There are just two weeks left to enter the NZI Rural Women NZ Business Awards 2024 before entries close on July 26.

“Our Business Awards recognise entrepreneurial excellence in rural communities and provide a fantastic opportunity for women who own and operate rural enterprises to showcase their achievements and hard work,” says Rural Women New Zealand National President Gill Naylor.

“With just two weeks left we want to ensure as many creative and innovative rural women take the opportunity to enter as possible."

Gill says creating and running your own business or enterprise is always hard and can be even harder in a rural setting "so these awards are a great chance for them to celebrate and engage with other like-minded entrepreneurs".

“With such a wide variety of initiatives owned and operated by rural women across Aotearoa New Zealand, we have reviewed and updated this year’s Award categories to better reflect this increased diversity,” says Gill.

The NZI Rural Women NZ Business Awards 2024 include the following categories:

• Emerging business: Awarded to a business or enterprise starting out in its journey and achieving exceptional results. Open to businesses/enterprises that have been running from 2-5 years.

• Love of the Land: Harnessing the potential of New Zealand’s land, environment or products of the land, to create a successful enterprise.

• Creative at Heart: Businesses that create and showcase original art, products or goods made using rural materials creative or in rural environments.

• Innovation: An enterprise that challenges the status quo to bring something new and innovative to the market or utilising rural resources in an innovative way.

• Rural Champion: A person, business or rural enterprise that champions the rural sector or provides a service to a rural community; an outstanding contributor who consistently goes above and beyond the norm in their support for the rural sector.

• Rural Health and Wellness Excellence: Recognising an enterprise that makes an outstanding contribution to supporting the health and wellness of our rural communities in New Zealand.

• Experience Rural: Enterprises inspired by Aotearoa’s diverse, natural resources to deliver unique experiences and showcase rural hospitality.

A Supreme Award winner who demonstrates excellence and outstanding achievement across all judging criteria will also be chosen from the category finalists.

All Award winners receive $1,000 in prize money and a trophy presented in front of their peers at the NZI Rural Women NZ Business Awards Ceremony in Wellington in November.

They also receive a free one-year membership to Rural Women New Zealand. The NZI Rural Women NZ Business Awards Supreme Winner receives a further $1,000 in prize money.

“Once again, we are really pleased to have NZI as a partner for these Awards,” says Gill.

“Like Rural Women New Zealand, they are passionate about supporting and highlighting the vital role of women in our rural communities.”

Entries for the NZI Rural Women NZ Business Awards 2024 close at 5pm on Friday, July 26. For more information on the Awards and an entry form, please visit www.ruralwomennz.nz/businessawards.

Rural Women New Zealand (RWNZ) is a nationwide charitable membership organisation with a proud history over nearly 100 years of empowering and supporting women to be at the heart of rural communities.

With regional branches across the country providing connection and support, we are recognised as a leader across the rural sector and provide a trusted voice on issues affecting rural communities. You can learn more about RWNZ on our website at www.ruralwomennz.nz/