SBA now accepting 2020 National Small Business Week Awards nominations

From Small Business Administration

The U.S. Small Business Administration is now accepting nominations for its 2020 National Small Business Week Awards.

Every year since 1963, the president of the United States has issued a proclamation announcing National Small Business Week, which recognizes the critical contributions of America’s entrepreneurs and small business owners.

As part of the NSBW, the U.S. Small Business Administration takes the opportunity to highlight the impact of outstanding entrepreneurs and others from all 50 states and U.S. territories in May 2020.

The nominee selected as Small Business Person of the Year will compete against nominees from other states for the National Award. In addition, several other awards will be competed at the state and regional level.

These SBA Awards include the following:

• Small Business Person of the Year: For developing an outstanding, growing business; innovative product or products, increasing jobs, increasing sales, overcoming adversity, and community contributions.

• Jeffrey Butland Family Owned Business of the Year: Family-owned business that has passed from one generation to another and owner has responsibility for operating the business. Nominees must serve as a majority owner and operator or bear principal responsibility for operating a small business with at least a 15-year track record.

• Micro-Enterprise of the Year: A microenterprise which received SBA assistance through SBA loan programs or as a client of our technical service providers may be nominated. Microenterprise is defined as any small business with five or fewer employees including the owners.

• Veteran-Owned Small Business of the Year: A small business with at least a three-year track record which is majority-owned by a U.S. Armed Forces Veteran.

• Woman-Owned Small Business of the Year: A small business with a track record of at least three years which is majority-owned by a woman.

• Young Entrepreneur of the Year: Any individual who serves as majority owner and operator for a small business with a three-year track record, and who will not have reached the age of 30 by June 1, 2020.

• Home-Based Business of the Year: A business based in the owner’s home.

• Minority-Owned Small Business of the Year: A business with at least a three-year track record, which is majority-owned by an ethnic minority. • Small Business Exporter of the Year: Significantly increased export sales and profits, encouraging other firms to export, increased jobs through exports, and innovative methods of creating markets.

• Small Business Manufacturer of the Year: A business with at least a three-year track record, which designs, manufactures, fabricates, assembles, or processes a finished product. This includes value-added food products.

• Financial Services Champion of the Year: The following are criteria for the Financial Services Champion Award: Outside of regular business duties, the amount and quality of assistance given to small businesses to obtain financing, advocacy for changes in the financial services industry to assist small companies, encouragement of the flow of investment capital to small ventures, active support for legislative or regulatory action designed to help small firms, and measurable accomplishments through the advocacy efforts of the financial services or accounting industries to advance small business interests. Eligible businesses must have been successfully operating at least three years and must have received at least one type of SBA assistance such as, but not limited to, an SBA loan; SCORE, Women’s Business Center, Small Business Development Center or Veteran’s Business Outreach Center assistance; government contracting assistance; disaster loan assistance; and or attended Boots to Business; or SBA’s Emerging Leaders Program.

To be considered, nominations should be received by Nov. 15. National award winners will be announced during SBA’s National Small Business Week, May 3-9.

More information and the nomination forms can be found at https://www.sba.gov/national-small-business-week/national-small-business-week-awards .

When nominating a business within the states of Colorado, Montana, North Dakota, South Dakota, Utah,Wyoming, Arkansas, Louisiana, New Mexico, Oklahoma or Texas, mail to: 

Sheena L. Little

U.S. Small Business Administration

615 E. Houston Street, Ste 298

San Antonio, TX  78205

Phone:  210-403-5909