From today, small businesses have a chance to win a $30,000 grant through the FedEx Small Business Grant Contest, with the deadline for applications on February 21.
FedEx Small Business Grant Contest
The FedEx Small Business Grant Contest began in 2012 and is an annual grant program provided by FedEx. It awards U.S.-based small businesses with grants to improve their businesses, with the $30K grand prize to be awarded to ten winners.
In addition, one U.S. veteran winner from the ten grand prize winners will receive an additional $20,000 from USAA Small Business Insurance.
People’s Choice Voting
FedEx are also running a daily ‘People’s Choice’ contest which will reward a different daily winner throughout the voting period which runs from February 27 to March 8. Each winner will be determined by the number of likes they receive on their social media post announcing their entry into the contest. Daily winners will receive a $1,000 cash gift card.
To keep the People’s Choice voting honest, FedEx have forbidden entrants from obtaining likes by fraudulent or inappropriate means. FedEx explain: “Fraudulent or inappropriate means include, but are not limited to, the following: (a) Buying or knowingly receiving purchased votes in any manner from anyone, (b) Offering prizes or other inducements for votes to members of the public, (c) The use of any automated, robotic, repetitive, programmed, or similar registration or voting methods. (d) Any questionable activity that increases votes for an entry, including without limitation any attempts to artificially increase vote totals or trade votes.”
Once the voting period ends, the top 100 businesses will then be announced on April 12, with the grand prize winners announced on May 11.
Contest Eligibility Criteria
There is quite a lot of eligibility criteria which every business owner should read in detail before applying to enter the FedEx Small Business Grant Contest. Some basic elements include the owner of the business being a legal resident of one of the fifty United States or the District of Columbia, as well as being at least 18 years old. The owner of the business must also be an authorized agent of the registered business.
To be considered a small business, applicant firms must have no more than 99 employees on its payroll at the time of entry, with both owners and part-time employees included in the employee count.
Eligible businesses must also have a shipping need and a printing need, as well as a FedEx business shipping account number.
How to Enter and Vote
When entering your business into the contest, you will need to explain what sets your business apart from the competition and why you deserve to be one of the 10 grand prize winners. To get started, first create a FedEx account or have your account number to hand when you go to the contest website linked above.
Entrants must then provide responses to various prompts in less than 1,000 characters, which include describing your business and how you would use the FedEx Small Business Grant money to enhance your business.
Image: Depositphotos
This article, "FedEx Small Business Grant Contest Now Accepting Applications" was first published on Small Business Trends
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