Small Business Awards Small Business Person of the Year Award An individual who owns and operates or bears principal responsibility for operation of a small business may be nominated. Partners who jointly own and operate a business may be nominated as a “team” so long as the team consists of four or fewer individuals. Entrepreneurial Success Award This award goes to a nominee who received SBA assistance to help their business grow, and the business subsequently became a large business according to SBA size standards. The nominee must be an individual who owns and operates, or who bears principal responsibility for operating, the business. Partners may be nominated as a team so long as the team consists of four or fewer individuals. Family-Owned Business of the Year Nominees must serve as a majority owner and operator or bear principal responsibility for operating a family-owned and operated small business with at least a 15-year track record, which has been passed from one generation to another. Small Business Exporter Any individual who owns and operates a small business that has had success in exporting, as shown by such factors as increased sales, creative marketing strategies and encouragement of other small businesses to export, may be nominated. Young Entrepreneur of the Year Any individual who serves as a majority owner and operates or bears principal responsibility for operating a small business with at least a three year track record, and who will not have reached the age of 30 by June 1, 2009 may be nominated. Click to view the nomination procedures and qualifications Small Business Champion Awards Financial Services Champion of the Year Individuals who assist small businesses through advocacy efforts to increase the usefulness and availability of accounting or financial services for small businesses may be nominated. Nominees may or may not be small business owners. Home-Based Business Champion of the Year Individuals who have experienced the rewards and difficulties of owning a home-based business and have volunteered to improve the climate for these businesses may be nominated. Nominees may or may not be current small business owners. Michigan Small Business Counselor of the Year An award to honor the outstanding contributions from an individual SCORE, SBTDC or WBC business counselor. This individual should be one who repeatedly goes above and beyond the call of his or her job to assist the local small business community. Minority Small Business Champion of the Year Individuals who have fulfilled a commitment to support minority entrepreneurship may be nominated. Nominees may or may not be small business owners. Small Business Journalist of the Year Journalists representing television, radio, electronic or print media who report and champion small business issues may be nominated. Veteran Small Business Champion of the Year Individuals who have fulfilled a commitment to advancing small business opportunities for veterans of the U.S. armed forces may be nominated. Nominees may or may not be veterans. Women in Business Champion of the Year Individuals who have fulfilled a commitment to the advancement of women’s business ownership may be nominated. Nominees may or may not be small business owners. Click to view the nomination Procedures and Qualifications Innovation Award To be eligible for this award, the product or service must have been developed by the applicant and earned revenue for the first time during the previous three years (from Nov. 2, 2006.) Please provide a brief description of the following: product/service; the marketplace the product or service meets; evidence of satisfying the market need; the advantage over similar or previous versions of this product; how the product benefits Michigan’s economy; and why the product/service is unique. Click to view the nomination Procedures and Qualifications Main Street USA Best Small Business Award This award is given to a client of the MI-SBTDC who participated in a substantial amount of MI-SBTDC programs that resulted in a positive impact on the company in areas such as access to capital, development and implementation of a strategic plan, entry into new markets, etc. Click to view the nomination Procedures and Qualifications Government Contracting Award This award goes to a Procurement Technical Assistance Centers (PTACs) of Michigan client whose efforts have helped him or her to win or come substantially closer to winning a government contract. Click to view the nomination Procedures and Qualifications Michigan 50 Companies to Watch This is a unique awards program designed to shine the spotlight on second-stage companies. Each year the Edward Lowe foundation honors 50 second-stage Michigan companies that it feels are deserving of our attention in the years to come. Click to view the nomination Procedures and Qualifications