Fourteen projects, including creation of a Web site about exile author Jānis Klīdzējs and research into Latvian textile art, will receive between USD 835 and USD 1,999 in grants from the Latvian Foundation, the foundation announced Aug. 17.

The foundation considered a total 54 small projects that requested up to USD 2,000 in grants. The foundation’s board made the awards during a May 1 meeting in Michigan.

The board also reviewed 11 projects requesting between USD 2,001 and USD 5,000 in aid, plus 20 wanting between USD 5,001 and USD 8,000 in grants. Those projects will be put to a vote of Latvian Foundation members and results announced during the foundation’s annual meeting Nov. 6 in New York.

Small grants approved included books for the city libraries in Aizpute, USD 1,500, and Viļaki, USD 1,094; renewal of folk costumes in Pope parish, USD 1,283; creation of the Web site about Klīdzējs, USD 835; a tour of the castles of Kurzeme planned by the Art School in Balvi, USD 1,587; a memoir about persons repressed during the Soviet occupation in Viesturi parish, USD 938; a course in Latvian traditional culture in the elementary school in Jaunsilava, USD 1,997; publication of the novel Baltic Amber, USD 1,000; a cycle of traditional Latvian festivals in the Auce area, USD 1,960; an album of artwork by painter Jāzeps Pīgoznis, USD 1,946; the research into Latvian textile art, USD 1,725; a children’s camp focused on traditional art in Taurene parish, USD 1,600; a project about traditional Latvian culture in Zirņi parish, USD 1,999; and a project on folkways in Lutriņi parish, USD 1,536.

Established in 1970, the Latvian Foundation is based in North America and supports cultural and educational projects in the Latvian community. Since its inception, the foundation has approved grants totaling more than USD 1.2 million. In recent years, the majority of grants have supported projects in Latvia. Two years ago, the foundation set up a division in Latvia.

Further information about the foundation is available from its Web site, www.latviesufonds.org.