More than just a natural toothpaste brand, Tom's of Maine is committed to doing good.

Hey, nonprofits, act quick!  There’s just under two weeks left to apply for the new project from Tom’s of Maine–50 States for Good–and chance to be awarded $20,000.

What’s this, you may ask? Just another way Tom’s of Maine is doing good while doing business. Here’s the gist: 501(c)3s of any size can apply until August 30, at which point Tom’s will choose 50 nonprofits to compete for America’s choice. Starting September 21st, you can cast your vote online for the projects you think should be awarded $20,000. There will be 5 winners, totaling $100,000 coming from the pockets of Tom’s profits.

The money goes to charities big and small, depending on the voice of America. And for you nonprofits out there, it’s a win-win situation. The application process is simple and streamlined, so you won’t get bogged down in a lengthy grant application. And even if you don’t receive the $20,000, you gain visibility and online exposure from the voting process that lasts until November.

As of last week, 10,000 applications had been downloaded, and projects from 43 out of the 50 states had applied. Check out this recent interview with Rob Robinson, Director of Common Goods Partnerships for a snapshot on how the campaign works and why Tom’s is spearheading this initiative right now.

This exciting project to boost community involvement projects is a new way that Tom’s is continuing its lifelong commitment to doing good through their business. Since their inception nearly 40 years ago, they have donated 10% of their pre-tax profits to charity. But through 50 States for Good, they are involving the American public and giving them a voice to choose where the money should go. And after all is said and done, they will also provide information on the real-world impact of those dollars with follow-ups from the winning projects. This is one company who truly lives the concept of corporate social responsibility.