The SBA South Carolina District Office is accepting nominations for the first annual South Carolina Small Business & Advocacy Awards. Awards include:

• South Carolina Family Business of the Year
• South Carolina Young Entrepreneur of the Year
• South Carolina Minority Small Business Advocate of the Year
• South Carolina Veteran Entrepreneurship Advocate of the Year
• South Carolina Women in Business Advocate of the Year

The deadline to submit nominations is Thursday, January 31, 2013. (Note: These awards replace the SBA Champion awards from previous years.)

Who is eligible to be nominated?

Nominees must fit the following eligibility requirements for the corresponding award category:

Young Entrepreneur of the Year

An individual who owns and operates (or bears principal responsibility for operating) a small business with a three year track record, and who will not have reached the age of 30 by June 1, 2013.

Family Business of the Year

A family-owned and operated small business that has been passed on from one generation to the next. The current owners must have owned and/or operated the business for at least the past three years.

Minority Small Business Advocate of the Year

Any individual who has advanced minority entrepreneurship within South Carolina. Nominees may or may not be minorities themselves. Small business ownership is not required.

Veteran Entrepreneurship Advocate of the Year

Any individual who has advanced veteran entrepreneurship within South Carolina. Nominees may or may not be veterans themselves. Small business ownership is not required.

Women in Business Advocate of the Year

Any individual who has advanced female entrepreneurship within South Carolina. Nominees may or may not be women. Small business ownership is not required.

Who may submit nominations?

Any individual or organization dedicated to the support of the small business community in the United States, including (but not limited to) trade and professional associations and business organizations, may submit nominations for these South Carolina Awards. Individuals may not be nominated for more than one award category.

Where are the nominations to be sent?

South Carolina nominations must either be submitted via email to anna.huntley@sba.gov or to the SBA South Carolina District Office at:

What is the deadline for nominations?

All South Carolina Small Business & Advocacy  Award nominations must be emailed, postmarked or hand delivered no later than January 3, 2013.

What information must the nomination package contain?

A complete nomination package will include:

1. A completed South Carolina Small Business & Advocacy Award nomination sheet corresponding to the appropriate award. The South Carolina Award nomination sheets are available below as PDF file attachments.
2. SBA Forms 3300 and 2137 (Award Nomination and Nomination Consent forms), included as attachments within the award nomination sheets. The forms are also available at http://www.sba.gov/content/award-nomination-form (Form 3300) and http://www.sba.gov/content/small-business-week-consent-disclosure-inform... (Form 2137).
3. A 4x6, 5x7 or 8x10 photo of the nominee, or a digital photo that is at least 300 DPI.
4. A nomination letter serving as a concise statement of the qualities and performance that merit the award, not to exceed two pages.
5. Any other supporting documentation deemed significant by the nominator, including news clips, letters of recommendation and other evidence of the appropriateness of the nomination. Supporting documentation must not exceed 10 pages. (Some exceptions to the 10-page limit may be made if supporting documentation includes multi-page items, such as business magazine articles.) Videos will not be considered.

Unless submitted via email, nominations must be typewritten on one side of 8½” x 11” white stationery, collated and secured in a binder or folder.

What are the selection procedures?

Winners of the South Carolina Small Business & Advocacy Awards will be selected at the state level by a panel of judges and confirmed by the SBA South Carolina District Office. Non-federal employees serving as judges must sign a conflict of interest/non-disclosure certification.

What are the evaluation/selection criteria?

Each of the above South Carolina Small Business & Advocacy awards has specific evaluation criteria:

Young Entrepreneur of the Year

1. Financial performance
2. Business growth (including increased sales, increased employment and other indicators of growth)
3. Innovativeness of business and of business methods/practices
4. Community contributions or involvement

Family Business of the Year

1. Financial performance
2. Recent growth (including increased sales, increased employment and other indicators of growth)
3. Historical growth (including years in business, increased employment and other indicators of growth)
4. Evidence of continued success through new strategies, directions, etc. developed under the current owners
5. Community contributions and/or involvement

Minority Small Business Advocate of the Year

1. Efforts, actions and accomplishments as a voice for minority entrepreneurs
2. Efforts, actions and accomplishments related to educating or mentoring minority entrepreneurs
3. Efforts, actions and accomplishments in connecting minority entrepreneurs to resources and opportunities
4. Development of new programs, resources, etc. for minority entrepreneurs
5. Voluntary efforts on behalf of minority entrepreneurs or the minority business community
6. Leadership qualities

Veteran Entrepreneurship Advocate of the Year

1. Efforts, actions and accomplishments as a voice for veteran entrepreneurs
2. Efforts, actions and accomplishments related to educating or mentoring veteran entrepreneurs
3. Efforts, actions and accomplishments in connecting veteran entrepreneurs to resources and opportunities
4. Development of new programs, resources, etc. for veteran entrepreneurs
5. Voluntary efforts on behalf of veteran entrepreneurs or the veteran-owned business community
6. Efforts to improve the overall veteran community or efforts to increase employment opportunities for veterans

Women in Business of the Year

1. Efforts, actions and accomplishments as a voice for women entrepreneurs
2. Efforts, actions and accomplishments related to educating or mentoring women entrepreneurs
3. Efforts, actions and accomplishments in connecting women entrepreneurs to resources and opportunities
4. Development of new programs, resources, etc. for women entrepreneurs
5. Voluntary efforts on behalf of women entrepreneurs or the women-owned business community
6. Efforts to encourage girls or women to pursue entrepreneurship or efforts to encourage or support women in leadership roles