WASHINGTON– On Thursday, Administrator Isabella Casillas Guzman, head of the U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA) and the voice for America’s 33 million small businesses in President Biden’s Cabinet, announced the call for nominations for the 2024 National Small Business Week (NSBW) Awards. The NSBW Awards recognize the outstanding achievements, triumphs, contributions, and resilience of SBA-assisted small businesses that help to drive the American economy.
“Small businesses power our nation’s economy and are the realization of the American Dream for millions of entrepreneurs,” said Administrator Guzman. “From mom-and-pop shops to innovative startups, small businesses create good jobs, provide vital services, and help define the identities of the neighborhoods and communities they serve. National Small Business Week is an opportunity to recognize and celebrate their achievements and the essential contributions they make across the country.”
To nominate a small business owner in your area or download related forms, criteria, and guidelines, visit sba.gov/nsbw. All nominations must be submitted electronically by 4 p.m. ET (3 p.m. CT) on December 7, 2023. The awards will be presented during the NSBW Awards ceremony in Washington, D.C., from April 28-29, 2024.
For nearly 60 years, the SBA has celebrated National Small Business Week, highlighting the vital contributions of America’s entrepreneurs and small business owners.
The SBA’s signature award during NSBW is the Small Business Person of the Year. A business owner from each of the 50 states, the District of Columbia, Puerto Rico, the U.S. Virgin Islands, and Guam will be selected for individual State Winner awards. The state award winners will compete for the title of National Small Business Person of the Year.
In addition, nominations for the following award categories will be accepted:
- Small Business Exporter of the Year
- Phoenix Awards for Disaster Recovery:
- Phoenix Award for Small Business Disaster Recovery
- Phoenix Award for Small Business Disaster Recovery – Mitigation
- Phoenix Award for Outstanding Contributions to Disaster Recovery, Public Official
- Phoenix Award for Outstanding Contributions to Disaster Recovery, Volunteer
- Federal Procurement Awards:
- Small Business Prime Contractor of the Year
- Small Business Subcontractor of the Year
- Dwight D. Eisenhower Awards for Excellence (for large prime contractors who use small businesses as suppliers and contractors)
- 8(a) Graduate of the Year
- Awards to SBA Resource Partners:
- Small Business Development Center (SBDC) Excellence and Innovation Center Award
- Women’s Business Center of Excellence Award
- Veterans Business Outreach Center of the Year
- Small Business Investment Company of the Year
SBA St. Louis District Director Maureen E. Brinkley states, “We are excited to go back to a full slate of Small Business Week awards for the SBA St. Louis District Office this year. This allows us to recognize more small businesses, especially businesses that might not otherwise get acknowledgement for the work they do and the contributions they make to their local economies. I urge everyone to submit one or more nominations for any of these Eastern Missouri award categories: Minority-Owned Small Business of the Year; Veteran-Owned Small Business of the Year; Women-Owned Small Business of the Year; Rural-Owned Small Business of the Year; Family-Owned Small Business of the Year; Immigrant-Owned Small Business of the Year; HUBZone-Owned Small Business of the Year; Start-Up Small Business of the Year; Young Entrepreneur Small Business of the Year; Technology Small Business of the Year; Home Based Small Business of the Year; Entrepreneurial Success Award Business of the Year; Small Business Advocate of the Year.” SBA will make the afore referenced awards to eligible small businesses at the St. Louis District level only. Awards for Small Business Person of the Year and Exporter of the Year will be forwarded for National competition.
The SBA St. Louis District Office will host National Small Business Week Call for Award Nominees webinar on September 26 at 10:00 a.m. During this webinar, staff will share tips for submitting winning award nominations and answer any questions you might have.
For local area contact and other related information, visit online at https://www.sba.gov/national-small-business-week/district-office-awards.
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About National Small Business Week
For nearly 60 years, the President of the United States has issued a proclamation announcing National Small Business Week, recognizing the critical contributions of America’s entrepreneurs and small business owners. More than half of Americans either own or work for a small business, creating about two out of every three new jobs in the U.S. each year. As part of National Small Business Week, the U.S. Small Business Administration takes the opportunity to highlight the impact of outstanding entrepreneurs, small business owners, and others from all 50 states and U.S. territories. Every day, they’re working to grow small businesses, create 21st-century jobs, drive innovation, and increase America’s global competitiveness. To learn more, visit www.sba.gov/nsbw.
About the U.S. Small Business Administration
The U.S. Small Business Administration helps power the American dream of business ownership. As the only go-to resource and voice for small businesses backed by the strength of the federal government, the SBA empowers entrepreneurs and small business owners with the resources and support they need to start, grow, or expand their businesses or recover from a declared disaster. It delivers services through an extensive network of SBA field offices and partnerships with public and private organizations. To learn more, visit www.sba.gov.