OCEANSIDE — Annual recommendations were made on which community service programs to fund through Community Development Block Grants and which programs to advise to look elsewhere for funding at the March 12 City Council meeting.

The city has $ 275,000 to divvy up in Community Development Block Grants for the 2008-2009 fiscal year. The city is looking for projects that have the greatest direct benefit on neighborhoods and the city, said John Lundblad, city management analyst.

Determining which programs are the most beneficial is a difficult task, said Lundblad. The recommendation process starts with small committees reviewing and prioritizing applications then final recommendations from the super committee — a group comprising members from the smaller committees — are made to City Council.

The super committee reviewed committee recommendations and read and evaluated all applications, said Kay Parker, super committee volunteer. “We felt we got a community view of our priorities.”

The super committee supported funding 18 service programs and nixed recommendations for 21 programs. “The fact of the matter is the money runs out before the activities,” said Parker.

Among the programs that received recommendations for funding were Boys & Girls Clubs’ Gangbuster program, which provides after school support for youth; and Oceanside Senior Citizens Center’s Senior Nutrition program, which provides low-cost meals to seniors.

Funding will support up to 50 percent of program costs, said Margery Pierce, neighborhood services director for the city.

Service groups that applied for funding had an opportunity to share an overview their programs. Numerous groups shared photos and testimonials.

Council will take the super committee’s recommendations under advisement and reach a decision on funding at a later date.