Macintosh users of the Safari browser may encounter problems viewing the site).