Contact: Gretchen Mathis
FedEx Media Relations
901.434.5701
gretchen.mathis@fedex.com
$120,500 in Total Cash and Prizes Up for Grabs in 2017 Contest
MEMPHIS, Tenn., February 21, 2017—FedEx Corp. (NYSE: FDX) today announced that
it will launch its fifth annual Small Business Grant Contest on February 21, 2017. This year, the
contest offers grants and services to ten small businesses, distributing a collective prize pool of
$120,500—the largest sum since the contest’s inception. For the first time this year, the
winners will also receive an additional dollar amount in credit to use towards FedEx Office print
and business services to help run their businesses. The awards will include:
Grand prize: One (1) winner of $25,000, plus $7,500 in FedEx Office ® print and business
services
Silver prize: One (1) winner of $15,000, plus $5,000 in FedEx Office print and business
services
Bronze prize: Eight (8) winners of $7,500, plus $1,000 in FedEx Office print and
business services
“Small businesses play a vital role in our economy and this is just one of the many ways
FedEx helps passionate small business owners achieve their dreams of growth and success,”
said Bonnie Voldeng, director of Go-to- Market and Content Strategy at FedEx. “Over the past
five years, we’ve seen winners take their business to the next level with the help of a FedEx
grant, and that’s what this contest is all about—being able to give small businesses the boost
they need, while staying on as a trusted advisor through the life cycle of those businesses.”
The 2016 contest attracted candidates from across the United States and garnered more
than 400,000 votes. Grand Prize winner Ginjan Bros., a small business that develops and
brings to market traditional African drinks, is run by two entrepreneurial brothers originally from
West Africa. Through the $25,000 grant and support of FedEx shipping services, Ginjan Bros.
was able to ramp up production, both to fill their current orders and produce enough inventory to
support expanded distribution. They also put a portion of the cash prize toward securing
organic and GMO-free product certifications. The brothers also plan to expand their e-
commerce business, now that they are aware of the resources FedEx offers to help small
businesses with packaging and logistics.
“Being recognized like this means the world,” said Mohammed Diallo of Ginjan Bros.
“Something like this — winning a grant like this — could only happen in America. We are living
the American dream right now.”
Over the past four years, 13,000 businesses have entered the contest in the United
States alone. The contest has now grown from one country to nine countries and the grant pool
for the U.S. contest has grown from $50,000 to over $120,000 in total prizes.
The 2017 FedEx Small Business Grant Contest is open to U.S.-based for-profit small
businesses with fewer than 99 employees and operating for six months or more. To enter,
participants must visit www.fedex.com/grantcontest and enter their contact information, write a
short profile about their business and upload four photos of their business or product, including
their logo. While not required, participants also have the option of submitting a 90-second
“elevator speech” video to supplement their entry.
The contest entry period is open from February 21 to March 29, 2017, with voting to take
place from March 1 to April 5, 2017. Following a judging period, winners will be announced on
April 25, 2017 at www.fedex.com/grantcontest.
FedEx. Solutions that Matter.® Helping Small Businesses.
The FedEx portfolio of services allows small businesses to gain access to the global
marketplace and to shipping, logistics and printing solutions. For more information on how
FedEx helps small businesses, please visit the FedEx Small Business Center at
fedex.com/smallbusiness.
