The Rhode Island Foundation has awarded $500,000 in grants for local community-building projects.

The foundation says 43 projects received grants.

The recipients include nonprofit organizations, municipal governments and public agencies.

Among the uses, the grants can pay for building bikes lanes, creating neighborhood libraries, designing walking tours, planting community gardens and installing historical markers and monuments.

The city of Woonsocket received $8,500 to install public art, Aquidneck Community Table received $12,000 to create a community garden in Newport and the Pawtucket Central Falls Development Corporation received $12,000 to add bike lanes around school buildings in Central Falls, for example. The work is expected to be completed this year.

The maximum grant award was $15,000.