Nominations Open for 2024 NSC Awards

The Small Business Environmental Assistance Program/Small Business Ombudsman (SBEAP/SBO) National Steering Committee (NSC) Awards are the States’ premier awards program for recognizing outstanding environmental leadership among small businesses and small business assistance providers. Nominations are currently being accepted for the Annual NSC Awards. 

These awards recognize small businesses, SBEAP/SBO programs or individuals, trade associations and other business assistance providers who have made significant contributions to protecting the environment.  The awards program is sponsored by the SBEAP/SBO NSC in partnership with U.S. EPA Asbestos and Small Business Office.

Please consider submitting a nomination in one of the following categories:

  • Small Business Environmental Assistance Program Excellence – for state program or individual leadership with NSC, subcommittees, and activities that support other SBEAP/SBO.
  • Small Business Environmental Stewardship – for working with SBEAP/SBO for assistance in compliance and efforts beyond compliance to improve the environment and sharing with other businesses.
  • Business Assistance Provider Environmental Leadership – for an organization or individual partnering with SBEAP/SBO to help members and other businesses with compliance and broader sustainability efforts (i.e., sustainability, LEAN/process efficiencies, alternative materials, pollution reductions, energy/water efficiency, LEED/green building, etc.).
  • Karen V. Brown Leadership – for an individual SBEAP/SBO long-term achievements to support NSC, subcommittees, and partners in collaborative efforts to improve assistance resources for small businesses.

Schedule:
Nomination open: October 31, 2023
Nominations close:  January 16, 202
Awards announced:  During the National SBEAP/SBO Training

Eligibility:
Nominations will be accepted from individuals, organizations, institutions or businesses.  Award recipients from the last two years are ineligible for awards and cannot be nominated for their category this year.  The exception is the Karen V Brown award, which is only awarded once to any individual.  Please review the list of past awards and 2023 Award winners before submitting a nomination.

You may nominate yourself as well as any individual, institution, or organization that you believe is worthy of recognition.  In addition, all applicants must:

  1. Be located in the United States and territories,
  2. Be active within the past year, and
  3. Agree to have their environmental performance shared with others through a written description to appear in the awards program, press materials and on the National SBEAP website.

Learn more and download nomination forms here.