Ford Motor Company Offers $100,000 in 'Best Business Plan' Competition Co-Sponsored by DiversityInc and SCORE

NEW BRUNSWICK, N.J., Dec. 4, 2003 -- The history of Ford Motor Company is a story of the American dream. Armed with big ideas and a bankroll of just $28,000, Henry Ford set out to make the automobile accessible to everyone, giving birth to one of the world's largest companies.

In that spirit, DiversityInc, publisher of DiversityInc magazine and DiversityInc.com is partnering with Ford to sponsor the "BEST Business Plan" contest in association with SCORE, [Senior Corps of Retired Executives], a resource partner with the U.S. Small Business Administration. The contest asks individuals with the drive to become entrepreneurs, to submit a business plan to be judged by SCORE counselors for a grand prize of $50,000 and two runner-up prizes of $25,000 to start up the business of their dreams.

   * To enter, applicants must submit a business plan comprised of five main
     elements, including type of business, product or service, pricing
     considerations, target market and competition, and general operations.
     An advisory panel of SCORE counselors will review the plans based on
     the following judging criteria: overall presentation of the business
     plan, the viability of a success, funding requirements, anticipated
     sales, analysis of competition and overall benefit to the community.

   * For more information, log onto www.ford.com/go/best.

In addition to the cash award, winners will be assigned a SCORE counselor to assist in business plan development, startup and operation. The www.ford.com/go/best website is also a valuable resource to upstart business planners by providing links to the best small business websites on the Internet. Finally, Ford is also providing to all competitors a free online and print subscription to DiversityInc.com.

DiversityInc publishes a bimonthly print magazine with a 100,000 paid circulation, a daily online publication with more than 230,000 registered users and has been online since 1998. DiversityInc's mission is to provide education and clarity on the business benefits of diversity by positioning diversity as a strategic business opportunity. DiversityInc is published by a privately owned company with no outside investors. For more information, visit www.diversityinc.com.