How to Find Minority Businesses in the United States

It can be difficult to determine what businesses are minority owned without searching a database.

A great way to boost your local economy is to use small businesses within your area for your supplies and subcontracting needs. Why not take that one step further and look for minority-owned businesses to support a diverse business industry? However, it can be difficult to determine what businesses are minority-owned without more information. That's why federal and state governments established registration standards and databases for minority businesses in an effort to help these businesses succeed and help consumers to find them.

Things You'll Need

• Internet access

Instructions

Find a Local Minority-Owned Business

1. Search your state for a Minority Owned Business Enterprise (MBE) Program. The purpose of these programs is to boost the participation of businesses owned by minorities in public contracting and procurement opportunities. Most MBE programs have searchable databases online, such as Ohio's Department of Administrative Services (see the Resources link below).

2. Access the database of minority-owned businesses participating in the SBA 8(a) BD Program (Small Business Administration 8(a) Business Development Program). According to the SBA 8(a) BD Standard Operating Procedure Manual, the program "provides a logical, systematic approach to federal market access and enterprise growth to businesses owned and controlled by socially and economically disadvantaged individuals." The resources link below will take you to the database provided by Business Research Services.

3. Hire a contracting firm by searching your state's Disadvantaged Business Enterprise (DBE) Database. The DBE Database is a federal requirement of any state that receives federal funding for highway projects. In turn, the state must keep an accessible database of businesses owned by minorities in order to help them grow. California is one of many states with a DBE Database (see the Resources link below).

References

• Small Business Administration 8(a) Business Development Program: Standard Operating Procedure Manual; Chapter 1, Section 1b, page 20
• Ethnic Majority: Finding Minority Owned Businesses

Resources

• Ohio's MBE qualified service provider database.
• SBA 8(a) database of minority-owned businesses.
• California's DBE Database.