Grants of up to $50,000 for environmental causes will be made available for the first time this year through the nearly $10 million Peter Grayson Letz Fund for Animals and the Environment.

Letz, a low-profile North Stonington man who worked maintenance jobs much of his life, left the Community Foundation of Eastern Connecticut its largest gift ever when he died in 2013.

Letz had accumulated much of his fortune by inheritance, having been the grandson of Peter Rudolph Letz, a former executive of Cooper Industries in Ohio, and the son of George Letz, an Electric Boat engineer.

The New London-based based community foundation said it would be distributing money from the fund in two stages. The first stage of environmental grants will total about $150,000, while animal-welfare grants (by invitation only in the first round later this year) should run about $75,000.

Awards in both categories will start at about $10,000.

"Following months of planning, we are excited to begin the process of distributing these funds to the community," said Maryam Elahi, president and chief executive of the foundation. "It is important that we recognize the role of the environment in our well-being and work to preserve it."

The first environmental proposals are being sought in three categories: preservation and protection of environmentally significant land, waterways and wildlife habitats; engagement of youths in environmental education and activities; and connection of the natural world to improved mental and physical health.

The fund overall is meant to benefit domestic animals and wildlife as well as environmental education and conservation in New London County.

In the first round of environmental grants, nonprofit groups are expected to submit a letter of intent to the community foundation by Sept. 15.

Submission guidelines are available at www.cfect.org.

"We are thankful for the foresight and generosity of Mr. Letz, and look forward to carrying out his wishes to positively impact the community for which he cared," Elahi said in a statement.

l.howard@theday.com

Twitter: @KingstonLeeHow