Small Business Awards: Big 2027 Opportunity
October 5th, 2026
Charlotte County businesses do some pretty impressive things. Small business awards offer a chance to make sure the rest of the country knows it.
The U.S. Small Business Administration has opened nominations for its 2027 National Small Business Week Awards, recognizing outstanding small business owners from across the country. National Small Business Week will take place May 2 through May 8, 2027. Nominations are due by 3 p.m. ET on December 7, 2026.
Small Business Awards Open for 2027
Business owners can nominate themselves, or another individual or organization can submit a nomination on their behalf.
Several national award categories may be particularly relevant to Charlotte County businesses, including:
- Small Business Manufacturer of the Year
- Small Business 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
These categories recognize the different ways small businesses contribute to their communities, from manufacturing and exporting to skilled trades, veteran entrepreneurship and disaster recovery.
Why Charlotte County Businesses Should Take a Look
Awards aren’t the reason local businesses do great work. Still, recognition can help tell the story of the people, products and ideas behind a company.
For Charlotte County employers, the small business awards program also creates an opportunity to highlight accomplishments beyond the local market. That could mean celebrating a growing manufacturer, recognizing a veteran-owned business or spotlighting a company that showed resilience after a major disruption.
And yes, businesses can nominate themselves. So there is no need to wait for someone else to notice.
How to Submit a Nomination
The SBA provides eligibility requirements, nomination forms, guidelines and award details at:
The deadline is December 7, 2026, at 3 p.m. ET.
If you know a Charlotte County business doing work worth recognizing, this may be the perfect time to give it a little national attention.
Source
U.S. Small Business Administration, “SBA Opens Nominations for National Small Business Week 2027,” Oct. 1, 2026.
This content was developed with AI assistance and reviewed by Charlotte County Economic Development staff for accuracy and relevance.
