BBB, Central & SE Ohio Spark Awards

Applications Open

March 1, 2026

Online applications and nominations begin.

Application Deadline

August 1, 2026

Deadline - submit by this date

Winners Announced

October 2026

Winning organizations notified by BBB.

Awards Celebration

November 12, 2026

In-person event honoring the recipients.

Attend the celebration

About the awards

Recognizing character, culture, and community impact

The Spark Award recognizes business owners 35 and under or business owners of any age operating for less than three years who demonstrate a higher level of character, generate a culture that is authentic about its mission, and connect with community.

The Spark Award class is chosen from an arena of entries and nominations, showing there’s no lack of trusted business representatives in Central Ohio. Three leading organizations are then selected to represent the class in the areas of character, culture and community as that year’s recipients.

Character

Leaders must be teachable and open to growing with ideas. Leaders habitually seek the truth, are open to criticism, and know that their own personal development is never complete. Ethical leaders also empower their employees to be intentional in their personal and professional development.

Culture

Constructive workplace cultures help teams achieve goals and hold everyone accountable while recognizing top contributors. They enable teams to build structure, adapt to change, and foster staff growth, setting ethical paths to resolve conflicts and inspire progress.

Community

Notable entrepreneurial organizations show appreciation for their communities by enthusiastically giving back. By contributing to an ethical marketplace, these businesses support their environment, stakeholders, and community through reinvestment and volunteering.

Meet Bite This by Annie

View all past recipients

Start Here

Apply for the Spark Awards

The Spark Awards application is closed until 2027.

Coming Soon

Nominate an organization

Shine a light on a business or nonprofit that demonstrates integrity-driven best practices.

Nominate

Attend the celebration

Join the in-person awards event on November 12, 2026 to honor this year's recipients.

Event details

Useful information

Frequently asked questions / criteria

Who is eligible to apply for a Spark Award?

For-profit and non-profit organizations located in BBB of Central Ohio’s service area with an owner age 35 or under or an owner of any age operating for less than three years at time of entry. Businesses who apply must have a ‘B’ rating with BBB and proven to have met their financial obligations; government agencies are not eligible. Our service area consists of the following 21 counties: Athens, Champaign, Coshocton, Delaware, Fairfield, Fayette, Franklin, Hocking, Knox, Licking, Logan, Madison, Marion, Meigs, Morgan, Morrow, Muskingum, Perry, Pickaway, Ross, Union, Vinton.

Do you need to be BBB Accredited to apply?

Organizations do not need to be Accredited to apply, however they must have a BBB Business Profile in order to generate at least a ‘B’ rating. Through the entry process, BBB will generate a Business Profile for your company.

If my business is nominated do I still have to fill out the entry form?

Yes, you must complete the entry form in order to be considered for a Spark Award.

How are recipients selected?

Entries are evaluated by a volunteer panel of judges based on the completed entry form and populated criteria.

Does the entry video need to be professionally done?

No, this is simply a video to let the judges hear your voice and learn more about your team, so feel free to get creative! If your company is selected as a Spark Award winner, BBB will produce a video to be shown during our Spark Award Celebration.