For small business owners starting or scaling their venture, it can often help to leverage the attention an award for their hard work and innovation can bring. Thankfully, there are many small business awards out there, each with several different award categories, that can help small business owners build brand recognition and solidify their position as notable players in their respective fields.
As we head into 2025, many people will be interested in not only celebrating entrepreneurial excellence but ramping up their promotional strategies for the year. Receiving a “Business of the Year” award can help brands enhance their credibility in the marketplace, attract new customers, and even boost their employee morale.
In this article, we’ve compiled some of the best awards businesses can apply for in 2025 that recognize innovative ideas, niche markets, and successful scaling. Here are some big awards that present great opportunities for small businesses to nominate themselves for and become “award-winning” enterprises recognized for business excellence in 2025.
Stellar Business Awards
From business achievement to regional “Best of” designations, the Stellar Business Awards are one of the best places to apply for business awards specific to small businesses of all kinds. The organization offers awards for PR companies, women-owned companies, content marketing companies, and general small businesses.
Businesses can apply online and gain nominations from online visitors, clients, and social media. Winners are chosen based on criteria such as their level of innovation and overall business performance.
Global Recognition Awards
If you want to gain global recognition for your business, a Global Recognition Award may be your best bet. Featuring awards such as the “Disruption Award” and the “Innovation Award,” the GRAs seek out small businesses that set themselves apart from the competition in some way that could make a global impact.
Unlike other regional awards, the GRAs allow businesses to compete with businesses from around the world, making a win an incredible networking and brand activation opportunity.
Great Place to Work
These awards have gained popularity in the past years as a way for businesses to showcase how they create a great work environment for their employees. Offering lists of respected workplaces, the Great Place to Work awards are supported by industry-leading resources and a great community.
The Great Place to Work awards offer niche opportunities for recognition, such as Great Places for Parents and even certification for small businesses as official Great Places to Work. These awards are given based on real employee feedback and real-time reflections of work culture.
The American Business Awards
Receiving an American Business award is a great way to celebrate businesses, teams, and even individuals within your organization. Recognized as one of the top honors for small businesses, The American Business Awards — affectionately called the Stevie Awards — are open to all businesses operating in the US, from private mom-and-pop shops to large corporations.
There are many different categories from which to choose for the Stevies, including marketing awards, management awards, and thought leadership awards. The Stevies seek to allow organizations to demonstrate their success and leverage their awards to gain footing in new markets or even honor the best of their teams.
SCORE Awards
SCORE is a non-profit that has been supporting small businesses for over 50 years. The SCORE awards recognize small businesses that make particularly strong impacts in their communities.
These awards were created to strengthen local economies and help entrepreneurs establish themselves in their chosen markets. In addition to awards, SCORE offers mentorships for new business owners.
Inc. Best in Business Awards
Inc. is a well-known business magazine, and its awards focus on outstanding achievements and performance across a number of business sectors. Focused mainly on businesses that did something to give back to the community in the past, Inc. Best in Business has recently expanded its scope, recognizing companies for simply being the best at what they do.
In 2025, the Inc. Best in Business Awards is looking for companies that have achieved significant milestones, such as expanding their core audience or having a key product launch. Its application opens in the Summer of 2025.
Best of America Small Business Awards
These awards are small business-specific and aim to celebrate diverse businesses that have a positive impact on their market. With over 150 categories for small businesses to choose from, it casts a wide net for niche small businesses seeking to further their brands. The Best of America Small Business awards emphasize how vital small businesses are for the US economy and boasts that they are not influenced by “big corporations” or “nepotism.”
Planning to apply for a small business award in 2025 is about more than just wanting a pretty trophy to add to the shelf in your office. Business awards can be a strategic way to elevate your business credibility, foster growth, and let your employees know that they are a central part of your company’s success!
When starting a small business or attempting to scale, setting yourself apart from the competition can be a struggle, especially in markets that run the risk of being oversaturated. A prestigious award that recognizes how unique your particular business is can be a game changer.