About the Saint Paul Business Awards
The Saint Paul Business Awards Program was launched in 2017 (RES 17-107) to recognize the outstanding businesses that call Saint Paul home. The program recognizes local businesses that provide critical services, contribute to the City's community, invest in their employees and are committed to Saint Paul's values of equity and diversity. Since then, thirty-eight (38) Saint Paul businesses--small businesses to major employers and new start-ups to generations-old family firms--have been honored for their role in making Saint Paul a vibrant and prosperous city.
Business Awards Guidelines (Eligibility Requirements)
To be eligible for an award, a Saint Paul business must:
- be committed to equity, diversity and empowerment,
- provide outstanding customer service,
- be involved in the community or make attempts to better the community as a whole,
- not have been selected by the committee for an award in five years, and
- not be a non‐profit organization.
- demonstrate commitment to the community through volunteer work and contributions,
- be in good standing with the City of Saint Paul (i.e., no outstanding fees, abatement issues, etc.),
(Preference will be given to businesses who hire young people as interns, either through the city’s Right Track program or in another way.)
Current and Past Business Awards Winners
City Council's recognition of the 2024 award winners
The program's eighth year nomination period started on July 1, 2024. The nomination and application period ended in August 2024. The Selection Committee met to discuss the applicants and identified the 2024 Business Award winners and runners-up (see list below). An announcement of the winners was released to the media, district councils and community members and a presentation of the winners was made at a special City Council meeting on Wednesday, October 9, 2024 (RES 24-1478). A warm thank you goes out to all those who applied, were nominated or supported Saint Paul businesses.
We also extend a special thank you to Clear Channel for their support to continue to uplift these five outstanding 2024 Saint Paul businesses by featuring them on their digital billboards throughout Saint Paul until November.
The following are winners for each year of the program starting with year 2017:
Videos
Thinking about applying or struggling to find a business to nominate? We encourage you to watch a couple of promotional videos of past winners to inspire you. If you are already giving back to the community or know of a neighborhood business that shares similar characteristics as our past winners, please consider applying or nominating for one of the award categories.
Online Nomination Form and Application
Thank you for your interest in nominating a business or applying for an award. The nomination and application periods are now closed and will reopen in July 2025. Thank you for your participation in the 2024 Business Awards Program. If you have questions about the nomination or application forms, please email us at BusinessAwards@ci.stpaul.mn.us.
Scroll to the bottom of this page to learn more about the two-step process: nomination process and application process.
Nomination Process
The nomination process is the first step to start recognizing local businesses that provide critical services, contribute to the City's community, invest in their employees and are committed to Saint Paul's values of equity and diversity.
Fill out the Nomination Form
Filling out the form to nominate a business takes only a few minutes of your time. This nomination form encourages the nominated business to apply and be considered for one of five award categories: Alice O’Brien Award, Good Neighbor Award, New Kid on the Block Award, People’s Choice Award, or Traditions Award.
City Verification
City will confirm that the nominated business was not previously selected by the committee for an award within the last five years and is not a non‐profit organization.
Public Notification
After all the applications have been received, the Selection Committee made up of past business winners will meet to deliberate on the businesses who have been awarded. A press release will announce the winners with an invitation to the general public to participate in the awards presentation ceremony.
Application Process
The application process can be (a) the first step to self-recognize and apply, or (b) be recognized by a fan and apply to be one of several local businesses that provide critical services, contribute to the City's community, invest in your employees and are committed to Saint Paul's values of equity and diversity.
Fill out the Application Form
Filling out the form should not take up too much of your time, but if it helps, please download a pdf
Use this form to help you prepare your responses. This application form will help inform the Selection Committee when deciding which award to be assigned. There are five award categories: Alice O’Brien Award, Good Neighbor Award, New Kid on the Block Award, People’s Choice Award, or Traditions Award, that a business can be considered for.
City Verification
City will confirm that your business was not previously selected by the committee for an award within the last five years and is not a non‐profit organization. You may also be asked to email your business logo for publication purposes.
Selection Committee Deliberation
The Selection Committee is made up of past business winners who will meet after all the applications have been received to decide on the businesses who should be awarded in one of five categories. Businesses will be vetted for good business standing before a final announcement is made.
Notification and Public Notification
After the Selection Committee finish deliberating and deciding on the winners, you will be notified whether you have been selected for an award. You will be notified of the date and time to receive your award in an upcoming awards presentation ceremony. A press release will also be sent to news media and members of the public of this event.
Awards Presentation Ceremony
You will be asked to attend the presentation ceremony. The City Council will convene a special meeting for this recognition with a small reception to follow. Family and friends are welcome.
