Access Montgomery, SBOSS, and the Montgomery County Commission launch awards program honoring outstanding businesses across 13 categories; ceremony set for August 2026.
MONTGOMERY, AL May 21, 2026 — Nominations are open for the MGM Small Business Awards 2026, a community-wide recognition program honoring Montgomery’s most outstanding small businesses. Presented by Access Montgomery, SBOSS Montgomery, and the Montgomery County Commission, the awards recognize businesses and entrepreneurs who have demonstrated excellence, resilience, innovation, and community impact in the City and County of Montgomery.
Nominations are free and open to the public and will remain open through June 6, 2026. The awards ceremony is scheduled for August 2026.
“Montgomery is home to some of the most resilient, innovative, and community-minded businesses in Alabama. The MGM Small Business Awards exist to put a spotlight on those businesses and make sure the city knows their names.”
— Martavious Young, SBOSS Montgomery
13 Award Categories
The MGM Small Business Awards 2026 includes 13 competitive categories designed to recognize businesses at every stage and across every sector:
• Founder’s Flame — 1 to 2 employees
• Rising Force — 3 to 5 employees
• Thriving Venture — 6 to 25 employees
• Enterprise Excellence — 26 to 100 employees
• Industry Titan — 101 to 500 employees
• Innovative Business of the Year
• Community Impact Award
• Emerging Business of the Year — in business 1 to 3 years
• Legacy Business Award — in business 25 or more years
• Tech Business of the Year
• Beacon Award — Financial Institutions
• Minority-Owned Business of the Year — 51% or more minority or woman-owned
• Young Professional-Owned Business — 51% or more owned by someone age 40 or under
Two additional honorary awards — the Mayor’s Award, selected by Mayor Steven L. Reed, and the District Business Award, selected by each City Council member — will be presented at the ceremony and are not open for public nomination.
How to Nominate
Community members, peers, and business owners are encouraged to nominate any business that meets the eligibility criteria. Self-nominations are also accepted. The nomination process takes just a few minutes and is completely free.
Nominations: form.jotform.com/261204794354155
Application Portal: startupspace.app/surveys/sba26
After a nomination is submitted, the nominated business will receive an email with a direct link to apply. Applicants can also access the application portal directly at startupspace.app/surveys/sba26 to complete their submission.
Eligibility
To be eligible for consideration, a business must:
• Be located in the City or County of Montgomery
• Hold a valid business license from the City of Montgomery, Town of Pike Road, or Montgomery County
• Have fewer than 500 W-2 employees (1099 contractors not included)
• Meet category-specific ownership or tenure criteria where applicable
Key Dates
Nominations Close: June 6, 2026
Awards Ceremony: August 2026 (date and venue to be announced)
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About Access Montgomery
Access Montgomery is an economic development initiative dedicated to connecting businesses, entrepreneurs, and communities to the resources and opportunities that drive growth in the Montgomery region.
AWARDS INQUIRIES
Access Montgomery — accessmontgomery.com
About SBOSS Montgomery
SBOSS — the Small Business One-Stop Shop — is a City of Montgomery small business outreach initiative managed by Gaitway Solutions and operating under the City of Montgomery Department of Economic Development. SBOSS provides free programming, one-on-one coaching, and connections to resources that help entrepreneurs start, grow, and sustain their businesses.
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