Global Citizen/PayPal Small Business Impact Awards 2026 for Social Entrepreneurs (Up To $20,000 Prize)

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Applications are open for Global Citizen/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 20K cash prize and connect them to data and insights, technical training, and marketing/brand activations to accelerate their work and impact.

Global Citizen/PayPal Small Business Impact Awards Benefits

The awards platform will grant these groundbreaking small- and medium-sized businesses a 20K cash prize and connect them to data and insights, technical training, and marketing/brand activations to accelerate their work and impact.
Each winner (fifteen) will win $20,000, expert mentorship, masterclass access and essential business tools.

Eligibility Criteria

Active Business Leader: Be the owner, founder or CEO that plays a crucial role in the current business.
Online Presence: Have an online presence that allows your customers to buy your product.
Small-to-Medium Sized Business: 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).
Demonstrate Community Impact: 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.
Location: The business must be based in one of these regions: North America, Europe, the Middle East and Africa, Latin America
❌ Exclusions:
- The business must not 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 that may restrict the transfer of the Award
- The business must not be a franchise or part of a national or international chain, as the focus is on independent, locally owned enterprises.
- You must live and work in North America, Europe, the Middle East and Africa, Latin America to be eligible.

Evaluation Criteria

Innovation
- How your business’s innovation supports your mission and creates a positive societal or environmental impact.
Vision
- Compelling vision and concrete plans for how to expand this work in the next 3-5 years.
Impact
- Demonstrated track-record of measurable impact the last 3-5 years, advancing one or more of the Global Goals