SBA Opens Nominations for National Small Business Week 2027

WASHINGTON - Today, the U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA) opened nominations for its 2027 National Small Business Week Awards, which recognize exceptional small business owners from every state. National Small Business Week will take place May 2-8, 2027. Nominations must be submitted by 3:00 PM ET on December 7, 2026, at SBA.gov/nsbw.

"Thanks to President Trump, the golden age for small businesses is here, with record new business starts, rising employment and investment, and historically high small business optimism," said SBA Administrator Kelly Loeffler. "We are proud to celebrate the entrepreneurs and hardworking business owners who are putting that renewed confidence to work across America-from our rural communities to revitalized industrial hubs. From generational businesses to innovative startups, National Small Business Week 2027 will honor the nation's best small business leaders who are creating jobs, investing locally, and contributing to America's historic economic comeback."

SBA has recognized National Small Business Week since 1963. Each year, a business owner from each of the 50 states, the District of Columbia, Puerto Rico, the U.S. Virgin Islands, and Guam is selected for State Small Business Person of the Year awards. These State award winners will compete for the 2027 National Small Business Person of the Year - SBA's signature award and the agency's highest small business honor. The agency is also accepting national nominations for specialty award categories recognizing small businesses that are excelling in specific areas that contribute to American strength, innovation, and resilience including the following categories:

• Small Business Manufacturer of the Year
• Exporter of the Year
• Blue Collar Small Business of the Year
• Rural Small Business of the Year
• Veteran Small Business of the Year
• Phoenix Award for Small Business Disaster Recovery

Small business owners may nominate themselves for an award, or they may be nominated by a third-party. Visit SBA.gov/nsbw for the full list of awards, eligibility requirements, guidelines, nomination forms, local area contacts and all related information. National award recipients will be recognized during a ceremony in Washington, D.C., next May as part of National Small Business Week. Last year, national award recipients were recognized by President Donald J. Trump at the White House during the National Small Business Week Small Business Summit.

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About the U.S. Small Business Administration

The U.S. Small Business Administration helps power the American dream of entrepreneurship. As the leading voice for small businesses within the federal government, the SBA empowers job creators with the resources and support they need to start, grow, and expand their businesses or recover from a declared disaster. It delivers services through an extensive network of SBA field offices and partnerships with public and private organizations. To learn more, visit https://www.sba.gov.