LOS ANGELES (CNS) — Public voting began Monday for the 2021 My LA2050 Grants Challenge, a Goldhirsh Foundation initiative to award $1 million in grants to 25 Los Angeles-area nonprofits and social enterprises.

The 25 finalists will receive at least $10,000 each, but voters will select a first place winner to receive $100,000, a second place winner to receive $50,000, a third place winner to receive $25,000, a fourth place winner to receive $15,000 and a fifth place winner to receive $10,000.

Finalists are:

• Center for Restorative Justice Works, Children Now, human-I-T, Los Angeles Center for Law & Justice, and The Civics Center in the "Connect" category
• Covenant House California, Fund for Guaranteed Income, Las Fotos Project, On The Go LA, and People's Pottery Project in the "Create" category
• Alliance in Mentorship/MiMentor, DIY Girls, New Earth, Rivet School, and SEED School of Los Angeles in the "Learn" category
• City Plants, Healing California, Shower of Hope, Western Center on Law and Poverty, and Westside Pacific Villages in the "Live" category
• Angel City Sports, CicLAvia, Color the Water, East Side Riders Bike Club, and Sloane Stephens Foundation in the "Play" category

Anyone who is a U.S. resident and at least 14 years old can vote once per category for a total of five votes. Voting is open through 5 p.m. June 28, and the winners will be announced on July 6. Each of the finalists received a $1,000 stipend for "get out the vote" efforts.

The challenge received a record 320 submissions this year, which the foundation attributes to the pain, loss and trauma that Los Angeles has experienced during the COVID-19 pandemic. During the seven previous years of the challenge, the foundation received a total of more than 1,800 applications and has distributed $10.5 million through the program, plus an additional $6.5 million given indirectly.

"To see so much hopefulness and healing represented by the finalists is humbling and inspiring," said Tara Roth, president of the Goldhirsh Foundation and LA2050. "We honor and celebrate all of them, and it is our hope that the voting public use this as an opportunity to learn more about their work."

People can cast their votes here.