Program Eligibility

The U.S. Chamber of Commerce Foundation, with offices at 1615 H Street NW, Washington, D.C. 20062 (“the Sponsor”), will sponsor the 2024 Heroes Small Business Grant Program (“Grant Program”) with support from FedEx, with offices at 942 S Shady Grove Road, Memphis, TN 38120.

To be eligible to apply for the Grant Program, an applicant must be:

• A legal resident of and currently reside in the contiguous 48 states, Alaska and/or Hawaii; and
• A for-profit business owned by a veteran or military spouse (at least 51% or more ownership) with 3 to 20 employees including the owner, all full or part-time employees, and independent (1099) contractors. For the purposes of this contest, veteran or military spouse means:
  • any person who previously served in the active duty, National Guard or Reserve components of the Army, Navy, Marine Corps, Air Force, Space Force or Coast Guard and has an honorable discharge;
  • any person who currently serves in National Guard or Reserve component of the Army, Navy, Marine Corps, Air Force, Space Force or Coast Guard; or
  • any person who is presently married to a current member of the Army, Navy, Marine Corps, Air Force, Space Force, Coast Guard, or any National Guard or Reserve components of the military; and
• A small business with less than $5 million in annual revenue and located in an economically vulnerable community, or the business can otherwise demonstrate financial need brought on by hardship beyond the owner’s control. Economically vulnerable communities are defined as any community in a zip code that receives a “stress score” of 40 or greater, as measured by the Distressed Communities Index.

The following types of businesses and organizations are not eligible to participate:

• Franchise brand with more than twenty-five (25) corporate-owned stores, or more than fifty (50) stores total;
• Not-for-profit businesses;
• Any government agency, public administration, political organization, or non-profit of any type;
• Businesses engaged in any illegal activity;
• Gas stations, or businesses located on the same premises as a gas station;
• Shopping property management companies;
• Direct sellers;
• Any business that is primarily in the business of manufacturing, promoting or selling diet aids, cannabis, gambling, tobacco (including tobacco-related equipment, such as e-cigarettes), firearms or other weapons;
• Private clubs and businesses which limit the number of memberships for reasons other than capacity;
• Businesses principally engaged in teaching, instructing, counseling or indoctrinating religion or religious beliefs, whether in a religious or secular setting;
• Businesses that derive directly or indirectly more than de minimis gross revenue through the sale of products or services, or the presentation of any depictions or displays, of a sexual nature;
• Businesses owned by employees, officers and directors of the U.S. Chamber of Commerce Foundation, FedEx, and any affiliated entities, and their respective immediate families (parents, spouse, children, siblings) or individuals residing in their household (whether or not related);
• Entities listed on the U.S. Department of the Treasury’s Sanctions List; and
• Any other business that could reasonably be expected to offend a significant portion of FedEx customers or the public.

Applicants agree to be bound by the terms and conditions of these Official Rules and, if applicable, agree to participate in a virtual event announcing the Grant Winners.

Applicants may complete the entry form at https://www.hiringourheroes.org/small-business-award. Applicants must submit their entry before 11:59 pm EDT on February 29, 2024.

As described below, a Selection Committee, including representatives from the U.S. Chamber of Commerce Foundation’s Hiring Our Heroes (“HOH”) program, will choose five (5) Grant Winners from among all eligible applicants.

For round 1: A select group of senior leaders at HOH will review all the applications and select up to 20 eligible semi-finalists that meet the eligibility requirements and submit the most compelling applications.

For round 2: A panel of judges comprised of HOH employees and, potentially, business and industry experts, veteran and military small business and non-profit leaders, will review the semi-finalists and select five (5) Grant Winners.

Odds of being selected as a Grant Winner depends on the number of eligible applications received on or before February 29, 2024.

Grant Winners will be notified on or before March 29, 2024, through the contact information provided in the application. Grant Winners may be asked to submit additional information for their application.

Grant Winners will be chosen without regard to race, color, religion, sex, national origin, or physical or mental ability.

Grant Winners will be announced publicly at a virtual event hosted by Hiring Our Heroes in April 2024. A finalized date for the ceremony will be announced in late March 2024.

Grant Winners will be required to confirm and supply information as to their qualifications, including proof of military service, as part of the selection process and before the award of a $10,000 grant.

In addition, each Grant Winner must submit photos of their business and a headshot of the business owner.

Each of the five (5) Grant Winners will receive a $10,000 cash prize.

