Honor DSM USA Small Businesses with the 2019 National Small Business Week Awards

Do you know of an outstanding small business that deserves to be recognized for its success? Perhaps you are that small business. The U.S. Small Business Administration is now accepting nominations for its 2019 National Small Business Week Awards, including the annual Small Business Person of the Year Award. Since 1963, National Small Business Week has recognized the outstanding achievements of America’s small businesses for their contributions to their local communities — including in Greater Des Moines (DSM) — and to our nation’s economy.

The dedicated website sba.gov/nsbw/awards provides forms, criteria and guidelines for submitting a nomination.

National Award Information

SBA Awards given in celebration of National Small Business Week, May 5-11, 2019, include the following:

• Small Business Person of the Year — One from each of the 50 states, the District of Columbia, Puerto Rico, the U.S. Virgin Islands and Guam.

• Small Business Exporter of the Year

Businesses are required to have had SBA assistance in order to be nominated for these two awards.

Individuals who have received one type of SBA assistance such as, but not limited to, an SBA loan, SCORE counseling, Small Business Development Center assistance, Women’s Business Center assistance, government contracting assistance, disaster assistance, Emerging Leaders Initiative or Boots to Business training are eligible.

Iowa Award Information

In addition to these National Small Business Week Awards, the SBA’s Iowa District Office will be presenting state-specific awards in several categories. SBA assistance is not required for these nominations and they do not have to be (but can be) business owners. They include: 

• Iowa Women in Business Champion of the Year — presented to an individual(s) who has demonstrated a commitment to the advancement of women’s small business ownership.

• Iowa Minority Small Business Champion of the Year — presented to an individual(s) who has demonstrated a commitment to the advancement of minority small business ownership.

• Iowa Veteran Business Champion of the Year — presented to an individual(s) who has demonstrated a commitment to the advancement of veteran business owners. 

Iowa award winners at all levels will be honored during 2019 Small Business Week in May.

All nominations must be submitted no later than 2 p.m. CST, Jan. 9, 2019. For nomination criteria and submission instructions for the Iowa awards, please e-mail Dave Lentell at the SBA’s Iowa District Office at thomas.lentell@sba.gov. 

Find more tips on starting and growing your business at sba.gov. Learn more about The Partnership’s small business resources.