DAYTON — A Dayton man has been named one of 100 semi-finalists in the Case Foundation's Make It Your Own Awards grant competition.

The Washington, D.C.,-based Case Foundation said Tokunbo Awoshakin was selected from 4,641 applications it received for the new grant program that tries to strengthen citizen involvement in communities.

The grant will allow Awoshakin to lead a group of neighbors and community leaders to create a safe space to discuss issues of hate crime and take action in the community, use films, dialogue and a media campaign, to explore our differences, work together to build a safe and peaceful community. The Dayton initiative is in collaboration with community organizations; including Catholic Hispanic ministries and East-End Community Service Incorporation among others.

The Top 100, whose online fundraising efforts will be jump-started with $100 from the Case Foundation, will now have an opportunity to refine their application and collaborate with others to begin promoting their idea in public. Each will also receive coaching from a community engagement professional hired by the Case Foundation to help further improve and develop applicant ideas and the logistics around getting them implemented.

In February 2008, the Top 20 finalists will be selected and be awarded $10,000 grants. Then the online community will select four ideas that will each receive an additional $25,000 grant.

"Response to this program has been wonderful and we hope it's an indicator that now, more than ever, people want to work together, discuss together and act together to develop solutions to challenges facing their communities," Case Foundation Social Investment Manager Michael Smith said. "Now, we will begin to work directly with our 100 semifinalists to refine and promote their ideas so they can realize their projects' full potential."

All applicants now have a Web page detailing their project and a customized online fundraising tool to allow them to promote their project and spread their idea across the Internet.

For more information on the local grant, visit miyo.casefoundation.org/engaging-hate-in-dayton.

The full list of the Top 100 can be found at www.CaseFoundation.org.