PayPal Small Business Awards
PayPal Small Business Awards
PayPal
ABOUT THE GRANT
The Global Citizen and PayPal Small Business Impact Awards provide small and medium-sized business owners around the world with $20,000 cash prizes, along with data and insights, technical training, and marketing and brand activations to accelerate their work. Administered through a partnership between Global Citizen, a global advocacy and citizenship platform, and PayPal, the awards recognize creative business leaders who have developed innovative products and services that drive measurable social or environmental impact in their communities. Multiple winners are selected each year (five winners were honored in 2025).
To be eligible, applicants must be the owner, founder, or CEO who plays a crucial role in the business, operate a small-to-medium-sized business with fewer than 50 full-time employees or annual revenue under $1 million (subject to local regulations and standards), maintain an online presence that allows customers to buy their product, have between 1 and 5 years of demonstrated impact in their community, and live and work in one of four eligible regions: North America, Europe, the Middle East and Africa, or Latin America. Demonstrated community impact may include supporting local causes, charities, or nonprofits, engaging in community development projects or partnerships, implementing sustainable practices that benefit the local environment or economy, or creating jobs or educational opportunities for community members. Franchises and businesses that are part of national or international chains are not eligible, and businesses affiliated with organizations subject to U.S. financial sanctions cannot receive awards.
The application consists of four parts: basic information about the applicant and their business, a 1 to 2 minute pitch video explaining why they deserve the award, four short-answer questions describing how the work aligns with the judging criteria, and supplemental organizational details if requested. Applications are evaluated on three core criteria: Innovation (how the business's innovation supports its mission and creates positive societal or environmental impact), Vision (a compelling vision and concrete plans for expanding the work over the next 3 to 5 years), and Impact (a demonstrated track record of measurable impact advancing one or more of the United Nations' Global Goals). Up to 50 finalists are selected for additional review and asked to submit three letters of recommendation before final winners are chosen.
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