How to qualify
To qualify, you/your business must:
- Be a legal U.S. resident aged 18 or older
- Have no more than 99 full or part-time employees
- Have used Ball mason jars or other Ball canning products in some way in your business as of November 15
- Have contributed to your community during the pandemic
- Have submitted your application by midnight EST on Jan. 31
How the program works
From all applications submitted by the deadline, Newell will select 20 finalists to participate in the program. Finalists will be announced on Feb. 15. The brand will share the finalists’ stories on social media and invite the public to vote for their favorites.
Voting will take place between Feb. 15 and March 10, and the winners will be announced on March 23.
The 10 winners will receive $10,000 each to fund their businesses. The remaining 10 businesses won’t go home empty-handed, though; they’ll each receive $1,000 apiece. That’s in addition to the massive exposure they’ll receive just by participating as a finalist.
In addition to being showcased on social media channels for the Ball brand, finalists may have the chance to be mentored by Newell Brands’ senior executives and featured on Ball packaging.
How to apply
Businesses that qualify can apply online in minutes. All you’ll need is a 500-word story about how you’re helping your community weather the pandemic and how you use Ball products in your business. You’ll also need a photo to represent your business.
This is basically a social media contest, so your story is critical. Tell a story that captures the heart and spirit of your work. The contest rules state that the photo is not part of the judging, but it will be featured along with your story as part of the contest, so it’s probably best to select a couple of photos that reinforce your story.
If only every grant proposal were that fun!
Is your business Made for More?
You work hard to support your community through good times and bad. Newell Brands is using the Made for More initiative to give small businesses a lift in turn.
“Small businesses are the heart of our country and our Ball brand home canning products business,” said Kris Malkoski, CEO of the Food Business Unit at Newell Brands. “We have been moved by the support our small business customers have shown their communities this past year, and they’ve inspired us to do more as well.”
If your business qualifies, be sure to get your application in by Jan. 31. You can also follow @BallCanning on Facebook, Instagram, Pinterest, and YouTube to track the contest, vote for your favorites, and be part of the Ball community.