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Official Contest Rules and Eligibility
- Entries must be submitted by Sunday, August 4, 2024, by 11:59 p.m. PT
- Ten finalists will be chosen to move to the second round of judging
- Winners will be publicly announced by 11:59 p.m. on Tuesday, September 24, 2024
- Visit FamousAmosIngredientsFor Success.com/Rules for full contest rules and eligibility.
Eligibility Requirements
- Business must be at minimum 90% Black-owned
- In business for 5 years or less
- Headquartered in the United States (excluding Puerto Rico, the U.S. Virgin Islands, and other Commonwealths, Territories, and Possessions)
- Business must be owned by owners 21 or older at the time of submission of entry
Application
We invite all eligible candidates to apply by completing the form below and providing the following
- Your name
- Business Name
- Business Address
- Business E-mail
- Tax ID#
- Business overview (250-word max)
- Link to business website and social channels
- Business owner/applicant Headshot
- A 90-120 second pitch video.
Additional Application Components
Ten Finalists will:
- Submit a minimum 500-word summary explaining their business’s greatest need and how the award will assist with that need – illustrating the implementation of business strategy
Additional Prizing
Ten Finalists will:
- Receive access to one additional existing signature USBC program and two mentoring workshops through March 31, 2025
- Receive access to proprietary USBC programming and events
NO PURCHASE NECESSARY TO ENTER OR WIN. A PURCHASE DOES NOT INCREASE YOUR CHANCES OF WINNING. Open only to entrepreneur applicants who meet the eligibility requirements: (1) business must be at minimum 90% Black-owned, (2) in business for five years or less as of June 24, 2024, (3) and headquartered within the fifty United States (excluding Puerto Rico, the U.S. Virgin Islands, and other Commonwealths, Territories, and Possessions), and (4) Ownership of business must be held by owners who are at least 21 years of age at the time of submission of the Application. Void where prohibited. Program begins at 12:00 a.m. PDT on June 24, 2024, and ends at 11:59 p.m. PDT on August 4, 2024. For complete details, including entry requirements and prizing details/restrictions, see Official Rules available at famousamosingredientsforsuccess.com. Sponsor: Ferrero U.S.A., Inc., Parsippany, NJ 07054
2024 Ingredients for Success:
The Famous Amos Entrepreneurs Initiative OFFICIAL RULES AND APPLICATION FORM
1. APPLICANT. As defined herein, the term applicant ("Applicant") shall mean and refer to all of the individual owners of the business enterprise described in the Program Application ("Application") where a separate legal entity (e.g., a corporation, LLC, LLP, partnership, etc.) has not been formed to operate such business enterprise. If an entity has been formed to operate the business enterprise described on the Application, the term Applicant shall mean and refer to the entity and all of the individual owners of such entity. The Application must designate the name of the single business enterprise that will be the payee of the award if Applicant is adjudged a winner of such award. Such designation may be changed only with the prior written consent of each individual Applicant named in the Application. (Should the business enterprise become insolvent, have change in ownership, or go into receivership prior to the awarding of the award, Applicant becomes ineligible and said award will be forfeited by the Applicant.) Each individual Applicant is hereafter referred to jointly and severally as “Applicant,” and the Application shall be submitted by one of the persons who are included in such definition.
2. PRIZES AND APPROXIMATE RETAIL VALUE (“ARV”). The 2024 Famous Amos Ingredients for Success Entrepreneurs Initiative ("Initiative") provides eligible Applicants with an opportunity to apply for three (3) $50,000 business awards (“Business Award(s)”) and provides winners with mentorship from the U.S. Black Chambers, Inc.’s (USBC) database of resource providers and entrepreneurs. Additionally, the Winners may be highlighted in paid media opportunities, including but not limited to digital advertising, social media posts, and on-air radio, television, and podcast interviews. Additionally, the 10 finalists will be awarded access to a monthly mentorship program and quarterly networking events through March 31, 2025. No substitution, cash redemption or transfer of prize permitted by the 10 finalists.
