The U.S. Small Business Administration has opened nominations for the 2026 National Small Business Week Awards, which are presented annually on both the national and district levels.
The awards will be presented during National Small Business Week 2026 — May 3 through 9. The national awards will be presented during the National Small Business Week awards ceremony in Washington, D.C., on May 4 and 5, while the Eastern Pennsylvania district office awards will be presented throughout the month of May 2026.
Nominations for the 2026 awards must be submitted by 7 a.m. on Dec. 8, 2025.
National Small Business Week recognizes the contributions of America’s 36 million small businesses — which make up 99% of all businesses in America, according to a press release. In addition, small businesses create two out of every three new jobs, and employ about half of America’s workforce, the SBA said.
“From farms to factories, hardworking small businesses are the engine of our economy, the heartbeat of local communities, and the foundation of our nation’s strength,” Kelly Loeffler, administrator, U.S. Small Business Administration, said in a statement. “Thanks to our free enterprise system, small businesses power generational opportunity and economic growth.”
The Awards
Nominations for the national 2026 small business awards will be presented in several categories, including small business exporting awards, disaster recovery awards, and federal procurement awards.
A business owner from each of the 50 states, the District of Columbia, Puerto Rico, the U.S. Virgin Islands, and Guam will be selected for State Small Business Person of the Year awards. State award winners will compete for the 2026 National Small Business Person of the Year title, the SBA’s signature award, according to the release.
Two awards are given at both the national and the district level — Small Business Person of the Year and Small Business Exporter.
Additional awards presented at the district level include: Entrepreneurial Success; Family-Owned Business of the Year; Minority-Owned Small Business Person of the Year; Veteran-Owned Small Business Person of the Year; Woman-Owned Small Business Person of the Year; and Young Entrepreneur of the Year.
The Small Business Administration’s Eastern Pennsylvania Small Business Awards winners are selected from among nominees located across Pennsylvania’s eastern 40 counties.
Last year, the Small Business Administration’s Eastern Pennsylvania District Office honored winners from Chester, Cumberland, Montgomery, Montour, and Philadelphia counties.
AEONRG, located in Uwchlan Township, Chester County, received the Eastern Pennsylvania Veteran-Owned Small Business of the Year; while Unleashed Counseling, Lower Pottsgrove Township, Montgomery County, received the Eastern Pennsylvania Woman-Owned Small Business of the Year.
In 2024, Eastern Pennsylvania District winners were from Berks, Lycoming, Northampton, Tioga, and Union Counties.
Super Natural Produce, Reading, Berks County, received the Eastern Pennsylvania District Minority-Owned Small Business of the Year; Sarai Variety Flower Shop, Reading, Berks County, received the Eastern Pennsylvania District Woman-Owned Small Business of the Year; while Phoenix Language Services, Whitpain Township, Montgomery County, received the Entrepreneurial Success of the Year.
How to Nominate
To nominate a small business for national and district awards and to download related forms, criteria, and guidelines for submitting a nomination, visit the Small Business Administration’s dedicated website at sba.gov/nsbw. All nominations must be submitted electronically by 7 a.m. on Dec. 8, 2025.
To be nominated and receive an award, each nominee must fit within the category of the award and have a three-year track record, according to the SBA. In addition, each nominee must have received at least one type of SBA assistance such as, but not limited to: An SBA loan, SCORE counseling, Small Business Development Center assistance, Veteran’s Business Outreach Center assistance, Women’s Business Center assistance, government contracting assistance, disaster assistance, Emerging Leaders Initiative, or Boots to Business training.
A nomination package must also be completed.
Nominations for the district awards will be accepted by electronic submission only, through 7 a.m. on Dec. 8. Nominations can be submitted to the Eastern Pennsylvania District Office at https://sba.app.box.com/f/568e3f23d6794829bbc6a6b2fb6cd48e.
How Are Winners Determined?
In evaluating the nomination packages, judges will look at several criteria, according to information on the SBA’s website, including:
• Staying Power — a history as an established business
• Growth in the number of employees
• Increase in sales, net profit, and net worth for the three prior years
• Response to adversity
• Contributions to community-oriented projects
