Vermont Manufacturing Extension Center The U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA) opened nominations last month for its 2027 National Small Business Week Awards, which recognize exceptional small business owners from every state. National Small Business Week will take place May 2–8, 2027.
SBA has recognized National Small Business Week since 1963. Each year, a business owner from each of the 50 states, the District of Columbia, Puerto Rico, the U.S. Virgin Islands, and Guam is selected for State Small Business Person of the Year awards. These State award winners 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 agency is also accepting national 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
- Exporter of the Year
- Blue Collar Small Business of the Year
- Rural Small Business of the Year
- Veteran Small Business of the Year
Nominations must be submitted by 3:00 PM ET on December 7, 2026, at SBA.gov/nsbw.
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Tuesday, December 1
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Start a conversation with us to find out how we can elevate your organization to its greatest potential. No question is too small or large.
Drop in to meet members of our fieldstaff team who can guide you in the many services we offer or simply answer a question or two that you’ve been curious about….sample topics are Lean Transformation, AI, Leadership Development, Food Service, Quality Management Systems and much more. We hope to see you next month whether it’s for a few minutes or the full 60!
Business Enhancement Grant Available for Food Manufacturers
This grant is intended for farm, forest, and some food businesses/ organizations with at least one year of operating history.
Administered by the State of Vermont Working Lands Enterprise Initiative, eligible applicants and projects include but are not limited to:
- value-added food and fiber businesses that source at least 50% of raw ingredients grown in Vermont OR are applying for a Working Lands grant to significantly increase use of ingredients grown in Vermont,
- retail businesses that primarily sell Vermont-produced food and/or fiber products,
- secondary wood businesses, such as woodworkers or manufacturers, pellet mills, etc.
To obtain information on key documents, how to apply, drop in Q&A sessions, grant overview and more, visit Business Enhancement Grant. Application deadline is December 10, 2026 at 2:00pm ET.
Part of the nationwide MEP National Network and hosted by Vermont State University since 1995, VMEC operates as a not-for-profit with a primary mission, “to strengthen and empower Vermont manufacturers.”
A local resource and trusted adviser to manufacturing enterprises of all sizes, the VMEC team brings expertise in consulting, coaching, hands-on implementation support, training and education for leaders and workers. VMEC is the official representative of the MEP National Network in Vermont.
Vermont Manufacturing Extension Center (VMEC) | 124 Admin Drive Suite 126 | Randolph Center, VT
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