Our office presents national and district-level awards. Nominees must demonstrate success in business as well as contributions to their local communities. National-level awards, including Small Business Person of the Year, Exporter of the Year, Small Business Manufacturer of the Year, Rural Small Business of the Year, Blue-Collar Small Business of the Year, Veteran Small Business of the Year, Phoenix Award for Small Business Disaster Recovery, and Phoenix Award for Small Business Disaster Recovery, Mitigation go on to compete for additional recognition, and some winners are invited to attend ceremonies in Washington, D.C. The district-level winners are honored locally. Read on for general guidelines for all available District Office awards.
General guidelines
Award eligibility
Who is eligible to be nominated for this award?
Nominees for this award must meet the following eligibility requirements. Please contact our office with any questions.
- Any U.S. citizen or U.S. national who has their principal residence in the United States, its territories or possessions, who owns 51% of a business and operates a small business for a minimum of three years prior to being nominated may be nominated. Partners who jointly own and operate a small business may be nominated as a “team” so long as the number of individuals in the team nomination does not exceed four.
- Must be in good standing on any federal obligations.
- Individuals who have received at least one type of SBA assistance such as, but not limited to, an SBA loan, SCORE counseling, Small Business Development Center (SBDC) assistance, Veterans Business Outreach Center (VBOC) assistance, Women’s Business Center (WBC) assistance, government contracting assistance, disaster assistance, Boots to Business programs, or participation in an SBA-funded, veteran-focused program.
Who is NOT eligible to be nominated for this award?
- Individuals or teams who own or operate a business defined as “other than small” (i.e., large businesses) for its primary industry under the applicable SBA size standards.
- Individuals or firms who are currently suspended or debarred by the Federal government.
Who may submit nominations for this award?
- Individuals or organizations dedicated to the support of the small business community in the United States such as trade and professional associations and business organizations, may submit nominations.
- Individuals may self-nominate.
How to apply
What information must the nomination package contain?
Nominations must contain the information below. Incomplete nomination packages will not be considered.
- A completed SBA Form 3300, Award Nominee Background form. For “team” nominations, a background form is required for each team member.
- A completed Authorization, Grant & Release of Materials form. For “team” nominations, a release form is required for each team member.
- A completed SBA Form 3301, Small Business Awards nomination form.
- A high-resolution digital photo of nominee – at least 300 DPI is required. For “team” nominations, a photo of each nominee or group photo is acceptable.
- Additional supporting documentation deemed significant by the nominator, including news clips, letters of recommendation, nomination letter (if not self-nominated), and other evidence of the appropriateness of the nomination. Supporting documentation may not exceed 10 pages. Videos will not be considered.
Where are the nomination packages to be sent?
All nomination packages must be submitted electronically to the upload link in the “About the District Office awards” section below. Nomination packages should be scanned and submitted as one full document. Photo should be submitted as a separate attachment.
When is the deadline for nomination packages?
Nomination packages must be submitted by 3:00 p.m. ET on December 7, 2026 (2:00 p.m. CT/1:00 p.m. MT/12:00 p.m. PT/11:00 a.m. AK/10:00 a.m. HI).
How are winners selected?
What are the evaluation/selection criteria?
In evaluating the nomination packages, the judges will look at the following criteria:
- Business’ staying power, growth in employees, increase in sales, improved financial position, and innovativeness of product or service offered;
- Contributions to community— evidence of the use of his/her personal time and resources to contribute to its community; and
- Additional criteria to be determined by the individual District Office.
What are the selection procedures?
The District Office Award will be selected by the appropriate District Director based on, but not restricted to, the recommendations of the panel of judges of federal or non-federal employees.
About the District Office awards
To be nominated and receive one of the following local awards, the small business nominee must fit within the category of the award, demonstrate success in business, and complete and submit the required nomination package information. Incomplete packages will not be accepted.
Read on for local award nomination criteria and to submit your nomination.
Woman Owned Small Business of the Year
An individual who has fulfilled a commitment to the advancement of women’s business ownership may be nominated. Champion nominees may or may not be small business owners.
Community Partner of the Year
This recognizes organizations that have significantly supported small businesses within a specific SBA district or region. These partners, often nonprofit organizations or government programs, provide crucial resources, training, and guidance to help entrepreneurs start, grow, and succeed.
Small Business Advocate of the Year
This award recognizes individuals or organizations who have shown a strong commitment to advocating for small businesses and their interests, often through policy work, community engagement, or resource provision.
SBA will make the above referenced awards to eligible small businesses at the North Florida District level only. All District Awards are judged against winners of the South Florida District Office to win the State title. Awards for Small Business Person of the Year, Exporter of the Year, Rural Small Business of the Year, Small Business Manufacturer of the Year, Blue-Collar Small Business of the Year, and Veteran Small Business of the Year will be forwarded for National competition.
Need help?
If you have questions about our local awards, please contact Stephanie Workman.