PORTLAND — The Maine Women’s Fund recently awarded grants totaling $80,000 to organizations working to build the economic security of Maine women and girls.

The 2013 grantees will be recognized at the fund’s annual Leadership Luncheon on May 23 at the Holiday Inn By the Bay in Portland, according to a news release.

“The Maine Women’s Fund continues to be the only foundation focused solely on the future of Maine women and girls,” said Sarah Ruef-Lindquist, CEO. “The fund identifies the greatest needs across Maine, and invests in the organizations and initiatives that most effectively advance economic security for our state’s women and girls.”

The Economic Security Initiative grant recipients are:

— A Company of Girls will use its theater arts program for girls ages 8 to 18 to develop participants’ teamwork, confidence and sense of personal responsibility.

— The Community Schools at Opportunity Farm and Camden will expand the Passages Program, which serves pregnant and parenting young women through a homebased high school diploma program.

— Hardy Girls Healthy Women will enhance and expand its Adventure Girls program, designed to introduce Maine girls to concepts of leadership, coalition-building, financial independence and non-traditional careers and avocations.

— Maine Women’s Policy Center will create policies to increase access to education and training, ensure women are paid fairly for their work and enable workers to meet their job obligations while providing care to children and adult family members.

— The Margaret Chase Smith Policy Center grant will support the Maine NEW Leadership program, a free, intensive, residential, six-day, nonpartisan public leadership training institute for undergraduate women statewide.

— REAL School will offer a five-week intensive summer STEM Academy for at risk girls ages 14 to 18 aimed to provide teambuilding, cultural awareness, therapeutic adventure, postsecondary education and career exploration, therapeutic arts interventions and clinical level social work services.

— Safe Voices will assist women fleeing domestic violence through its residential shelter, educational trainings, 24-hour helpline and community education and prevention activities.

— Trekkers will provide scholarship funds for girls enrolled in a nonprofit, outdoor based mentoring program that connects young people with caring adults through expeditionary learning.

— Women, Work and Community will conduct outreach, coordination and promotion of the mini-grants program that will target marketing and business growth through its At Home on Main Street initiative.

Maine Women’s Fund

¦ THE MAINE WOMEN’S FUND is a public foundation creating lasting social change by investing in the power of women and the dreams of girls. Since 1989, the fund has granted almost $1.7 million to organizations across the state. The fund also works to educate Maine communities about the needs of Maine women and girls while supporting innovative effective programs. Learn more at www.mainewomensfund.org.