Different Communities, One Goal: Equal Access to Economic Opportunity

June 6, 2007 - New York City has numerous small business organizations that work hard to promote the growth of their members.

In 2004, SBS convened a new Minority and Women-owned Business Enterprise Advisory Board, bringing together several of these groups to work for a common cause. This volunteer board, made up of twenty-five leaders from the Black, Hispanic, Asian, and Women-owned business communities, has assisted SBS in the implementation of a new program that sets purchasing goals from certified minority and women-owned business enterprises (M/WBEs) for City agencies.

Board members include executive directors of nonprofit business organizations, such as the Asian American Business Development Center and the Caribbean-American Chamber of Commerce and Industry. Some board members are successful business owners in their own right, who overcame many of the same challenges today's emerging M/WBEs face. Still others are senior executives at large corporations that demonstrate a strong commitment to the growth of New York City M/WBEs we serve. Through the work of the M/WBE advisory board, members have shared their experiences to help design a program that best addresses small businesses' most common needs.

Strategies and priorities the M/WBE Advisory Board helps to define include outreach plans, getting more eligible firms certified as M/WBEs, and ensuring greater accountability in tracking City purchasing. The board even initiated what has now become an annual September tradition: an awards event entitled "Celebrating Successful M/WBEs." Successful minority and female vendors – along with the City agencies and community groups that support them – are recognized.

In addition to meeting quarterly, the board is divided into three committees that work on specific topics related to the City's M/WBE program. These include certification, procurement policy, and construction capacity building. Clearly, the board has made great contributions to the success of the new M/WBE program. Compared with this time last year, there has been a 95% increase in web visitors, a 48% increase in new certification applications, and a 132% increase in City contracts won by certified M/WBEs who have taken advantage of program services.

With an eye toward entering a second phase of program development, SBS recently added six new members to the board. The collective commitment of this dedicated group proves the power of such government-community partnerships to benefit small minority- and women-owned businesses.

Click here for a complete list of members and their professional bios.