SBA opens nominations for National Small Business Week 2027

Trump administration invites innovators, job creators & builders to apply for state, national recognition

U.S. Small Business Administration press release

The U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA) opened nominations for its 2027 National Small Business Week Awards, which recognize exceptional small business owners from New York. National Small Business Week will take place May 2-8, 2027. Nominations must be submitted by 3 p.m. ET Dec. 7 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,” SBA Administrator Kelly Loeffler said. “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 Buffalo District Director Victoria Reynolds said, “Western New York and the Finger Lakes is home to bold, resilient entrepreneurs who are building businesses, creating jobs and strengthening our communities. We encourage our partners and communities to help us spotlight these outstanding small businesses by nominating them for National Small Business Week 2027, so their accomplishments can be celebrated on a state and national stage."

SBA has recognized National Small Business Week since 1963. Each year, a business owner from New York is selected for the State Small Business Person of the Year award. The New York state award winner 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 Buffalo district office is also accepting 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

√ 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

√ Phoenix Award for Small Business Disaster Recovery – Mitigation

√ Woman Business Owner of the Year

√ Small Business Advocate of the Year

√ Small Business Community Partner of the Year

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.

Next May, during National Small Business Week, national honorees will be recognized in Washington, D.C. Local recipients will be honored throughout the Buffalo district.

Last year, national award recipients were recognized by President Donald Trump at the White House during the National Small Business Week Small Business Summit.

More about the SBA: 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 www.sba.gov.