Small Business Develpment Center Small Business. Big Recgnitin. The Small Business Develpment Center knws firsthand that small businesses are the backbne f American free enterprise. Every day, they re wrking t grw lcal ecnmies, create 21st century jbs, drive innva n, and increase America s glbal cmpe veness. The SBDC is hnred t launch this annual awards prgram t recgnize utstanding small businesses in ur regin whse wners have fllwed their dreams, taken risks and fund success. Minnesta State University Strategic Partnership Center 424 Nrth Riverfrnt Drive Suite 210 Mankat, MN 56001 507-389-8875 myminnestabusiness.cm Award Categries: Encre Entrepreneur Family Owned Small Business Minrity Owned Small Business Veteran Owned Small Business Wmen Owned Small Business Yung Entrepreneur Award recipients will be hnred at a special event and advance t the SBA Minnesta Small Business Week Awards.
CONTENTS General Eligibility Requirements...2 Rules / Hw t Submit a Nminatin..3 Encre Entrepreneur Award (Age 50+)..4 Family-Owned Small Business Award.5 Minrity-Owned Small Business Award...6 Veteran-Owned Small Business Award....7 Wmen-Owned Small Business Award.8 Yung Entrepreneur Award (Under Age 30)..9 Award Nminee Frm. 10 1 P age
GENERAL ELIGIBILITY 1. The business must have received services frm the SBDC in the last three (3) calendar years, 2015 2017. 2. The business must be lcated in the Suth Central SBDC service area: Cunties f Blue Earth, Brwn, Faribault, Le Sueur, Martin, Nicllet, Sibley, Waseca r Watnwan. 3. The business must have a minimum three-year track recrd, except a Family-Owned Small Business nminee must have a minimum 15-year track recrd. 4. The primary nminee must be active in the business being nminated. 5. The primary nminee must wn the business; hwever, the primary nminee des nt have t be the sle wner. 6. All nminees must be residents f the United States. 7. Any business wned and perated by the nminee must cmply with federal civil rights laws. 2 P age
RULES 1. Entries will becme the prperty f the Small Business Develpment Center. 2. Award recipients will be chsen by a panel cnvened by the Small Business Develpment Center, and the panel s determinatins shall be final. 3. Acceptance f the nminatin cnstitutes permissin t use the nminees and recipients names and phtgraphs fr purpses f advertising r prmtin n behalf f the Small Business Develpment Center. 4. Financial data included in the nminatin package is kept cnfidential unless the nminee(s) grants permissin fr disclsure. HOW TO SUBMIT Nminatins must be printed n 8-1/2" x 11" white paper, ne side nly. NOMINATIONS DUE: 5:00 pm n December 1, 2017. Please submit yur package electrnically t Julie.nelsn@mnsu.edu r mail t ur ffice at the fllwing address: Small Business Develpment Center Attn: SMALL BUSINESS AWARDS 424 N Riverfrnt Dr, Suite 210 Mankat, MN 56001 If yu have any questins cncerning the nminatin prcess, please call Julie Nelsn at 507-389-8875. 3 P age
ENCORE ENTREPRENEUR AWARD Any individual wh serves as a majrity wner and perates r bears principal respnsibility fr perating a small business with a three-year track recrd, and wh started the business after age fifty (50), may be nminated. The nminatin package must include: A cmpleted Award Nminatin Frm. A nminatin letter/narrative that details the nminee s qualificatins accrding t the fllwing criteria: Increased emplyment pprtunities created by the nminee's business. Develpment and/r utilizatin f innvative r creative business methds. Demnstrated entrepreneurial ptential necessary fr business success and ecnmic grwth. Effrts t make a psitive difference in their cmmunity by meeting a cmmunity need and/r tackling a scial challenge. A ne-page bigraphy f the nminee. An riginal 8 x 10 r 5 x 7 pht f the nminee r a digital pht at least 300 dpi is required; phtcpies are nt acceptable. Additinal supprting dcumentatin deemed significant by the nminatr, including news clips, letters f recmmendatin, and ther evidence f the apprpriateness f the nminatin (supprting dcumentatin must nt exceed 10 pages). Vides will nt be cnsidered. 4 P age
