Global Citizen And PayPal Small Business Impact Awards 2025 ($25,000 cash prize)

PayPal and Global Citizen have joined together to celebrate small businesses that are revolutionizing commerce and advancing social and environmental impact.

The Global Citizen and PayPal Small Business Impact Awards were established to celebrate entrepreneurs and small business owners. We are looking for innovative leaders of small businesses and social enterprises who have developed products, services, and business models that make a positive social or environmental impact. 

The awards platform will grant these community leaders a $25,000 USD cash prize and connect them to data and insights, access to highly skilled commerce and payments experts, and marketing/brand activations to accelerate their work and impact.

Eligibility Criteria

Active Business Leader
The applicant must be the business’s owner, CEO, or founder and actively involved in business strategy and/or operations.

Small-to-Medium Sized Business
Business has fewer than 50 full-time employees or annual revenue under $1 million, and be registered as a small business in its home country.

Demonstrate Community Impact
The business should have at least 3 years of operation and show significant, tangible contributions to the local community.

Serve the Local Community
The business must operate and primarily serve the local community.

Business Cannot Be:

• Affiliated with an organization from any country or entity subject to financial or other sanctions by the Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) or other government entity of the United States of America.
• A franchise or part of a national or international chain, as the focus is on independent, locally owned

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Evaluation Criteria

🚀 Innovation: How your business’s innovation supports your mission and creates a positive societal or environmental impact.

🎯 Impact: Demonstrated track-record of measurable impact the last 3-5 years, advancing one or more of the Global Goals.

📋 Vision: Compelling vision and concrete plans for how to expand this work in the next 3-5 years.

🔥️ Grit: Tell us about an obstacle your business has faced or is facing, and how you have worked or are working to overcome it.

Application Deadline: 15th Auust, 2025

Application Link: Global Citizen Small Business Impact Awards

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