AUGUSTA — Fourteen Maine communities are receiving grants designed to help cities and towns attract private investment.

Among the municipalities benefiting from the federally-funded Community Grant Block Program is Brunswick. The Midcoast Regional Redevelopment Authority is receiving $250,000 to transform a hanger into a tech business accelerator, which is expected to create 25 jobs.

The Economic Development Program (EDP) provides communities with gap funding to assist identified businesses in the creation and/or retention of jobs for low and moderate income people. The $2,700,000 allocated for 2014 is administered by DECD as part of the federally funded Community Development Block Grant Program. Communities and businesses benefiting from this round of $910,000 in awards are as follows:

• Madawaska – Evergreen Manufacturing Group – $150,000 for additional manufacturing and warehouse space; creating five jobs.

• Madawaska – Gateway Hospitality – $150,000 for refurbishment of former Gateway Motel to transitional living facility; creating five jobs.

• New Canada – Hebert Construction – $90,000 for expansion of existing business in to expand manufacturing capability; creating three jobs.

• Rockport – Fresh Off the Farm – $270,000 for municipal sewer project needed in order to keep the business open; retention of nine jobs.

The Workforce Development Grant (WDG) Program provides a maximum of $100,000 for operating expenses, equipment, and program materials for workforce training programs. Communities and businesses benefiting from this round of awards are as follows:

• Augusta – National Alliance on Mental Illness, Maine Chapter – $98,000 for peer to peer education for 60 individuals and first aid training for 300 individuals.

• Eastport – Millennium Marine – $100,000 for training 12 individuals on all aspects of working in a commercial boat building facility, including; assembly, laminating, and quality control.

• Nashville – Irving Forest Products – $97,500 for training 60 individuals on all aspects of operating a leading technology sawmill, including; hydraulics, drying kiln, and operating high-precision equipment.

The Micro-Enterprise Assistance (MEA) Grant Program provides grant funds to assist in innovative solutions to problems faced by micro-enterprise businesses. Assistance to businesses may be in the form of grants or loans at the discretion of the community. Communities and businesses benefiting are as follows:

• Fort Kent – $150,000 for facade improvements to downtown buildings recovering from previous flood damage; matched by $50,000 from building owners.

• Frenchville – $150,000 for micro-enterprise grants to a potential 12 micro-enterprise businesses for new heating system, replacement freezers, dog grooming station, air conditioning, etc.; matched by $63,927 from participating business owners.

• Madison – $25,000 for repair of siding and broken windows and clean-up of deep hole left after a building fire; matched by $3,500 from business owner.

• Winthrop – $100,000 for micro-enterprise grants to two businesses; Custom Glass Terrariums and Flaky Tart Cafe; matched by $3,000 from business owners.

• Sanford – $100,000 for micro-enterprise grants to several micro-businesses for new software, additional equipment, and production space; matched by $70,000 from participating business owners.

The Downtown Revitalization (DR) Grant Program provides a maximum of $400,000 to communities to implement solutions to problems facing their downtown districts. The projects must be part of a strategy targeting business districts leading to new opportunities for private investment. This year’s award is to:

• Skowhegan – $400,000 to replace drainage system for large central parking area used by multiple businesses; matched by $178,000 in town funds.