Home

Overview

As Ohio’s lead facilitator of minority business growth, the Minority Business Enterprise Division assists in the creation, growth, and development of minority business enterprises throughout the state. A key priority of the Division is to increase the level of services statewide that support socially and economically disadvantaged businesses and emerging entrepreneurs in the urban core. 

The Division offers loan and bond programs that can provide access to capital and bonding for firms that may not qualify for traditional lending or bonding. Management, technical, and procurement assistance services are provided at no cost to small and minority owned businesses at any of the seven Minority Business Assistance Centers (MBAC) around the state. There are seven regional Procurement Technical Assistance Centers (PTAC) that assist small and minority owned businesses with identifying federal, state and local contracting and subcontracting opportunities.

The Minority Business Enterprise Division continues to develop new initiatives targeting urban entrepreneurship to provide business assistance to minority-owned businesses. The Jumpstart Launch 100 initiative was recently launched to provide intensive business assistance and access to growth capital to selected minority owned firms with high growth potential. Selected companies receive specialized technical assistance from seasoned advisors with specific experience in growing large scale firms.

The Division has also assembled the Minority Business Advisory Council to create new policies and programming ideas to improve Ohio's business climate for minority business growth. Additionally, the Division established two regional Minority Business Development Organizations which facilitate training, strategic management, networking, and mentoring opportunities with major corporations to ensure minority owned businesses in Ohio have access to the assistance needed to become productive and profitable.

The services provided by the Minority Business Enterprise Division are creating wealth and expanding economic opportunities for Ohio’s minority business community.