The U.S. Department of Justice will award competitive grants of up to $150,000 to Weed and Seed Communities to support efforts to fight crime, drugs and gangs.

The Justice Department's Community Capacity Development Office's FY 10 Weed and Seed Communities Competitive Program provides discretionary grant funding to nonprofits and government agencies incommunities that were not previously approved Weed and Seed sites but have been so designated by Congress.

Weed and Seed communities must "work to reduce crime and improve the quality of life for residents in a community primarily through the redeployment of existing public and private resources, addressing both crime and social related problems that without proper intervention often lead to violent crime, drug abuse, and gang activity," according to the Justice Department.

Application deadline is Dec. 1. For more details, see the full funding announcement online.