A Bay Area nonprofit for women entrepreneurs is seeking nominations from Dublin and Pleasanton. Women’s Initiative for Self Employment, one of the largest microenterprise training and funding organizations in the country, recently announced that nominations are open in its annual Woman Entrepreneur of the Year Awards. To be considered for the award, the individual must identify as a woman and be the founder or owner of a successful business.

The winning businesses throughout the Bay Area will be recognized at Women’s Initiative events throughout the Bay Area and featured in the Women’s Initiative eNewsletter, website, press releases, and other materials. Women’s Initiative for Self-Employment seeks to recognize female entrepreneurs throughout the Bay Area who:

• Have successfully overcome the barriers that exist for women business owners;
• Exemplify how business ownership and leadership is beneficial for women;
• Have had a positive impact on the local community or the community at large; and
• Have advanced their field through innovation.

“Women entrepreneurs are one of the strongest economic forces in this country,” said Julie Castro Abrams, CEO of Women’s Initiative. “We want to create a movement that promotes women’s entrepreneurship and makes people aware of the incredible contributions women business leaders make not only to their local communities but also to economic recovery.”

Nominations are being accepted online at www.womensinitiative.org through May 31. Committees in regions throughout the Bay Area will review the nomination and entry forms. One winner will be selected from each region. Winners will be announced in early August. The Committee for the Dublin and Pleasanton area includes Linda Maurer, Dublin’s Assistant to the City Manager for Economic Development and Pamela Ott, Pleasanton’s Economic Development Director.

For more information about the Woman Entrepreneur of the Year Award, please go to www.WomensInitiative.org.