FedEx Launches 2023 Small Business Grant Contest

FedEx launches its 11th annual Small Business Grant Contest awarding more than $330,000 in grants and services to ten U.S. – based small businesses.

What you need to know: After an initial judging period, 100 businesses will be selected as the Top 100 finalists and also take home some prizes with the ten grand prize winners to be announced on May 11, 2023.

Each of the 2023 FedEx Small Business Grant Contest grand prize winners will receive $30,000 plus a $1,000 FedEx Office print credit, a $300 voucher from My FedEx Rewards, and access to FedEx Premier Customer Service.

All winners will also receive, a sustainable packaging consult from FedEx Packaging Lab, a digital consult from the FedEx Digital Sales Solutions team, 20% off of an SEO monthly plan from HigherVisibility, a mentorship session with select member-founders in Entrepreneurs’ Organization, an invite to attend a FedEx Grant Winner Forum, a feature on the FedEx Small Business Center, and an international trade dictionary courtesy of FedEx.

Additionally, one of the winners who is also a veteran-owned small business will be awarded an additional $20,000 courtesy of United Services Automobile Association (USAA) Small Business Insurance.

Of note: The grant winners won’t be the only ones going home with prizes with the top 100 finalists receiving a financial consultation with Accion Opportunity Fund.

And the finalists will also be provided with free access to the Initiative for a Competitive Inner City (I.C.I.C.) Annual Conference, its Digital Learning Platform, and access to up to three of its webinars.

New: An exciting new addition to this year’s contest is the People’s Choice Awards, a 10-day voting period in which the public gets to vote for a daily winner among all of the entrants.

The People’s Choice Awards provides entrants a chance to win one of ten $1,000 digital cash gift cards. From February 27 to March 8, 2023, one gift card per day will be awarded to the qualified small business with the highest number of likes on their entry that day.

What they said: “Since 2012, we’ve helped small business owners achieve their dreams by growing and expanding their ventures through our Grant Contest,” said Jenny Robertson, senior vice president Integrated Marketing & Communications, FedEx.

“FedEx will soon celebrate fifty years of connecting people and possibilities with small businesses serving as a crucial part of our success. We can’t wait to see who wins this year and what the future holds for these incredible entrepreneurs.”

2023 FedEx Small Business Grant Contest Entry Info

The 2023 FedEx Small Business Grant Contest is open to U.S.-based for-profit small businesses that have 1-99 employees, have been in operations selling a product or service for six months or more as of January 31, 2023, and have a shipping and printing need.

Where to get more information: To enter, participants must visit www.fedex.com/grantcontest and enter their business information (including their FedEx shipping account number), write a short profile about their business, and upload up to four photos of their business or product, including their logo.

While not required, participants also have the option of submitting a short “elevator pitch” video to supplement their entry.

People’s Choice Voting will take place from February 27 to March 8, 2023. The Top 100 finalists will be announced on April 12, 2023. Following an additional judging period, winners will be announced on May 11, 2023 at www.fedex.com/grantcontest.

By the numbers: The 2022 contest attracted close to 18,000 entrants from across the United States.

Over the past ten years, more than 68,000 businesses have entered the contest in the United States alone. Over that ten-year span, a total of more than $1.6 million in cash & prizes has been distributed to more than 111 businesses.

The entry period for the Small Business Grant Contest is open now until February 21, 2023.