Lawmakers will hold two meetings over the next week to discuss applications from nonprofit organizations seeking more than $150 million in grants from the Legislature.

The first briefing will begin at 9 a.m. Saturday at the State Capitol auditorium. The second, which will include Neighbor Island grant applicants, is scheduled for 9 a.m. Wednesday at the auditorium.

The briefings are being held by the Legislature's two money committees to bring more openness to the process of determining which nonprofits will get the coveted grants. An Advertiser series in December highlighted problems with that process, including a lack of transparency.

Representatives from each nonprofit applicant — 250 applications were received this year — will be given an opportunity to address and answer questions from the joint panel. Members of the public will not be permitted to testify, but they can provide comments via e-mail at the Legislature's Web site, www.capitol.hawaii.gov/, according to a spokeswoman.

Responding to criticisms about the process, the Legislature this year for the first time put the completed applications on its Web site, allowing the public to see which organizations have applied. Because of limited funding, the Legislature typically is not able to fund all requests.