The Stardust Foundation of Central New York on Wednesday announced more than $500,000 in grants for area arts, education and human services programming, over and above the $1 million previously set aside for Cayuga Community College.

The grants include more than $260,000 for renovations at Auburn Public Theater; $135,000 to keep the Cayuga Health Association's Meals on Wheels

program running for three years; and $100,000 to support a feasibility study for a musical theater festival in Auburn.

According to a news release, nine organizations will receive direct “community investments” that seek to improve the quality of life, with two entities receiving matching grants.

The city of Auburn, which had sought a matching grant for the hiring of a consultant for a comprehensive master plan, has until Dec. 31 to accept the terms of a $58,000 grant. The money will fund an updated master plan for the city which includes recent projects and ideas, city manager Mark Palesh said. The current master plan is more than a decade old.

St. Peter and John Episcopal Church in Auburn received a matching grant of $10,000 for the restoration of its historic parish house.

Stardust Foundation of Central New York Executive Director Guy Cosentino said in a news release that there were “several common denominators” in the group of investments. “ ... one large factor is that we want to reward those who work towards community collaboration,” Cosentino said.

Some of the grants are supporting items raised in the “Call to Action: A Blueprint for Our Region,” that began in November 2006 to focus on seven major issues. One of those, Cayuga Community College, has already been awarded $1 million through the Stardust Foundation for its Institute for Innovation and Entrepreneurship

Recipients of more than $1.6 million in investments and matching grants

Name Amount Summary

Auburn Chamber of Commerce Foundation $5,000 Tuition assistance for Leadership Cayuga

Auburn Public Theater $263,174 Theater renovations

Boyle Senior Center $1,000 Outdoor park bench

Cayuga Community College $1 million Business and entrepreneurship

Cayuga Counseling Services $14,000 Medical equipment

Cayuga Health Association $135,000 Meals on Wheels

City of Auburn $58,000 Comprehensive plan

Musical Theater Festival $100,000 Feasibility study

Neighborhood House $20,000 Child care subsidy

St. Peter and John Episcopal Church $10,000 Parish house restoration

Success by Six $25,000 Dolly Parton Imagination Library