SCORE Greater Seattle Receives National Chapter of the Year Award for Outstanding Service to Small Businesses

WASHINGTON, Feb. 11, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- SCORE, a resource partner of the U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA), today named SCORE Greater Seattle the 2025 Chapter of the Year (COTY) for its outstanding work helping entrepreneurs start and grow their businesses through free, expert mentoring and educational resources.

"SCORE Greater Seattle truly demonstrates SCORE's mission – to foster vibrant small business communities through mentoring and education," said SCORE CEO Bridget Weston. "In just one year, 160 volunteers helped more than 12,000 small businesses live their dreams and support the local economy. Dedicated to supporting entrepreneurs at any stage of business, these volunteers continue to share their expertise and years of experience with more small business owners each year."

In addition to providing education and mentoring to thousands of small business owners, SCORE Greater Seattle hosted a Small Business Pitch Contest, where local entrepreneurs competed for $35,000 in prize money while receiving mentoring support to build skills, gain exposure and hone their business pitch.

In 2024, SCORE Greater Seattle:

• Helped 12,434 small businesses – 82% more than the previous year – fueling the local economy and strengthening the community.
• Provided 6,580 mentoring sessions – 18% more than the previous year.
• Increased local webinar attendance by 372%.
• Grew their volunteer base by 13%, expanding their ranks to support even more small businesses with expert, free mentoring support.

 "Congratulations to all of our volunteers and clients who contributed greatly to this success," said Suvendoo Ray, chapter chair of SCORE Greater Seattle. "In addition to our local impact, the results of our efforts go beyond Seattle, as we worked together across the state, region and beyond to improve our workshops, mentoring, communications and outreach. It's great to be part of the SCORE team in contributing to the success of the wider small business community across the country."

In addition to the national COTY award, SCORE announced the following regional winners, recognized for their outstanding work in support of small business success:

• SCORE Las Vegas (West Region Chapter of the Year)
• SCORE Fox Valley (Central Region Chapter of the Year)
• SCORE Boston (Northeast Region Chapter of the Year)
• SCORE Charlotte (Southeast Region Chapter of the Year)
• SCORE Austin (Southwest Region Chapter of the Year)
• SCORE Washington, DC (Mid-Atlantic Region Chapter of the Year)
• SCORE Greater Seattle (North Midwest Region Chapter of the Year)

To learn more about SCORE, request a mentor or volunteer to be one, visit SCORE.org.

About SCORE
Since 1964, SCORE has helped more than 17 million entrepreneurs start, grow or successfully exit a business. SCORE's 10,000 volunteers provide free, expert mentoring, resources and education in all 50 U.S. states and territories.

Funded [in part] through a Cooperative Agreement with the U.S. Small Business Administration.

CONTACT:

SCORE

202-968-6428

[email protected]

Visit SCORE's media resources to connect with expert small business interview sources and news updates.

SOURCE SCORE