Deadline Approaching for National Small Business Week Awards Nominations

The U.S. Small Business Administration is now accepting nominations for its 2020 National Small Business Week Awards, including the annual Small Business Person of the Year. Since 1963, National Small Business Week has recognized the outstanding achievements of America’s small businesses for their contributions to their local communities, and to our nation’s economy.

SBA Awards given in celebration of National Small Business Week on May 3-9, 2020 include the following:

National Awards

• Small Business Person of the Year
• Small Business Exporter of the Year
• Phoenix Award for Small Business Disaster Recovery
• Phoenix Award for Outstanding Contributions to Disaster Recovery, Public Official
• Phoenix Award for Outstanding Contributions to Disaster Recovery, Volunteer
• 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
• Jody C. Raskind Lender of the Year
• Small Business Investment Company of the Year
• Small Business Development Center (SBDC) Excellence and Innovation Center Award

Regional Awards

• Young Entrepreneur of the Year
• Rural Small Business Person of the Year
• Second Chance Hiring Advocate of the Year

State Awards

• Female Small Business Person of the Year
• Minority Small Business Person of the Year
• Veteran Small Business Person of the Year Award

Unless the guidelines specify otherwise, South Carolina award nomination packages should be sent to: 

SBA South Carolina District Office 1835 Assembly Street, Suite 1425 Columbia, SC 29201 Attention: Savannah Wilburn (803)253-3121 savannah.wilburn@sba.gov 

All nominations must be submitted no later than 3 p.m. EST, Jan. 7, 2020.  Self-nominations are accepted. All nomination packages must be hand delivered or mailed to the South Carolina District Office.  Email submissions of SBA Awards forms will not be accepted as they contain personally identifiable information (PII).

Link to award forms are provided in the titles of the awards above.

National Awards Guidelines

Regional Awards Guidelines

State Awards Guidelines

Nomination Background Form

Additional information can be found at www.scsalutetosmallbiz.com.

Winners will be notified and March 2020 and publicly announced in April 2020. Award recipients will be recognized at the SC Salute to Small Business Awards Ceremony Luncheon on May 6, 2020 at the Columbia Convention Center. Recipients may go on to receive additional regional and national awards.