2026 Small Business Awards Application

Presenting Sponsor

Steps 1–5 of this application must be completed in one sitting and there is no opportunity to save progress. When you complete step 5, your answers will be submitted and you will receive a confirmation email. Then you will be directed to step 6 - Narratives. We recommend that you download this document to review the information required for this application, then come back to this form when you are ready to answer all questions.

The application and all additional materials are due by 11:59 p.m. on Friday, June 6, 2026. There is no fee to apply.

All fields are required unless otherwise noted.

Benefits of Participating

Qualified applicants receive
• 30” round cocktail table to exhibit your business to all attendees at the Networking at Noon featuring Small Business Awards Nominees on Tuesday, June 23, with two complimentary registrations

• Recognized in a social media post of all applicants by tier
• Featured as part of the Chamber’s eSynergy newsletter

Awards Finalists receive
• Highlighted on the Chamber website as a Small Business Awards Finalist
• One complimentary registration to the July 15th Sunrise Scrambler
• Four complimentary registrations to the August 19th Sunrise Scrambler featuring Small Business Awards Celebration
• Plaque designating your company as an Awards Finalist
• Complimentary video highlighting the business to be shown at the August Sunrise Scrambler
• Invitation to exclusive mixer for company president/owner to mingle with fellow finalists

Small Business of the Year recipients (one per tier) receive
• Small Business of the Year award
• Highlighted on the Chamber website as Small Business of the Year
• Featured as part of the Chamber’s eSynergy newsletter
• Recognized in a social media post as an awards recipient

Participation Criteria

• Must be headquartered in the Wichita MSA (Butler, Harvey, Sedgwick, Sumner)
• Employ 1-5 full-time equivalents (FTE) for Tier One; 6-20 FTE for Tier Two; 21-100 FTE for Tier Three; for the purpose of this award, FTE is defined as 35 hours
• A minimum of three years in business
• A commitment to good business practices
• Maintain good employee relations
• Contribute to the community
• Primary source of revenues from business operations, rather than grants, donors, or governmental funding
• Be a member in good standing of the Wichita Regional Chamber of Commerce at the time of application

List of Small Business Awards Events:
NETWORKING AT NOON FEATURING SMALL BUSINESS AWARDS
Tuesday, June 23 | 12:00 – 1:30 p.m. | TBD

Exhibit business with two complimentary registrations

SUNRISE SCRAMBLER
Wednesday, July 15 | 8:00 – 9:30 a.m. | TBD

One complimentary registration for each Awards Finalist

SUNRISE SCRAMBLER FEATURING SMALL BUSINESS AWARDS CELEBRATION
Wednesday, August 19 | 8:00 – 9:30 a.m. | TBD
Four complimentary registrations for each Awards Finalist

Judges will conduct site visits to the finalists’ businesses. These visits will be scheduled during normal business hours in June and July.
Finalists will participate in a video production process. The Chamber will coordinate all aspects of video needs with finalists and the video production company.
Sponsors of the Small Business Awards are not permitted to submit an application. In the event that a company has already committed to a sponsorship, that company will have the choice to sponsor or participate.
Applicants are asked to provide narratives in five main judging elements. Recognizing that businesses have varying strengths, the judges will review the entire business profile rather than giving equal weight to each judging element. Do not let any perceived weakness in one of the judging elements deter you from applying for the award.

Evaluation Criteria

Applicants are asked to provide narratives in five main judging elements. Recognizing that businesses have varying strengths, the judges will review the entire business profile rather than giving equal weight to each judging element. Please do not let any perceived weakness in one of the judging elements deter you from applying for the Award.

Judges will evaluate performance in five categories listed below:

• Entrepreneurship
• Employee Relations
• Inclusion and Diversity
• Community Contribution and Involvement
• Leadership and Performance

Judging Timeline and Process

Applications and all additional materials must be submitted by 11:59 p.m. on May 27, 2025.

Applications will be judged by a three-person group of community leaders based on the stated, specified evaluation criteria.

After reviewing all applications, the judges will select the Finalists, which will include no more than three from each tier:

Tier 1: 1-5 full-time equivalents (FTE)

Tier 2: 6-20 full-time equivalents (FTE)

Tier 3: 21-100 full-time equivalents (FTE)

Businesses in consideration to be a finalist will be notified and required to submit an income statement and balance sheet for confidential review by an independent audit firm. This additional financial detail will not be seen by the Wichita Regional Chamber of Commerce, the Small Business Awards committee or the judges. The review firm will solely provide the judges with a “thumbs up” or “thumbs down” on whether a business should be considered as a finalist. All information is destroyed after the independent review is complete.

Awards Finalists will be announced on social media mid-June.

Between June and July, each finalist will host the judges for a site visit and have the opportunity to showcase their employees, facilities, and business practices. The site visit will serve as the primary component for the selection of the Small Business of the Year. The site visits will be scheduled at times convenient for both the business and the judges.

The award recipients in each tier will be announced at the August Sunrise Scrambler featuring Small Business Awards Celebration on Wednesday, July 16.