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Forty nonprofit organizations across the country will each receive a $25,000 grant from the State Farm Neighborhood Assist program to help fund neighborhood improvement projects, according to a news release.

Starting June 2, people could submit a cause at www.neighborhoodassist.com. A submission guide can be downloaded from the website, and the first 2,000 submissions will be accepted. A review committee will then narrow the field to the top 200 finalists.

According to the release, the public ultimately will decide which community projects win, with a chance to vote on the website up to 10 times a day every day Aug. 18-27 for their favorite causes from the list of finalists.

The 40 causes that receive the most votes will each win a $25,000 grant. Winners will be announced on Wednesday, Sept. 29, on the website.

Last year, 145,000 people cast 3.9 million votes in support of their favorite causes, selecting winners from small towns and big cities.

Since the program began, more than 340 causes have received a total of $9 million to enact change in their communities, State Farm says.

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 — Compiled by Business Editor Joe Crews