All applications must be submitted online. Only those applications submitted through the online application process provided on https://www.hiringourheroes.org/small-business-award/ will be accepted. Applications received by any other means will not be considered. No application can be amended or withdrawn after March 8, 2024. Neither Sponsor nor FedEx nor their parents, affiliated entities or agents are responsible for any illegible, lost, stolen late, damaged, incomplete, mutilated or misdirected applications or other documents. Applying party and applicants are responsible for ensuring proper contact information has been submitted and is maintained throughout the Grant Program to allow communications about the Grant Program.

Erroneous or false information provided in the application will result in immediate disqualification of the applicants. Sponsor and the Selection Committee otherwise retain the right to disqualify any applicant in their sole discretion.

If, for any reason, the Grant Program is not capable of running as planned, Sponsor reserves the right in their sole discretion to cancel, terminate, modify or suspend the Grant Program at any time.

By creating an application, or by being an applicant, you understand that there is no joint venture, partnership, employment or agency relation between you and Sponsor arising from any application or the award of a $10,000 grant.

Applicants grant the Sponsor and FedEx the irrevocable right and license to copy, reproduce, display, perform, publish, modify, edit or otherwise use (collectively “use”) the application and supporting material, in whole or in part, including the corporate name(s), trade names, trademarks and logos, as well as names and other personal information of individuals, referred to in the entry and supporting material, all without limitation as to time, geography, or media for judging, education and publicity purposes, and any and all other purposes without need for prior notice, review or additional consent by applicant or additional consideration, and the entrant waives all moral rights in and to his/her entry in favor of the Sponsor, unless prohibited by applicable law.

Grant Winners are responsible for payment of any applicable local, state and federal taxes.  Grant Winners will be required to submit taxpayer identification information and any other information required for the reporting of a grant award as part of this Grant Program.

The decisions of the Selection Committee are final, and applicants and Finalists specifically agree that the decision of the Selection Committee and any decision of Sponsor is not subject to review or appeal in any forum whatsoever, including courts of law.

NO WARRANTY OF ANY TYPE IS PROVIDED FOR ANY PRIZE. NO CASH VALUE IS PROVIDED FOR ANY PRIZE, OTHER THAN THE $10,000 CASH PRIZE, AND NO PRIZE MAY BE TRANSFERRED TO ANY PARTY.

Any information provided as part of the Grant Program is provided according to the website Terms of Use and Privacy Policy, as they may be amended from time to time, and as otherwise provided for in these Official Rules.

By making an application or being an applicant, you agree on behalf of yourself and each of your respective heirs, executors, administrators, legal representatives, agents, successors and assigns (“Releasing Party”) to the Official Rules of the Grant Program and the decisions of the Selection Committee and Sponsor, as applicable, and any affiliated entities or persons, and by making an application or being an applicant, you release, defend and hold harmless Sponsor and FedEx, and their affiliates, advisors, agents, licensees, and any social or other media used for the Grant Program, and individuals on the Selection Committee, and any of their respective officers, directors and employees as applicable (“Released Parties”), from any and all causes of action, suits, debts, dues, sums of money, accounts, reckonings, bonds, bills, covenants, contracts, controversies, promises, lost profits, indirect or direct damages, consequential damage, incidental damages, punitive or exemplary damages, judgments, claims and demands whosoever, in law, or equity, whether known or unknown, foreseen or unforeseen, which any Releasing Party has or may ever had, now or hereafter, arising from or related to the Grant Program, these Official Rules, any application materials, including but not limited to any use or non-use of any application materials, delivery, misdelivery, acceptance, possession, attendance at, travel related to, misuse, and/or use of or inability to use, any Prize, or technical or other failures of any kind.

The U.S. Chamber of Commerce Foundation reserves the right to amend the Official Rules at any time without notice, for any reason.

The Grant Program and these Official Rules will be governed by and construed in accordance with the laws of the District of Columbia, U.S.A. Applicants consent to the jurisdiction and venue of the federal, state, and local courts located in the District of Columbia. By participating in this Grant Program, each applicant accepts the terms and conditions stated in these Official Rules, agrees to be bound by the decisions of the Sponsor, and warrants that she/he is eligible to participate in this Grant Program.

For a list of the winners in this Grant Program, send a Self-Addressed, Stamped Envelope (S.A.S.E) to: U.S. Chamber of Commerce Foundation, attn: 2024 Heroes Small Business Grant Program, 1615 H Street, NW, Washington, D.C. 20062, after April 30, 2024. Grant winners’ names will not be made available until after all the grant winners in this Grant Program have been determined and notified.