FedEx Awards $120,500 in its Fifth Annual Small Business Grant Contest
April 25 2017 - 3:22PM
Business Wire
Sword & Plough Takes Home Grand Prize of
$25,000, Plus $7,500 in FedEx Office Services
FedEx announced today that Sword & Plough is the grand prize
winner of its 5th annual FedEx Small Business Grant Contest. Based
in Denver, Colo., Sword & Plough will receive a $25,000 grant,
plus $7,500 in FedEx Office® print and business services to
help them grow their business. This year, the contest offered
grants and services to 10 small businesses, distributing a
collective prize pool of $120,500—the largest sum since the
contest’s inception.
“Marking our fifth year of the FedEx Grant contest, we saw a
broad range of small business owners with diverse interests who all
exhibited a great passion for their business,” said Becky Huling,
vice president of Customer Engagement Marketing at FedEx. “FedEx is
committed to empowering diverse individuals and giving
entrepreneurs everywhere the tools they need to succeed. We’re
excited to work with Sword & Plough as they take their business
to the next level, while continuing to give back to the military
community in a profound way.”
Sword & Plough was co-founded by Emily Núñez Cavness, an
active duty U.S. Army officer, and her sister Betsy Núñez. The
sisters, who grew up in a military family, recognized the challenge
that veterans face in finding meaningful work after military
service and were inspired to help. Through their unique business
model, Sword & Plough works with American manufacturers who
employ veterans to make wearable goods out of recycled materials
from the U.S. military that would otherwise be thrown away. The
durable fabrics combined with leather accents and other
American-made textiles produce fashionable, urban bags and
accessories. Since launching the company in 2013, Sword &
Plough has hired 65 veterans—including designers and
manufacturers—and repurposed more than 35,000 pounds of military
surplus. The socially-conscious company has also donated 10% of
their profits to veteran organizations each year they have been in
business.
“We are truly honored to have been awarded the Grand Prize in
the FedEx Small Business Grant Contest,” said Emily Núñez Cavness,
CEO of Sword & Plough. “With the grant money, we plan to
further our mission by hiring a military veteran with logistics
experience to help us expand our production and improve our supply
chain and inventory management.”
Sword & Plough also plans to use the FedEx Office print and
business services to produce additional marketing materials to help
expand their brand ambassador program, which is primarily made up
of veterans and military spouses.
In addition to the grand prize, FedEx awarded Flexfrost Protein
Ice Cream of Glen Ridge, N.J. $15,000, plus $5,000 in FedEx Office
services, and the following eight businesses received $7,500 grants
and $1,000 in FedEx Office services:
- Brian Boggs Chairmakers (Asheville,
N.C.)
- Funky Fresh (Milwaukee, Wis.)
- G. Joannou Cycle (Northvale, N.J.)
- Scratch and Peck Feeds (Burlington,
Wash.)
- Nurdle in the Rough (Holualoa,
Hawaii)
- Terra Klay (Naperville, Ill.)
- The Konery (Brooklyn, N.Y.)
- Yellow Scope (Portland, Ore.)
“FedEx Office is thrilled to support the Grant Contest for the
first time, offering more than $20,000 in printing and business
services,” said Kate Axtell, managing director of Communications
for FedEx Office. “Small businesses rely on us regularly for their
numerous business needs, and we are excited to work with them as a
trusted advisor.”
The 2017 contest attracted candidates from across the United
States and garnered more than 1.5 million votes. Over the past five
years, more than 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 more than $120,000 in total prizes.
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.
About FedEx Corp.
FedEx Corp. (NYSE: FDX) provides customers and businesses
worldwide with a broad portfolio of transportation, e-commerce and
business services. With annual revenues of $58 billion, the company
offers integrated business applications through operating companies
competing collectively and managed collaboratively, under the
respected FedEx brand. Consistently ranked among the world’s most
admired and trusted employers, FedEx inspires its more than 400,000
team members to remain “absolutely, positively” focused on safety,
the highest ethical and professional standards and the needs of
their customers and communities. To learn more about how FedEx
connects people and possibilities around the world, please visit
about.fedex.com.
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version on businesswire.com: http://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20170425006722/en/
FedEx Media RelationsGretchen Mathis,
901-434-5701gretchen.mathis@fedex.com
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