Deadline: July 19, 2026
Applications are open for the Global Citizen x PayPal Small Business Impact Awards 2026. The Global Citizen and PayPal Small Business Impact Awards were established to support business owners and founders who are driving real impact in their communities by demonstrating a deep commitment to equity and sustainability in their business practices.
They are looking for creative small and medium-sized business owners who have developed innovative products and services to make a positive social or environmental impact. The awards platform will grant these groundbreaking small- and medium-sized businesses a cash prize and connect them to data and insights, technical training, and marketing/brand activations to accelerate their work and impact.
Benefits
- Each winner (fifteen) will win $20,000, expert mentorship, masterclass access and essential business tools.
Eligibility
- Be the owner, founder or CEO that plays a crucial role in the current business.
- Have an online presence that allows your customers to buy your product.
- The business must be classified as a small-medium-sized business, typically with fewer than 50 full-time employees or annual revenue under $1 million (subject to local regulations and standards).
- The business needs to have 1-5 years of impact in their community.
- The business should demonstrate significant, tangible contributions to the local community. This may include, but is not limited to:
- Supporting local causes, charities, or nonprofit organizations.
- Engaging in community development projects or local partnerships.
- Implementing sustainable practices that benefit the local environment or economy.
- Creating jobs or providing educational/training opportunities for community members.
- The business must be based in one of these regions: North America, Europe, the Middle East and Africa, Latin America
Application
The application consists of four parts: (1) About you & about your business, (2) Pitch (3) Description of how your work aligns with the judging criteria (4) Supplemental organizational details (upon request)
- For the first part, you will be required to submit basic information about you and your business.
- For the second part, you must explain why you deserve this award and provide us with a 1-2 minute video of your pitch.
- For the third part, you will be required to answer four short answer questions about your work. In 250 words or less, you will describe how you meet each one of the Awards’ criteria.
For more information, visit Global Citizen x PayPal Small Business Impact Awards.