FAMILY-OWNED SMALL BUSINESS This award hnrs a family wned and perated business, which has been passed n frm ne generatin t anther. Nminees must als serve as a majrity wner and peratr r bear principal respnsibility fr perating the small business, with at least a fifteen (15) year track recrd. The nminatin package must include: A cmpleted Award Nminatin Frm. A nminatin letter/narrative that details the nminee s qualificatins accrding t the fllwing criteria: Evidence f success as measured by sales and prfits, as based n financial infrmatin supplied in the nminatin. Increased emplyment pprtunities fr family members and nn-family members fr the nminee's business. Demnstrated ptential necessary fr lng-term business success and ecnmic grwth. Vluntary effrts t strengthen family-wned businesses within the cmmunity. A ne-page bigraphy f the nminee. An riginal 8 x 10 r 5 x 7 pht f the nminee r a digital pht at least 300 dpi is required; phtcpies are nt acceptable. Additinal supprting dcumentatin deemed significant by the nminatr, including news clips, letters f recmmendatin, and ther evidence f the apprpriateness f the nminatin (supprting dcumentatin must nt exceed 10 pages). Vides will nt be cnsidered. 5 P age
MINORITY-OWNED SMALL BUSINESS T be cnsidered fr this award, the business a must be at least 51% wned and cntrlled by ne r mre minrity persns, with a three-year track recrd, and primarily managed by ne r mre minrity persns. The nminatin package must include: A cmpleted Award Nminatin Frm. A nminatin letter/narrative that details the nminee s qualificatins accrding t the fllwing criteria: Evidence f success as measured by sales and prfits, as based n financial infrmatin supplied in the nminatin. Demnstrated ptential necessary fr lng-term business success and ecnmic grwth, including increased emplyment pprtunities. Respnse t adversity. Active in prmting diversity issues in their cmmunity and diversity in emplyment. A ne-page bigraphy f the nminess. An riginal 8 x 10 r 5 x 7 pht f the nminee r a digital pht at least 300 dpi is required; phtcpies are nt acceptable. Additinal supprting dcumentatin deemed significant by the nminatr, including news clips, letters f recmmendatin, and ther evidence f the apprpriateness f the nminatin (supprting dcumentatin must nt exceed 10 pages). Vides will nt be cnsidered. 6 P age
VETERAN-OWNED SMALL BUSINESS This award hnrs a business that is 51% r mre wned and cntrlled by an individual r individuals in ne r mre f the fllwing grups, with a three-year track recrd. Veterans (ther than dishnrably discharged); Service-Disabled Veterans; Active Duty Military service member participating in the military s Transitin Assistance Prgram (TAP); Reservists and Natinal Guard Members; r Current spuse f any Veteran, Active Duty service member, r any Reservist r Natinal Guard member; r widwed spuse f a service member wh died while in service r f a service-cnnected disability. The nminatin package must include: A cmpleted Award Nminatin Frm. A nminatin letter/narrative that details the nminee s qualificatins accrding t the fllwing criteria: Evidence f success as measured by sales and prfits, as based n financial infrmatin supplied in the nminatin. Demnstrated ptential necessary fr lng-term business success and ecnmic grwth, including increased emplyment pprtunities. Respnse t adversity. Active in prmting veteran s issues in their cmmunity and veteran s emplyment. A ne-page bigraphy f the nminee. An riginal 8 x 10 r 5 x 7 pht f the nminee r a digital pht at least 300 dpi is required; phtcpies are nt acceptable. Additinal supprting dcumentatin deemed significant by the nminatr, including news clips, letters f recmmendatin, and ther evidence f the apprpriateness f the nminatin (supprting dcumentatin must nt exceed 10 pages). Vides will nt be cnsidered. 7 P age
