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2026 Small Business of the Year Award Nomination Form |
Nomination Form
PLEASE NOTE: All nominations are anonymous and the information included in your nomination(s) is kept completely confidential throughout the process.
The Greater Wausau Chamber of Commerce’s Small Business of the Year Award has been presented to members annually since 1981. It provides the community at large the opportunity to recognize small businesses who demonstrate business/organizational growth, community involvement and exceptional service. This highly prestigious award is presented during the Chamber’s Business Week in two categories: Small Business and Charitable Non-Profit.
RETURNING IN 2026: The recipients of the Small Business Awards will be named at 10 a.m. on Thursday, April 16 at the Chamber's Business EXPO to be held at the Central Wisconsin Convention + Expo Center in Rothschild. Finalists are encouraged to host a booth on 'Finalist Row' at the event at a discounted rate. An EXPO booth is not required to be listed as a finalist. No more than five businesses will be named this year in any category (top five applicants based on scoring will be named finalists).
Small Business Eligibility Criteria
• Must be a privately held business with a minimum of five years continuous ownership.
• Must not be a previous recipient of the award in any category.
• Must have a significant footprint in the Wausau region.
• Must have proven growth over the past three years.
• Must have fewer than 100 full-time equivalent employees.
• Must be a member of the Greater Wausau Chamber of Commerce in good standing. (May apply for the award as a non-member, but must be a member by March 1, 2026.)
• Must not be a previous recipient of the award in any category.
• Must have a significant footprint in the Wausau region.
• Must have proven growth over the past three years.
• Must have fewer than 100 full-time equivalent employees.
• Must be a member of the Greater Wausau Chamber of Commerce in good standing. (May apply for the award as a non-member, but must be a member by March 1, 2026.)
Charitable Non-Profit Eligibility Criteria
• Must be a 501(c)3 organization.
• Must have been an established organization for a minimum of five years.
• Must not be a previous recipient of the award in any category.
• Must have a significant footprint in the Wausau region.
• Must have proven growth over the past three years.
• Must demonstrate outstanding contributions to the region.
• Must have fewer than 100 full-time equivalent employees.
• Must be a member of the Greater Wausau Chamber of Commerce in good standing. (May apply for the award as a non-member, but must be a member by March 1, 2026.)
• Must be a 501(c)3 organization.
• Must have been an established organization for a minimum of five years.
• Must not be a previous recipient of the award in any category.
• Must have a significant footprint in the Wausau region.
• Must have proven growth over the past three years.
• Must demonstrate outstanding contributions to the region.
• Must have fewer than 100 full-time equivalent employees.
• Must be a member of the Greater Wausau Chamber of Commerce in good standing. (May apply for the award as a non-member, but must be a member by March 1, 2026.)
To nominate a business/organization, complete the simple form below by 3 pm on Friday, February 13, 2026. All nominations are anonymous and the information included in your nomination(s) is kept completely confidential throughout the process. Self-nominations are accepted. There is no limit to the number of nominations a nominator can submit. Nominees select which category they are applying for upon receiving the application. Unsure if a business/organization qualifies for the above criteria? Nominate them and we will find out for you. Financial institutions and religious organizations are not eligible for the Awards.