"At Valpak, we recognize that our local economies depend on small businesses to stay healthy and thrive," says Michael Vivio, president of Cox Target Media, providers of Valpak. "We pride ourselves on helping businesses grow beyond their wildest dreams through our services. This contest is an extension of that pride. So we encourage owners to enter the contest and persuade everyone they know to vote for them."

Local Valpak franchise owners and sales professionals often hear the challenges of small business owners who want to expand but don't have the capital. Valpak, with franchises in more than 170 cities in 45 states and four Canadian provinces, created the Dough to Grow Award as fuel so small businesses could rocket to the next level.

"Last year's contest saw a great response from small businesses and their social media fan bases. We were able to award $10,000 to a dynamic entrepreneur who started his CrossFit business with one client in the park and now has a brand new facility with a full roster of staff members," Vivio says. "We hope to repeat this success again and for many years to come."

To enter Valpak's 2nd Annual Dough to Grow Award, business owners go to the Dough to Grow site and write an essay describing how they plan to grow. Being a Valpak customer is not necessary. The contest runs from September 1st – October 31st. Once nominated, a business needs to receive at least 100 votes in order to qualify. Businesses are encouraged to share their entry with friends, family, loyal customers and local supporters to build up their votes. The businesses with the most votes become finalists and eligible to win the grand prize of $7,500 or the runner-up prizes of $1,500 and $1,000.

Chuck Markos, the owner of Arizona-based Firebird CrossFit and recipient of the 2012 Dough to Grow Award, has put the funds from the award to good use – moving into a bigger facility and hiring staff. Markos started a CrossFit instructor training program and established a scholarship to help aspiring instructors achieve their certification goals. He's also working to get his community involved by creating a regional CrossFit competition.

How To Get The Dough

To win, small businesses should enter their essay at Dough to Grow Award and then share their nomination on site and across social media networks to encourage customers, friends, family and fans to vote for them. Voters will visit the Dough to Grow Award site and search nominations by business category or business name. They can also browse all of the nominations OR use a "Face Off" feature to compare entrants. Voting is limited to one vote per day per Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn and email account. The contest is open to small businesses in the U.S. and Canada, with the exception of Quebec.

The winners are chosen by Valpak after the careful consideration of a number of factors, including number of votes, creativity and energy in business growth strategy, demonstration of solid leadership and management, and positive impact on the community. Valpak will notify qualified nominees November 4 and will determine top 10 finalists November 11. Winners will be announced around Thanksgiving (US).