WOMEN-OWNED SMALL BUSINESS T be cnsidered fr this award, the business a must be at least 51% wned and cntrlled by ne r mre wmen, and primarily managed by ne r mre wmen, with a three-year track recrd. The nminatin package must include: A cmpleted Award Nminatin Frm. A nminatin letter/narrative that details the nminee s qualificatins accrding t the fllwing criteria: Evidence f success as measured by sales and prfits, as based n financial infrmatin supplied in the nminatin. Demnstrated ptential necessary fr lng-term business success and ecnmic grwth, including increased emplyment pprtunities. Respnse t adversity. Active in prmting wmen s issues in their cmmunity and wmen s emplyment. A ne-page bigraphy f the nminee. An riginal 8 x 10 r 5 x 7 pht f the nminee r a digital pht at least 300 dpi is required; phtcpies are nt acceptable. Additinal supprting dcumentatin deemed significant by the nminatr, including news clips, letters f recmmendatin, and ther evidence f the apprpriateness f the nminatin (supprting dcumentatin must nt exceed 10 pages). Vides will nt be cnsidered. 8 P age
YOUNG ENTREPRENEUR Any individual wh serves as a majrity wner and perates r bears principal respnsibility fr perating a small business with a three-year track recrd, and wh will nt have reached the age f thirty (30) by May 1, 2018, may be nminated. The nminatin package must include: A cmpleted Award Nminatin Frm. A nminatin letter/narrative that details the nminee s qualificatins accrding t the fllwing criteria: Evidence f success as measured by sales and prfits, as based n financial infrmatin supplied in the nminatin. Increased emplyment pprtunities created by the nminee's business. Develpment and/r utilizatin f innvative r creative business methds. Demnstrated entrepreneurial ptential necessary fr lng-term business success and ecnmic grwth. An riginal 8 x 10 r 5 x 7 pht f the nminee r a digital pht at least 300 dpi is required; phtcpies are nt acceptable. Fr team nminatins, a pht f each nminee r grup pht is acceptable; Additinal supprting dcumentatin deemed significant by the nminatr, including news clips, letters f recmmendatin, and ther evidence f the apprpriateness f the nminatin (supprting dcumentatin must nt exceed 10 pages). Vides will nt be cnsidered. 9 P age
Suth Central Minnesta Small Business Awards Nminatin Frm Instructins: This frm must be cmpleted by the nminee r nminatr and submitted with the nminatin package. Answer each questin as cmpletely as pssible; if it is nt applicable, state N/A. 1. Business Cntact / Lead Nminee Infrmatin: a. Name: b. Title: c. Business name: d. Business address: e. Business phne number: f. Business email address: 1
2. Nminatr Infrmatin (if yu are nminating yurself, write n/a): a. Nminatr name: b. Title: c. Business: d. Address: e. Preferred Phne number: f. Email address: 3. Prvide the nminee(s) percentage f wnership r stck in the small business. 4. Hw many years has the nminee s business been peratinal (minimum 3 years)? 5. Hw many emplyees des the business currently have? FT PT 6. Des the business have a website and scial media accunts? Website Facebk Twitter Instagram LinkedIn 2
7. T assess the financial perfrmance f the business, cmplete the chart belw. Financial Summary Calendar Year 2016 2015 2014 Number f Emplyees Ttal Sales Net Prfit (Befre Tax) Ttal Assets Ttal Liabilities Net Wrth Answer each f the fllwing questins in 200 wrds r less. (Attach separately) 8. Describe the nminee s business, including areas served. 9. Has the business received SBDC assistance in the last three calendar years 2015-2017, including cnsulting and assistance with btaining financing? If yes, please explain (include the amunt and date f apprved financing if applicable). 10. Based n the financial chart prvided abve, please explain in mre detail the business s year-t-year changes in financial health (e.g. sales, net prfit, net wrth) and number f emplyees. 11. Has the nminee had a financial, physical, legal r ther crisis while in business? If s, explain the situatin and the actins taken t reslve it. 3
Nminatr Signature Date 4