Frequently Asked Questions

Once applications open on May 31, your nominee will receive an email will everything they need to start their application. As their nominator, you’ll be copied on this initial email to share some encouraging words for the application process! 

If you self-nominated your company, you’ll also receive an email to apply on May 31.

No! Once applications open, anyone can apply. 

Yes! You are welcome to submit as many nominations as you’d like. Feel free to submit them via our website here. If you have multiple nominations, you can download the Excel template here. Please send your saved Excel file to Hannah Metevia at [email protected]

Nominations will remain open until applications close in July. We suggest you submit your nominations by May 31st so your nominee has the most time possible to complete their application!

Second-stage companies from all industries and counties are welcome to apply! To qualify for the award, companies must be headquartered in Florida and have between 6 and 150 and revenue between $750,000 and $100 million. 

Absolutely! Click here to download a copy of the application so you can be fully prepared once applications open. Please note that this is a sample document and your application will still have to be officially submitted through our application portal online. 

We understand that your privacy is of utmost importance, and we want to assure you that any information you provide in your application will be kept confidential and will not be publicized. We take data privacy very seriously and follow all necessary measures to protect your personal and sensitive information. Your application will only be reviewed by our team of qualified professionals who are bound by confidentiality agreements. We appreciate your trust in our organization and assure you that we will handle your information with the utmost care and confidentiality.

Please note that there is a $99 application fee required for all applicants. This fee is essential for supporting the awards celebration at the Hard Rock Live, which promises to be a unique and unforgettable experience. Additionally, as an applicant, you will have the opportunity to be part of an exclusive network of past Honorees and join a prestigious annual award. Unfortunately, refunds cannot be given once the application has been submitted. We appreciate your understanding and look forward to reviewing your application.

After the first round of judging, a selected group of Finalists will be announced in August. From there, the applications of the Finalists will go through the last round of judging by a panel comprised of past honorees, economic development leaders, and corporate partners of GrowFL. Of those Finalists, the top 50 second-stage companies will be selected. Companies will be judged on a number of criteria including growth in number of employees; impact of the business in the job market; increase in sales and/or unit volume; current and past financial reports; innovativeness of the product or service; response to adversity; and contributions to aid community-oriented projects. 

Good news… all 50 companies selected as Honorees are the winners! Because of that, we get to start celebrating our Honorees as soon as we announce them in September! We’ll spend the next few months leading up to the awards program promoting and highlighting the companies selected. All 50 Honorees will be recognized at the awards celebration on February 29, 2024. 

The Finalists will be publically announced in early August. If you submitted an application, you will be notified of your application status via email. The top 50 Honorees will be announced in late September. All Finalists will be notified of their final status via email. If you have any questions throughout the application process, please reach out to Hannah Metevia at [email protected]

Questions? Reach out to Hannah Metevia at [email protected].