The U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA) has extended the 2026 National Small Business Week awards nominations deadline from Dec. 8 to noon Monday, Dec. 22
National Small Business Week – which next takes place May 1-9, 2026 – recognizes the contributions of America’s 36 million small businesses. They make up 99% of all U.S. businesses. Small businesses also create two out of every three new jobs. And they employ about half of the U.S. workforce.
This year’s annual national awards will be presented during the May 2026 Small Business Week ceremony in Washington, D.C.
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.
To nominate a small business in your area, download related forms, view criteria, and guidelines and the full list of awards, visit sba.gov/nsbw.
The U.S. Small Business Administration helps power the American dream of entrepreneurship. It is 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 public and private partnerships. To learn more, visit www.sba.gov.
