Welcome to The Small Business BIG Impact Challenge. We know that strong businesses build strong communities. Scotiabank, in partnership with the Canadian Federation of Independent Business, wants to recognize and celebrate the impact small businesses make across Canada.
If you are a small business owner, we want to hear from you. Click on the Enter tab to submit your entry and start gathering votes. You can enter by submitting a written response to three questions, and/or, you can upload a video of your business to tell your story.
If you know a small business owner who is making a BIG Impact in your community and should be recognized, use the Refer tab to send them an email and tell them about the Challenge.
If you are a proud Canadian and want to recognize and support your local businesses, look them up in the gallery, and vote!
We’re awarding $30,000 in prizes - $10,000 in each of the following three categories.
Definition: Small Businesses contribute to local communities by creating and sustaining employment for millions of Canadians. Does your business create employment opportunities in your community. Do your employment practices both reflect and support your community’s needs?
Examples: Business A provides employment for 10 people in the community; Business B provides employment opportunities for youth in the community; Business C implements employment practices that enable employment for the physically challenged.
Definition: Small Business offer innovative or unique products and services that might not otherwise be available. Do you offers unique products or services, create new industries, or ways of doing business, that benefit your community?
Examples: Business A, a food market, provides free delivery service to those who don’t have access to transportation; Business B, a medical clinic, is the only medical service in town that is open 7 days a week; Business C, is the only business in town that offers X, a unique product.
Definition: Small Businesses often play a key role in providing leadership in local communities, over and above their business. Do you contributed to your community by taking a leadership role in initiatives that make your community a better place to live and work?
Examples: Business A is the president of the local BIA which contributes to the success of the businesses in the area; Business B owner provides funding for the local soccer team’s jerseys; Business C volunteers weekly at the local food bank
One winner in each category will win $10,000 plus media exposure and free promotion on the web site.
Don’t forget to tell your friends, family and business associates that you’ve entered and ask them to vote for you! Votes will help you get into the semi-finalist round! Winners will be selected based on a combination of impact to the community, quality of the entry, and number of votes.
Key Dates:
March 1 - April 30, 2011 - contest open for entries
May 16 - semi finalists will be presented to the judges for final winner selection
May 24-30 - winners will be contacted for verification
June 1 - winners will be announced
If you have any questions, and can’t find the answers, email us at bigimpactchallenge@scotiabank.com.
For more information please visit our Rules and Regulations.