Deadline: 30-Jun-21
Nominations are now open for the Indigenous Business Awards to cultivate innovation while leveraging mutual interests. Creating an authentic space where collaborative and strategic partnerships can thrive together, awardee recognition gives voice to Indigenous entrepreneurship while modeling success.
The Indigenous Business Award (IBA) honours excellence and focuses on the successes of Indigenous businesses and entrepreneurs. The program offers awardees and their supporters an authentic space to showcase their achievements, build bridges between BC’s Indigenous and non-Indigenous economies, and celebrate success, diversity and inclusion.
Award Categories
Individuals and businesses may enter in ONE category only.
- Young Entrepreneur of the Year: this award recognizes success by a young entrepreneur in the operation of an existing business. Entrants must be aged 35 years and under by June 30, 2021, and have been in business for at least two years, and be the sole owner of the business.
- Business of the Year: these awards recognize the outstanding achievements of Indigenous entrepreneurs in three sub-categories:
- Businesses with 1-2 employees
- Businesses with 3-10 employees
- Businesses with 11+ employees
- Businesses must be at least 51% Indigenous-owned and operated.
- Community-owned Business of the Year: this award acknowledges one or more businesses owned by a community with the intention of building a strong economic foundation for community members. There are two sub-categories for this award:
- Community-owned one entity
- Community-owned two or more entities
- Businesses must be 100% owned by the community.
- Business Partnership of the Year: this award recognizes a business partnership created by two or more parties.
- Indigenous ownership must be at least 50%.
Recognition of Awardees
- Recipients in the Young Entrepreneur of the Year and Business of the Year categories are awarded $2500 each.
- Each IBA awardee receives a Recognition film produced by BC Achievement, and medallion and pin designed by BC First Nations artist Robert Davidson.
Why Nominate?
The Indigenous Business Award serves:
- To identify and recognize successful Indigenous businesses;
- To honour and celebrate Indigenous business achievements;
- To support and sustain Indigenous entrepreneurship.
Eligibility Criteria
- The business must be based in British Columbia;
- Sole proprietors of small and large businesses are eligible;
- Businesses must be at least 51% Indigenous owned and operated (First Nations, Métis or Inuit);
- The business must have been in operation for a minimum of two years;
- Government agencies and institutions are not eligible;
- Previous awardees must wait five years before reapplying, unless the nature of the business has significantly changed.
Selection of Awardees
- An independent jury panel representing Indigenous business expertise throughout British Columbia evaluates nominations based on the documentation provided.
- The jury selects one Recipient, and may select up to two Outstanding Business Achievers, in each category.
- The decision of the independent jury is final.
For more information, visit https://www.bcachievement.com/award/bc-achievement-indigenous-business-award-2021/