Got a Plan for Growth? Win a $25,000 Boost from Entrepreneur Media and Canon The first-ever Project Grow Challenge will celebrate small businesses in need of a strategic boost.

By Carly Okyle

Opinions expressed by Entrepreneur contributors are their own.

If your company is on the brink of something big, a new contest presented by Entrepreneur Media and Canon can help.

Small businesses with a special plan for growth can submit a short essay for a chance to win a $25,000 grand prize in the Project Grow Challenge. Eligible companies will have 12 employees or fewer, be based in the U.S., and explain how the funds will help them expand while keeping costs down.

A panel of judges will choose 10 semi-finalists by October 2. Those semi-finalists will then film a short, creative video that describes their businesses and their future plans. In the final round, three finalists will be selected and recognized at Entrepreneur's Growth Conference in Long Beach, Calif. on December 15, 2015. Three cash awards will be distributed: $10,000 to the second runner-up, $15,000 to a first runner-up and $25,000 to the grand prize winner.

Essay submissions are being accepted now until September 15. Good luck, readers!

Carly Okyle

Assistant Editor, Contributed Content

Carly Okyle is an assistant editor for contributed content at Entrepreneur.com.

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