Theater officials, who said fundraising has been stymied by the coronavirus pandemic, sought release of city money to match grants. AUGUSTA — City officials have agreed to make up to $300,000 in city money available sooner than planned to provide the Colonial Theater matching funds needed to secure grants. Theater advocates said it has been a struggle to raise funds during the coronavirus pandemic, so they’ve turned to grant funding as a way to keep the project moving forward. Many of those grants require the funds to be matched with local money, which is why theater officials asked the city to release $40,000 from a $300,000 fund set aside in 2016…