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Marketplace Excellence Awards

BBB, Connecticut 

Our Marketplace Excellence Awards honor all businesses that go above and beyond in Connecticut. If you or someone you know deserves to be honored, enter our Marketplace Excellence Awards today!

Questions? Send us an email

Entries for our 2026 Marketplace Excellence Awards are open from May 1, 2026 - September 1, 2026.

Want to nominate another business for a Marketplace Excellence Award?

Click the button below to email Kristen Johnson, Director of Communications at BBB, Connecticut, and nominate a fellow business that you feel deserves to be recognized. We will reach out to them and ask them to apply.

Email Kristen
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Community Care Award

This award is given to a business that generously contributes time, talent and/or financial donations to charities or community organizations.

The Community Care Award winner will be presented with a check of $1,000 to donate to the charity of their choice.

Entry Requirements - all submissions MUST:

  • Partner with a local charity or organization to bring awareness to their mission
  • Actively participate in charitable and community-based initiatives and events
  • Lead by example and motivate others to engage in philanthropy and community involvement as a vital component of an ethical marketplace
Submit your entry
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Diversity Entrepreneur Award

Entrepreneurs representing ethnic, cultural, and diverse members of the community bring unique perspectives and ideas for innovation in business ownership. This award was created to celebrate those leaders in Connecticut.

At least 51% of the eligible business must be owned by a member or members of a diverse group. Diversity is defined as including but not limited to race, ethnicity, gender, sexual orientation, and age.

Entry Requirements - all submissions MUST:

  • Display commitment to ethics in the marketplace 

  • Exhibit truth in advertising, transparency, and responsiveness

  • Demonstrate high visibility and a passion to mentor, encourage, and champion minority-owned businesses within the community

  • Foster communication to drive understanding and awareness of diversity within the community

Submit your entry
Business people using pen,tablet,notebook are planning a marketing plan to improve the quality of their sales in the future.

Innovative Marketing Award

This award is given to a business who, within the last 12 months, launched a new marketing campaign that displays their commitment to ethics in the marketplace, educates consumers or serves the community. 

Entry Requirements - all submissions MUST:

  • Display creative thinking

  • Have initiated a strategic plan that resonates with an audience and translates into positive results that can be demonstrated

  • Exemplify ethical marketing by being transparent, responsive, honest, and displaying integrity in their interactions with consumers

Submit your entry
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Phoenix Award

This award is given to the business that has, like the Phoenix, transformed itself by creatively restructuring its business model, introducing new products, or rethinking the way they interact with their customer base and the community, leading the business to not only sustain, but to thrive.

Entry Requirements - all submissions MUST:

  • Have redesigned the way in which they do business 

  • Demonstrate the ability to listen and respond to consumer and community needs by opening a dialogue via marketing campaigns

  • Exhibit a commitment to ethics by being honest, transparent and responsive

Submit your entry
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Spark Award

This award is given to entrepreneurs whose new businesses are less than three years old and are actively working to maintain an ethical marketplace while connecting with the community.

Entry Requirements - all submissions MUST:

  • Exemplify ethical marketing by being transparent, responsive, and honest.
  • Create a culture of respect by empowering and inspiring employees to invest in and positively represent the company brand in all interactions
  • Actively participate and/or volunteer in community charities and organizations
Submit your entry