DES MOINES, IOWA (October 7, 2026) — The US Small Business Administration (SBA) has opened nominations for its 2027 National Small Business Week Awards, which recognize exceptional small business owners from Mississippi. National Small Business Week will take place May 2–8, 2027. Nominations must be submitted by 2:00 PM CT on December 7, 2026, at SBA.gov/nsbw.
“Thanks to President Trump, the golden age for small businesses is here, with record new business starts, rising employment, investment, and historically high small-business optimism,” said SBA Administrator Kelly Loeffler.
“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.”
"Small businesses play a vital role across the Great Plains," said SBA Regional Administrator Brad Zaun.
"Entrepreneurs across our region demonstrate dedication every day as they serve their communities. To nominate a local business owner for National Small Business Week, visit sba.gov/nsbw before the December 7 deadline."
“Iowa’s small business owners turn hard work and ingenuity into jobs, opportunity, and stronger communities,” said SBA Iowa District Director Ryan Lincoln.
“From rural Main Streets to manufacturing floors and businesses reaching global markets, their stories deserve recognition. I encourage our lenders, resource partners, and community leaders to nominate an outstanding small-business owner, and owners themselves to step forward and share what they’ve built.”
SBA has recognized National Small Business Week since 1963. Each year, a business owner from Iowa is selected for the State Small Business Person of the Year award. The Iowa 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 Iowa 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
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 DC and local recipients will be honored in Iowa. Last year, national award recipients were recognized by President Donald J Trump at the White House during the National Small Business Week Small Business Summit.
About the US Small Business Administration
The US 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.
