WARWICK — Rhode Islanders of diverse passions and pursuits –– whether animal advocates, loyal library patrons or history buffs –– will benefit from this year’s round of grants from the Champlin Foundations.

Champlin, which is one of the oldest philanthropic organizations in the state, announced last week that it is distributing $17.6 million in grants to 187 tax-exempt organizations.

According to foundations’ director, Keith H. Lang, the majority of the grants went to organizations in Champlin’s focus areas of youth and fitness, hospitals, education, conservation, parks, libraries and social services. The remaining 10 percent were awarded to services and agencies related to arts and culture, animal protection and historic preservation.

Among the larger awards were $2 million to the Nature Conservancy; $712,000 to the Ocean State Libraries network, for technology upgrades; $1.1 million for the renovation of the Kent County YMCA, in Warwick; and more than $950,000 for various programs and improvements at University of Rhode Island, Rhode Island College and the Community College of Rhode Island.

The Champlin Foundations comprise trusts started by siblings George S. Champlin, Florence C. Hamilton and Hope C. Neaves, the grandchildren of prominent 19th-century industrialist Stanton Byron Champlin

The latest round of annual grants, traditionally announced in December, bring to more than $410 million the amount distributed in the Champlin name since the first trust was founded 76 years ago.

The application period for grants runs from March 1 through May 31 each year.

This year’s disbursements will benefit the state’s cultural community with donations slated for organizations that include the Festival Ballet, the Providence Children’s Museum, the Rhode Island Philharmonic and the Newport Art Museum

Schools from Aldrich Junior High School, in Warwick, to Brown University will receive a wide variety of grants. The public junior high will get about $92,000 to outfit a math remediation lab while more than $600,000 will fund scholarships at Brown.

Hospitals and other health care institutions will also benefit greatly from this year’s round of grants. Bradley Hospital, in East Providence, is slated to receive $350,000 for an outdoor therapeutic fitness facility, Home & Hospice Care of Rhode Island will receive $500,000 toward the construction of a new headquarters and inpatient unit, and Rhode Island Hospital will receive $250,000 toward the expansion of its interventional radiology suite. All told, nearly two dozen health care agencies will receive Champlin funds.

Social service agencies that will receive grants include Cornerstone Adult Services, Crossroads Rhode Island, the Ronald McDonald House of Providence and the Rhode Island Community Food Bank.

Thirteen historic preservation grants were awarded to help preserve sites such as the Coggeshall Farm in Bristol, the Slater Mill and the Newport mansions.

Three animal-protection agencies — the Potter League for Animals, the Providence Animal Rescue League and the Rhode Island Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals — will receive grants totaling $98,000.

bpoliche@projo.com