2023 Ingredients for Success: The Famous Amos Entrepreneurs Initiative - OFFICIAL TERMS AND APPLICATION FORM

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 May 17, 2023
(3) and headquartered within the fiftyUnited States (excluding Puerto Rico, the U.S. Virgin Islands, and otherCommonwealths, Territories, and Possessions)
(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.

Sweepstakes begins at 12:00a.m. EST on May 18, 2023 and ends at 11:59 p.m. EST on June 25, 2023. For complete details, including entry requirements and prizing details/restrictions, see Official Rules available at https://famousamos.nationalbcc.org/. Sponsor:Ferrero U.S.A., Inc., Parsippany, NJ 07054            

‍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 ProgramApplication ("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 grant if Applicant is adjudged a winner of such grant.  Such designation may be changed only with the prior written consent of each individual Applicant named in theApplication.  (Should the business enterprise become insolvent, have change in ownership, or go into receivership prior to the awarding of the grant, Applicant becomes ineligible and said grant will be forfeited by theApplicant.) 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 2023 Ingredients for Success:The Famous Amos Entrepreneurs Initiative ("Initiative")provides eligible Applicants with an opportunity to apply for three (3) $50,000business grants (“Business Grant”) and provides winners with mentorship from the National BlackChamber of Commerce’s (NBCC) database of resource providers and entrepreneurs, NBCCPresident’s Club Membership (ARV: $10,000 annually), and an American DreamMarketplace Champion Membership (ARV: $2500 annually) through December 31, 2024. 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 one (1) signature NBCC signature program (to be determined at a later date by NBCC), two (2) mentoring workshops, to be held within twelve (12) months post winners’ announcement, and NBCC President’s Club Membership(normally valued at $10,000 annually), through December 31, 2024. No substitution, cash redemption or transfer of prize permitted by the 10 finalists.

3.         ELIGIBILITY. TheInitiative 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 May17, 2023, and headquartered within the fifty United States (excludingPuerto Rico, the U.S. Virgin Islands, and other Commonwealths, Territories, andPossessions). 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 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 whereApplicant 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 OfficialRules ("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 theApplication, may not submit or be a participant in more than one Application. No substitution, cash redemption or transfer of prize permitted by the 10finalists. 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 2023Ingredients for Success: The Famous Amos Entrepreneurs Initiative contestbegins at 12:00 a.m. EST on May17, 2023, and ends at 11:59 p.m. EST on June25, 2023. Applicant will submit acompleted Application online, following specific criteria. An Application shallcontain the following duly executed items that comply with the Rules: a) one orall names of the business owner, b) the business name, c) the legalbusiness postal address, d) the officialbusiness email, e) the tax IDnumber for the business,  f) a business overview (no more than 250 wordsmax),  link(s) to the business website and socialchannels, and h) an uploaded, :90to :120 elevator pitch video. i.) On or after June 26, 2023, ten (10) finalistswill be selected and required to share their :90 to :120 elevator pitch viatheir social media channels to garner engagement and votes. h) Additionally, the ten (10) finalists will needto submit a minimum 500-word essay describing their company’s greatest need(s)and a plan detailing how the grant will fill the need(s).  TheApplication shall be submitted electronically via https://famousamos.nationalbcc.org/ no later than 11:59 p.m. EST on Sunday, June 25, 2023. Applications may not be sent by email, mail orfacsimile.  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 agreeto a background check. Winners’ selection is subject to passing backgroundcheck.  

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 grant 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 anyway reflects negatively upon Sponsor, Sponsor’s products, the Sweepstakes, or any other person or entity and does not comply with these requirements or theseOfficial Rules.

 7.         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 ApplicationForm 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. https://famousamos.nationalbcc.org/.   

8.         PRIZE RESTRICTIONS: Up to and no more than three (3) winners will be selected to receive three(3) Business Grants 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 BusinessGrant 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 December 1, 2023. Such Business Grants 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.  

9.         LIMITATION OF LIABILITY: The Program Entities shall have no liability toApplicant 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 Grant, 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 Grants 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.  

10.       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 grants toSponsor and its community-based co-sponsor organization the right, but not the obligation, to use Applicant’s name, voice, likeness, information about the ApplicationForm, 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.

 11.       A list of Program winners will be posted to  https://famousamos.nationalbcc.org/ by December 1, 2023, after such winners if any have been chosen. General information regarding the Program also may be obtained by visiting  https://famousamos.nationalbcc.org/. 

12.       Applicant may request a copy of these Rules and the Application materials and may request information about the Program no later than June 26, 2023. Application and Rules are available at  https://famousamos.nationalbcc.org/.  

13.       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, NATIONAL BLACK CHAMBER OF COMMERCE, FLOWERS COMMUNICATIONS GROUP, ORANY OF THE PROGRAM ENTITIES IN CONNECTION WITH THE PROGRAM SHALL BE GOVERNED BYAND CONSTRUED IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE INTERNAL LAWS OF THE STATE OF WISCONSIN 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 MILWAUKEE COUNTY, WISCONSIN 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 15. Sponsor:Ferrero U.S.A, Inc.

16. This Program is void where prohibited by law.
©2023 Famous Amos.