Small Business Contests and Awards to Apply For

Here is the latest list of contests, sweepstakes, and awards for growing companies.  This listing is updated every two weeks and brought to you as a community service by Small Business Trends and Smallbiztechnology.com.

Marketing Sherpa 2101 Email Marketing Awards

Enter by November 20, 2009

This is the fifth year MarketingSherpa is recognizing Email campaigns that achieved outstanding, measurable results. When you win a MarketingSherpa Email Marketing Award, it means that ...

your Email campaign was the most effective 2009 campaign within its category.  MarketingSherpa evaluates the creative, the goals and — most importantly — your results.   Details here.

Deluxe Business Makeover Sweepstakes

Enter by November 30, 2009

Deluxe will randomly award a $10,000 gift certificate from Target Commercial Interiors  featuring HON furniture and a $5,000 DeluxeBucks gift certificate to use toward logo and Web site design, promotional products and additional marketing and branding solutions. Ten second-place winners will receive $500 DeluxeBucks gift certificates.  More information here.

The Great TCBY Store Giveaway

Enter by: November 30, 2009

TCBY (the frozen yogurt stores) is holding a competition to give away a brand new TCBY franchise store for FREE. To enter you must:

Create a video up to 2 minutes long indicating why you should win a TCBY store.

Complete the application form and submit it with your video.

Legal residents of the U.S. who are 21 and older are eligible to participate.

For more information watch the YouTube video.  You can find the rules and the application to enter here.

Elance Contest: What Does “The New Way To Work” Mean To You?

Enter by: December 7, 2009

This contest from Elance is a chance for contract professionals to show the world their best stuff and win a grand prize of $10,000. If you’re a writer, write a story that tells how you are a part of the “new way to work”. If you’re a graphic designer, design something. Developer? Create an app. Finalists will be chosen by December 7, 2009. Rules and entry instructions are on the Elance blog.

NYC BigApps Competition

Enter by: 5:00pm EST December 8, 2009

The NYC BigApps Competition will reward the developers of the most useful, inventive, appealing, effective, and commercially viable applications for delivering information from the City of New York’s NYC.gov Data Mine to interested users. Winners will be chosen for best overall application — including a grand prize — as well as an investor’s choice winner, a data visualization winner and city talent winner. In addition, the public will be able to choose their own “popular choice” winners through NYCBigApps.com. All the winners will be announced at an awards ceremony in January and will receive a total of $20,000 in cash prizes plus dinner with Mayor Bloomberg. The competition is open to individuals, start-up companies and nonprofits with fewer than 50 employees.

DREAM BIG Small Business of the Year Award

Enter by December 18, 2009

The DREAM BIG Small Business of the Year Award winner will be presented with a $10,000 cash prize courtesy of Sam’s Club®. Nominate an outstanding business from your community – or start an application for your own business today for the DREAM BIG Small Business of the Year Award.

Nominations are due December 18 and applications are due January 15.  Information on eligibility, award criteria, levels of recognition, and the program timeline is listed below and available in a printer friendly format here.

New York StartUP! Business Plan Competition

Enter by December 18, 2009

The New York Public Library (“NYPL”) and the Citigroup Foundation are sponsoring the first annual New York StartUP! Business Plan Competition for New York-based startup entrepreneurs with cash prizes totaling over $28,000. The New York StartUp! Business Plan Competition gives aspiring entrepreneurs an opportunity to compete for the top prize, while learning about the comprehensive small business resources at NYPL’s Science, Industry and Business Library (“SIBL”). StartUP! is a competition for legal residents of Manhattan, The Bronx, or Staten Island who aim to start a business based in one of these three boroughs.  Visit New York Public Library here for competition details, dates, and entry requirements.

Regus Win an Office Sweepstakes: One Year of Manhattan Office Space

Enter by:  December 31, 2009

Winner receives fully-furnished and equipped workspace at one of Regus’ 18 New York City locations, for 12 months.

Entries will be accepted through December 31st, 2009. There is no purchase necessary to enter.  To be eligible for consideration, contestants can fill out an entry form online or at participating Regus locations.

Go here for entry form and to see contest rules.

‘Holiday in a Bag’ Email Marketing Tool Kit and Chance to Win Marketing Consultation Package

Enter by January 5, 2010

As part of the Holiday in a Bag promotion Campaigner is offering a “bag of tools” including holiday email templates and graphics, holiday e-cards, and 100 tips for holiday marketing. They are also offering a drawing for a day of free marketing consultation from Campaigner marketing experts.  Sign-up online before January 5, 2010 for the chance to win.

Make Mine a Million $ Business Competition

Enter by: January 15, 2010

The “Make Mine a Million $ Business” competition is for businesses organized and doing business in the United States that are at least 50% owned by a woman, who want to grow the business to $1 Million or more in revenue in the next 12 to 18 months.

All applicants who are selected as Finalists must attend the Make Mine a Million event at their own expense and be willing to participate in the coaching program, related public relations events, and promotions for the Make Mine a Million $ Business program and its sponsors and other partners.

Applications for the Make Mine a Million $ Business program are screened by Count Me In staff and a team of banking and financial professionals selected by Count Me In. Applicants with the highest ratings will be selected as Finalists.

At the event, each Finalist will make a three-minute presentation of their business, their qualifications, and how they would benefit from the Program. This elevator pitch is given in front of a live audience and a panel of qualified judges selected by Count Me In. The judges, with input from the audience vote, will select which of the Finalists should be named as award recipients.

Apply for the Make Mine a Million award here.

Google Free Airport WiFi and Photo Contest

Ends January 15, 2010

When you’re traveling this holiday season, you can enjoy free WiFi at 47 participating airports and on every Virgin America flight. Just bring a WiFi-enabled laptop or mobile device and stay connected to family and friends for free while you travel now through January 15, 2010.

Photo Contest – Win cool prizes

Starting Monday, November 16, 2009, you’ll be able to win prizes by submitting a photo of yourself using the WiFi in any participating airport or on a Virgin America flight. In addition to being able to win great stuff, winning photos will be featured on the website.  More information about free airport WiFi here.

PLEASE NOTE: The photo contest is vague at this point.  And while this contest is not limited to small businesspeople, we thought it and the free WiFi so valuable to traveling entrepreneurs that we decided to point it out.

Intuit’s Love a Local Business Contest

Enter by March 3, 2010

In a nationwide effort to help support the growth of small businesses,  Intuit is hosting the “Love a Local Business” sweepstakes.  Fans of local small businesses can nominate their favorite hometown haunt, which will make them eligible for a drawing to win a $1,000 Intuit Growth Grant, which includes a $500 Visa gift card and $500 in Intuit business services, such as Intuit Websites and Web Listings. One of those five winning local businesses will receive a grand prize of $5,000!

In addition, each business that is nominated will appear on a custom Google Map displaying favorite businesses from across the country. The more nominations a business has, the more chances they have to win a grant. Intuit has already awarded $55,000 in small business grants, now it’s time to show support for your favorite neighborhood shop! Go to Love a Local Business for more information.

If you are putting on a small business contest,  award or competition, and want to get the word out to the community, please email the details to:  contests.smb@gmail.com.

To find other small business awards, contests, competitions and grants, visit our Small Business Events Calendar. 

Please note:  The descriptions provided here are for convenience only and are NOT the official rules. ALWAYS read official rules carefully at the site holding the competition, contest or award.

From Small Business Trends

Small Business Contests and Awards to Apply For

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