Business Plan Submissions Will be Accepted until March 11

( BLACK PR WIRE)DEARBORN, Mich., March 3 /PRNewswire/ --

WHAT: Continuing its long-standing tradition of promoting education
and the entrepreneurial spirit, Ford announced today the
extension of the its 2009 HBCU Business Classic. The annual
business plan competition is open to students who attend
Historically Black Colleges and Universities and offers
$100,000 in scholarship prizes. The new deadline for student
submissions is Wednesday, March 11, 2009.

To enter the competition, students, individuals or teams of two
to five, along with a faculty advisor, must submit a 10-page
business plan via the Ford HBCU Business Classic Website at
www.fordhbcu.com. The plans must include several key elements,
including type of business; product or service; pricing
considerations; target market and competition and general
operations.

On April 17, 2009, five finalists will be flown to Atlanta to
present their plans to the Ford team and celebrity judges. The
team who wins the Grand Prize will receive $35,000 in personal
scholarship funds and $15,000 for their HBCU, courtesy of Ford.
The first runner-up team will receive $20,000 in scholarship
funds and $10,000 for their school; the second-place team will
receive $15,000 in scholarship funds and $5,000 for their school.

WHO: Undergraduate and graduate students currently enrolled full
or part time at a Historically Black College and University
(HBCU) may apply. Students can visit www.fordhbcu.com to submit
their plans or for additional contest information.

WHEN:Ford 2009 HBCU Business Classic Submission Deadline
March 11, 2009
www.fordhbcu.com


Commitment to Education
For more than 40 years, Ford Motor Company has been a major supporter of the hopes and dreams of HBCU students. In the last six years alone, Ford has donated over $10 million to Historically Black Colleges and Universities.