To be nominated and receive one of the following local awards, the nominee must fit within the category of the award, have a three-year track record, have received at least one type of SBA assistance such as an SBA loan, SCORE counseling, Small Business Development Center (SBDC) assistance Veteran’s Business Outreach Center (VBOC) assistance, Women’s Business Center (WBC) assistance, government contracting assistance, disaster assistance, Emerging Leaders Initiative, or Boots to Business training and submit the required nomination package information. Incomplete packages will not be accepted.
After you read through the categories below, you can read the general guidelines and submit your nomination.
Jeffrey Butland Family-Owned Small Business of the Year
Any small business that is family-owned and operated, with a 15-year track record that has been passed on from at least one generation to another. Nominee must demonstrate: Staying power; Growth in number of employees and increase in sales over 3 years (2020, 2021, 2022); Innovativeness of product or service offered; contributions to community-oriented projects; response to adversity; volunteer efforts to strengthen family-owned businesses within the community; and increased employment opportunities for family members.
Minority Small Business Owner
Any individual who qualifies as a minority and who owns at least 51% and operates a small business may be nominated. Nominee must demonstrate: Staying power; Growth in number of employees and increase in sales over 3 years (2020, 2021, 2022); Innovativeness of product or service offered; Contributions to community-oriented projects; Response to adversity; and Volunteer efforts to advance minority business interests within the community.
Veteran Small Business Owner
Any individual(s) l who owns at least 51% and operates a small business and is a veteran of the U.S. armed forces may be nominated. Nominee must demonstrate: Staying power; Growth in number of employees and increase in sales over 3 years (2020, 2021, 2022); Innovativeness of product or service offered; contributions to community-oriented projects; response to adversity; volunteer efforts to advance veteran business interests within the community; and increased employment opportunities for veterans.
Women Small Business Owner
Any woman/women who owns at least 51% and operates a small business may be nominated. Nominee must demonstrate: Staying power; Growth in number of employees and increase in sales over 3 years (2020, 2021 and 2022); Innovativeness of product or service offered; Contributions to community-oriented projects; Response to adversity; and volunteer efforts to advance woman business interests within the community.
Microenterprise
Any individual(s) who founded, owns, and operates a business with 5 or fewer employees (including the owners). Partners who jointly own and operate the business may be nominated as a “team”, so long as the number of individuals in the team does not exceed four. Nominee must demonstrate: Staying power; Increase in sales over 3 years (2020, 2021 and 2022); Innovativeness of product or service offered; Contributions to community-oriented projects; Response to adversity; and Demonstrated creativity and/or commitment to a social mission in hiring policy, buying local, etc.
Young Entrepreneur
Any individual(s), under the age of 30 by June 1st 2024, who owns at least 51% and operates a small business may be nominated. Nominee must demonstrate: Staying power; Growth in number of employees and increase in sales over 3 years (2020, 2021, 2022); Innovativeness of product or service offered; Contributions to community-oriented projects; and Response to adversity.
Small Business Manufacturer
Any small business manufacturer may be nominated. Nominee must demonstrate: Staying power; Growth in number of employees and increase in sales over 3 years (2019, 2020, 2021); Innovativeness of product or service offered; Contributions to community-oriented projects; Response to adversity; and Demonstrated creativity and/or commitment to a social mission in hiring policy, buying local, etc.
Home-Based Business Owner
Any small business operated out of a home office location may be nominated. Nominee must demonstrate: Staying power; Increase in sales over 3 years (2020, 2021, 2022); Innovativeness of product or service offered; Contributions to community-oriented projects; and Response to adversity.
Financial Services Champion
Any Individual who assists small businesses through advocacy to increase usefulness and availability of accounting or financial services. Nominee must respond to the following criteria: Outside of regular business duties, the amount and quality of assistance given to small businesses in obtaining financing; Advocacy of changes in the financial services industry to assist small firms; Encouragement of the flow of investment capital to small ventures; Active support for legislative or regulatory action designed to help small firms; and Other significant contributions made by the nominee through financial services or accounting industry to advance small business interests.
SBA will make the above referenced awards to eligible small businesses at the Massachusetts District level only. Awards for Small Business Person of the Year and Exporter of the Year will be forwarded for National competition.