SACO — Saco Main Street has made it to the next round of finalists competing for a $25,000 revitalization grant and needs the public’s help to make it to the next round.

Local downtown organization Saco Main Street is a contender for the America’s Main Street contest through Independent We Stand, an organization that promotes small businesses.

Close to 300 downtown and business organizations entered the American’s Main Street contest, said Independent We Stand Co-founder Bill Brunelle. Contestants came from small, medium and large-sized communities from all areas of the country, said Brunelle.

From the nearly 300 entries, the top 25 were selected through an online voting process to move forward to the next round. Saco Main Street was one of these 25 quarter -finalists, and the only organization from Maine who made the cut.

“The fact they made the top 25 is something they should be proud of,” said Brunelle.

Saco Main Street and the 24 other quarter-finalists will now go through a second round of online voting which will determine the top 10 semi-finalists. Community members can vote daily through May 27 at www.mainstreetcontest.com.

Independent We Stand will review the semi-finalists and a winner will be announced on June 3.

Saco Main Street is encouraging community members to show their support by voting online daily.

“This grant would allow us to make great improvements to two parks, Diamond Park and Jubilee Island,” said Saco Main Street Executive Director Rob Biggs.

Jubilee Island, also known as Jubilee Park, is a small island in the Saco River that can be accessed by a covered bridge from Water Street. If it received the grant, Biggs said, Saco Main Street would use it toward creating wide, accessible crushed stone paths with additional benches and viewing spots on the island.

Diamond Park is a waterfront park on Irving Street that has a boat launch on the Saco River as well as a playground and walking trails. Biggs said Saco Main Street would like to improve trails, add benches and remove non-native undergrowth to provide spots for river viewing and fishing.

In addition to receiving a $25,000 grant, the winner of America’s Main Street Contest will also receive $1,000 worth of Stihl power equipment, a $500 shopping spree with Do It Best Corp. and a $500 shopping spree with PPG Paints.

— Staff Writer Liz Gotthelf can be reached at 780-9015 or by email at egotthelf@journaltribune.com.