Eleventh annual contest receives more than 8,200 entries

FedEx Corp. (NYSE: FDX) unveiled the winners of the 11th annual FedEx Small Business Grant Contest. Ten U.S.-based businesses were chosen this year out of over 8,200 entries.

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Grand Prize Winners:

$30,000, plus $1,000 in FedEx Office print and business services

• KindVR (Moraga, CA)
• The Cupcake Collection (Nashville, TN)
• Up In Smoke Welding Apparel (Fulshear, TX)
• Pinole Blue (Wichita, KS)
• Chesapeake BAYDOG (Stevensville, MD)
• Ducoterra (Bellingham, WA)
• SJC Custom Drums (Southbridge, MA)
• AgroThrive (Gonzales, CA)
• Culture With Us Corporation (West Orange, NJ)
• Wallaroo Hat Company (Boulder, CO)

“At FedEx, we are committed to empowering entrepreneurs and providing the resources they need to succeed,” said Executive Vice President and Chief Customer Officer, Brie Carere. “We’re excited to shine a spotlight on these incredible small businesses and look forward to supporting them as they continue to grow and thrive.”

Chesapeake BAYDOG, a veteran owned small business, was awarded an additional $20,000 courtesy of United States Automobile Association (USAA) Small Business Insurance.

All winners also received a $300 voucher from My FedEx Rewards, access to FedEx Premier Customer Service, a sustainable packaging consult from FedEx Packaging Lab, a digital consult from the FedEx Digital Sales Solutions team, 20% off of a SEO monthly plan from HigherVisibility, a mentorship session with select member-founders in Entrepreneurs’ Organization, an invite to attend a FedEx Grant Winner Forum, a feature on the FedEx Small Business Center, and an international trade dictionary courtesy of FedEx.

The grant winners aren’t the only small business owners that have benefitted. All Top 100 finalists were offered a financial consultation with Accion Opportunity Fund. The finalists have also been awarded free access to the Initiative for a Competitive Inner City (I.C.I.C.) Annual Conference, its Digital Learning Platform, and access to up to three of its webinars.

An exciting new addition to this year’s contest was the People’s Choice Awards, a 10-day voting period in which the public voted for a daily winner among all of the entrants. The People’s Choice Awards provided entrants a chance to win one of ten $1,000 digital cash gift cards. One gift card per day was awarded to the qualified small business with the highest number of likes on their entry that particular day.

People’s Choice Award Winners:

$1,000 digital cash gift cards

• Spike Brewing (Milwaukee, WI)
• Sundrop Books (Durant, OK)
• #BooCrew (Oklahoma City, OK)
• Simple Bare Necessities (Sparta, NJ)
• Bean Sportfishing (Islamorada, FL)
• RhoadsRoast Coffees (Hammonton, NJ)
• Forgotten Roads Ales (Graham, NC)
• Aille Design (Buffalo, NY)
• Rapid-Guardian (Columbia, TN)
• Friendly City Books (Columbus, MS)

Over the past eleven years, nearly 80,000 businesses have entered the contest in the United States alone. FedEx has awarded more than $1.98 million total in grant money and printing credits combined since the contest’s inception.

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 revenue of $93 billion, the company offers integrated business solutions through operating companies competing collectively, operating collaboratively and innovating digitally as one FedEx. Consistently ranked among the world's most admired and trusted employers, FedEx inspires its more than 530,000 employees to remain focused on safety, the highest ethical and professional standards and the needs of their customers and communities. FedEx is committed to connecting people and possibilities around the world responsibly and resourcefully, with a goal to achieve carbon-neutral operations by 2040. To learn more, please visit about.fedex.com.

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