3. ELIGIBILITY. The Initiative is open to entrepreneur applicants who meet the following eligibility requirements: business must be at minimum 90% Black-owned, in business for five years or less as of June 24, 2024, and headquartered within the fifty United States (excluding Puerto Rico, the U.S. Virgin Islands, and other Commonwealths, Territories, and Possessions). Ownership of business must be held by owners who are at least 21 years of age at the time of submission of the Application. The business enterprise may not be a franchisee as defined under applicable state or federal franchise disclosure laws. The Initiative is not open to 501(c)3 non-profit organizations. Applicant is not eligible to participate in the Initiative where Applicant or Applicant’s immediate family is an employee, agent, director, or officer of Ferrero U.S.A, Inc. (“Sponsor”) or of Flowers Communications Group, or their respective parent, subsidiary, or affiliated companies; where Applicant has an ownership interest in, or is an establishment that is or will be, during the Program judging process, a licensed alcohol beverage manufacturer, retailer or distributor; or where Applicant is or has been a panelist or speaker at a Program seminar or a judge of the Program.
THE APPLICATION AND APPLICANT SHALL ADHERE TO ALL OF THESE OFFICIAL RULES ("RULES") AND APPLICATION FORM REQUIREMENTS, AND THE FAILURE TO DO SO MAY DISQUALIFY THE APPLICATION FROM CONSIDERATION.
The Rules incorporate by reference all of the information and requirements contained in the other forms and materials to be submitted by Applicant including, without limitation, the Application form. No consideration or payment is required. Sponsor shall have the sole discretion to waive, interpret and apply the Rules, and all decisions by the judges, Sponsor and its agencies shall be final and binding.
4. GENERAL PRIZE RESTRICTIONS: Applicant, including any persons named on the Application, may not submit or be a participant in more than one Application. No substitution, cash redemption or transfer of prize permitted by the 10 finalists. Any difference between the approximate retail value and actual value of Prize or any substituted prize will not be awarded.
5. HOW TO ENTER. The 2024 Famous Amos Ingredients for Success Entrepreneurs Initiative contest begins at 12:00 a.m. PDT on June 24, 2024, and ends at 11:59 p.m. PDT on August 4, 2024. Applicant will submit a completed Application online, following specific criteria. An Application shall contain the following duly executed items that comply with the Rules: a) one or all names of the business owner, b) the business name, c) the legal business postal address, d) the official business email, e) the tax ID number for the business, f) a business overview (no more than 250 words max), link(s) to the business website and social channels, and h) an uploaded, :90 to :120 elevator pitch video. i.) On or after August 12, 2024, ten (10) finalists will be selected and required to share their :90 to :120 elevator pitch via their social media channels to garner engagement and votes. h) Additionally, the ten (10) finalists will need to submit a minimum 500-word essay describing their company’s greatest need(s) and a plan detailing how the award will fill the need(s).
The Application shall be submitted electronically via famousamosingredientsforsuccess.com no later than 11:59 p.m. PDT on Sunday, August 4, 2024. Applications may not be sent by email, mail or facsimile. Sponsor will not send a confirmation of receipt to Applicant, and Sponsor shall not be responsible for any Applications which are incomplete, misdirected, or not received for whatever reason. If selected as one of the 10 finalists, applicant must agree to a background check. Winners’ selection is subject to passing background check.
6. JUDGING CRITERIA. Applications will be judged on the creativity and persuasion (sales pitch) of eligible Applicant’s :90 to :120 elevator pitch, and the content and business rationale on how the award funds will be used.
An application that describes any unlawful business activity that involves a product, service or business enterprise that is anti-ethical to the spirit of the Initiative, or that would tend to hold the Sponsor and/or Applicant up to public ridicule or disrepute, will not be eligible for consideration. Sponsor and its agencies reserve the right in its sole discretion to disqualify any Application from consideration at any stage in the Program that refers, depicts, or in any way reflects negatively upon Sponsor, Sponsor’s products, the Program, or any other person or entity and does not comply with these requirements or these Official Rules.
Sponsor will ask the judges and consultants to retain in confidence all information in the Application that is identified as being proprietary and confidential, where such information is not and does not become public or is not otherwise required to be disclosed by law, which obligation shall expire two (2) years after the receipt of the Application. Applicant agrees that neither Sponsor, nor its agencies, consultants, judges, or co-sponsor community-based organizations, nor any employees, officers or directors of any of the foregoing (collectively, the “Program Entities”) assume or shall be held responsible for any liability whatsoever for any disclosures of Application Form information which may be made (whether inadvertently or otherwise) by any judge, staff, consultant, co-sponsor or other individual connected with, participating in, reviewing, hearing, or receiving information from or in connection with the Program, famousamosingredientsforsuccess.com.
