FedEx Launches Second Small Business Grant Contest

MEMPHIS, Tenn.–(BUSINESS WIRE)–

FedEx has launched its second nationwide small business grant contest
which will award a total of $50,000 to 10 deserving U.S. small
businesses. The grand prize winner will receive a $25,000 grant, four
first place winners will each receive $5,000 and five second place
winners will each receive $1,000.

Small businesses—for the contest, those having fewer than 100
employees—will compete for the grants by completing a profile to be
voted on by Facebook users. The contest is designed for participants to
promote their profiles among their own customers and fan bases
throughout their social media networks to generate votes for their
respective businesses. The number of votes a small business receives
will boost its visibility in the contest and is one factor FedEx will
consider when determining the winners.

The grant contest registration is now open at http://fedex.com/grantcontest
and will remain open until 11:59 p.m. ET on Feb. 9. To register,
participants must upload their company logo with three photos that
reflect their business, enter their contact information and tell FedEx
about their business and how they would utilize the grant to enhance
their business.

All accepted entries will be posted to the contest website.

Voting will begin at 12 a.m. ET on Jan. 16 at http://fedex.com/grantcontest
and close at 11:59 p.m. on Feb. 23. On Feb. 26, FedEx will announce the
top 100 finalists chosen to move on in the contest. These finalists will
be determined by the number of votes they receive and their contest
profile.

The top 100 finalists will then be asked to answer one of three
questions in an essay format. FedEx will review the essays and select
the winners based on their essay submission, contest profile and number
of votes they receive from Facebook users. The top 10 small
businesses—including the grand prize winner—will be announced on March
24.

“Small businesses represent more than 99 percent of all employer firms.
They drive the global economy and are an absolute vital part of the
success of larger companies such as FedEx,” said Raj Subramaniam,
executive vice president of Global Marketing at FedEx Services. “We are
happy to show our support of the small business community by providing
grants to help enable their success.”

Doing Good with Darn Good Yarn

The winner of last year’s Small Business Grant Competition was Darn
Good Yarn, a small business based in Sebec, Maine and founded by
Nicole Snow in 2008.

“The last year has been amazing for my business,” said Nicole Snow,
owner and founder of Darn Good Yarn. “The $25,000 grant from FedEx has
allowed me to hire more women in Nepal and India, which gives them the
means to help support their families while providing me with great
product to sell.”

Darn Good Yarn sells yarn made from recycled, Earth-friendly materials,
much of it created from remnants of the production of silk saris. These
materials are handspun and dyed by women’s groups in Northern India and
Nepal, who are provided with a marketplace for their products, as well
as much-needed wages for their families. All yarns are fairly traded and
produced with child-free labor.

FedEx . . . Solutions that Matter^SM for
Small Businesses

The FedEx portfolio of services allows small business to gain access to
the global marketplace and to shipping, logistics and printing
solutions. FedEx has recently introduced two new options that make
shipping even easier for small business customers, including:

• FedEx
  One Rate^SM, a U.S.-based flat-rate shipping option that
  combines simplified, predictable pricing with the same reliable
  delivery and excellent service customers expect from FedEx.
• FedEx
  Delivery Manager^SM, a service which allows U.S. package
  recipients to customize home deliveries to fit their schedule.

For more information on how FedEx helps small businesses, please visit
the FedEx Small Business Center at fedex.com/us/small-business.

About FedEx Corp.

FedEx Corp. (FDX) provides customers and businesses worldwide with
a broad portfolio of transportation, e-commerce and business services.
With annual revenues of $45 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 300,000 team members to remain
“absolutely, positively” focused on safety, the highest ethical and
professional standards and the needs of their customers and communities.
For more information, visit news.fedex.com.

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