The Dominion Foundation, the philanthropic arm of Dominion Resources, has awarded $500,000 in grants to colleges and community colleges in Virginia.

"This new program was created specifically for higher education," said William C. Hall Jr., a vice president of Dominion and president of The Dominion Foundation. "We see the importance in funding and cultivating the innovative studies that are happening at our colleges and universities and their potential for the future."

Grants ranging from $10,000 to $40,000 will support programs in business, skilled craft, engineering, environmental and technical studies, and for student-led conservation programs.

Grant recipients include:

• Thomas Nelson Community College, Hampton, received $10,000 to help students explore wind turbine technology and design.
• Virginia Highlands Community College in Abingdon was awarded $30,000 to support a student-run solar energy coffee shop where students will learn about energy conservation and alternative energies, as well as how to run a business.
• Virginia State University in Petersburg received $40,000 for students to perform energy audits for elderly homeowners with the goal of saving 30 percent on heating and cooling costs.
• Virginia Union University in Richmond will use $40,000 to implement Six Sigma business management tools to define problems, collect and analyze data, and submit solutions.

Dominion, its charitable foundation and its employees this year will donate millions of dollars and more than 125,000 volunteer hours in programs that help improve the quality of life for people in the states in which Dominion operates. The Dominion Foundation's focus areas include preservation of natural resources, work force development and education, diversity initiatives, neighborhood and community development, and basic needs for food and shelter.