Trump Administration Invites America’s Innovators, Job Creators, and Builders to Apply for State and National Recognition
UTAH — Today, the U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA) opened nominations for its 2027 National Small Business Week Awards, which recognize exceptional small business owners from Utah. National Small Business Week will take place May 2–8, 2027. Nominations must be submitted by 3:00 PM ET 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 and 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.”
“Utah’s entrepreneurs represent some of the most inspiring and impactful business leaders in the nation. We strongly encourage our partners and community members to nominate outstanding small businesses so we can shine a spotlight on their achievements during National Small Business Week 2027.”
— Marla L. Trollan, District Director, Utah District Office
SBA has recognized National Small Business Week since 1963. Each year, a business owner from Utah is selected for the State Small Business Person of the Year award. The Utah 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 Utah 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 Owned Small Business of the Year
- Family Owned Small Business 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., and local recipients will be honored in Salt Lake City, Utah. 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 U.S. Small Business Administration
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.