7. PRIZE RESTRICTIONS: Up to and no more than three (3) winners will be selected to receive three (3) Business Awards in the amount of Fifty Thousand Dollars ($50,000.00), less any amount required to be withheld by law, payable to the individual or business enterprise designated in the Application. Applicant should consult its tax advisor as to the taxability of the receipt of such Business Award as winners are solely responsible for the reporting and payment of any federal, state, and local taxes. It is anticipated that such winners, if any, may be selected no later than 11:59 p.m. PDT on September 24, 2024. Such Business Awards are non-assignable and nontransferable and are to be used in accordance with the Application to further the success of the business enterprise described in the Application of each Winner. Sponsor also shall have the right, but not the obligation, to present smaller in-kind awards to Winner and/or Finalists.
8. LIMITATION OF LIABILITY: The Program Entities shall have no liability to Applicant with regard to the Application or comments, feedback or suggestions made to Applicant regarding such Application, and the Program Entities’ sole liability shall be to award up to three (3) $50,000 Business Award, as described in these Rules, or such lesser amount where no complying Applications are received for or assigned to one or more of the Categories listed above, or if the judges in their sole discretion determine that no Business Awards shall be awarded. In no event will the Program Entities be liable for any incidental, consequential, special, punitive, or other damages, claims, or actions arising out of or in connection with the Program.
9. CONDITIONS OF PARTICIPATION/GRANT OF RIGHTS: For good and valuable consideration, the receipt, adequacy and legal sufficiency of which each Applicant hereby acknowledges, each Applicant hereby awards to Sponsor and its community-based co-sponsor organization the right, but not the obligation, to use Applicant’s name, voice, likeness, information about the Application Form, and biography for any and all promotional purposes related to the Program, future similar Programs, and Sponsor’s or its co-sponsors’ sponsorship of such Programs, in any and all media throughout the Universe in perpetuity without further compensation and without further approval, and Applicant shall cooperate in allowing Sponsor and its co-sponsors to obtain such likenesses and information.
10. PROGRAM WINNERS: A list of Program winners will be posted to famousamosingredientsforsuccess.com by September 24, 2024 after such winners if any have been chosen. General information regarding the Program also may be obtained by visiting famousamosingredientsforsuccess.com.
11. COPIES OF RULES: Applicant may request a copy of these Rules and the Application materials and may request information about the Program no later than September 24, 2025. Application and Rules are available at famousamosingredientsforsuccess.com.
12. GOVERNING LAW/JURISDICTION: ALL ISSUES AND QUESTIONS CONCERNING THE CONSTRUCTION, VALIDITY, INTERPRETATION AND ENFORCEABILITY OF THESE RULES AND THE RIGHTS AND OBLIGATIONS OF APPLICANTS, SPONSOR, US BLACK CHAMBERS, INC, FLOWERS COMMUNICATIONS GROUP, OR ANY OF THE PROGRAM ENTITIES IN CONNECTION WITH THE PROGRAM SHALL BE GOVERNED BY AND CONSTRUED IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE INTERNAL LAWS OF THE STATE OF NEW YORK WITHOUT GIVING EFFECT TO ANY CHOICE OF LAW OR CONFLICT OF LAW PROVISIONS THAT WOULD CAUSE THE APPLICATION OF ANY OTHER STATE’S LAWS.
EACH APPLICANT AGREES THAT ANY AND ALL DISPUTES THAT CANNOT BE RESOLVED BETWEEN THE PARTIES AND CAUSES OF ACTION ARISING OUT OF OR CONNECTED WITH THIS PROGRAM SHALL BE RESOLVED INDIVIDUALLY, WITHOUT RESORT TO ANY FORM OF CLASS ACTION. EACH APPLICANT IRREVOCABLY AGREES THAT THE STATE AND FEDERAL COURTS LOCATED IN NEW YORK COUNTY, NEW YORK, SHALL HAVE EXCLUSIVE JURISDICTION OVER ANY SUIT OR OTHER PROCEEDING ARISING OUT OF, RELATING TO OR BASED UPON THE PROGRAM OR THESE OFFICIAL RULES, AND EACH APPLICANT HEREBY WAIVES ANY CLAIM THAT IT IS NOT SUBJECT PERSONALLY TO THE JURISDICTION OF SAID COURTS OR THAT ANY SUCH SUIT OR OTHER PROCEEDING IS BROUGHT IN AN INCONVENIENT FORUM OR IMPROPER VENUE
13. SPONSOR: Ferrero U.S.A, Inc.
14. This Program is void where prohibited by law.
©2024 Famous Amos.