Minority Business Enterprise Educational Workshop

The Proprietor’s Lodge

Are you a Black entrepreneur? Are you a Black business owner? You may identify as Black, and you may also own a business, but that does not mean that you are certified as a Black Minority-owned business.

On Friday, July 21, 2023, the Berkshire Black Economic Council (BBEC) is partnering with MassHire and the Supplier Diversity Office of Massachusetts to host a Minority Business Enterprise (MBE) Educational Workshop at the Proprietor’s Lodge in Pittsfield, MA. This workshop will bring together experts and business leaders who can support Black entrepreneurs’ MBE certification process! This event is FREE. Minority business owners are encouraged to attend. Registration is required.

From 3:00 – 6:00 pm EST, we will kick things off with a brief seminar and panel discussions with MBE-certified businesses throughout the Commonwealth who can speak to the advantages they’ve experienced as a result of their certification. Some of those benefits include an increase in federal contracts, federal and state tax incentives, and expanded access to funding opportunities. From there, we will have breakout groups to explore the specific requirements for obtaining your MBE, and there will be opportunities for you to explore additional resources designed to support your business’s growth and development.

You won’t want to miss this opportunity! Black entrepreneurs interested in the benefits of this certification, PLEASE REGISTER here or email Erica Barreto at assistant@berkshirebec.org with questions about this event.

A Minority business enterprise (MBE) is an American designation for businesses which are at least 51% owned, operated and controlled on a daily basis by one or more (in combination) American citizens including African American, Hispanice and Latino American, Asian Pacific American, and Native American businesses and/or gender (e.g. woman-owned) and/or military veteran classifications.

An MBE certification allows you to benefit from the many public and private programs designed to help minority-owned businesses, like minority-owned business grants. Here are some of the biggest advantages to getting certified as an MBE:

• Federal contracts: Many federal agencies are required to give a certain number of contracts to certified minority-owned businesses. So this certification could lead to new opportunities you wouldn’t have found otherwise.
• Federal tax incentives: The government provides federal tax incentives to businesses that choose to work with minority and women-owned businesses.
• State tax incentives: Some states, like CA and Georgia, offer state tax incentives to companies that use minority-owned businesses. For instance, California provides state income tax credits to companies that use minority subcontractors.
• Access to funding: Across the country, various programs are available to help minority-owned businesses receive access to funding. These programs may provide grants, loans, and business mentorship.