Minority Business Assistance Center

The Minority Business Assistance Center and Division works with entrepreneurs, and emerging business enterprises to help them achieve, scale, and market success. The overarching goal is to help small, minority-owned, and disadvantaged businesses contribute to job creation and economic growth in Ohio.

The center provides important services including technical assistance, professional consulting, access to capital and assistance obtaining contract opportunities. A primary objective of the program is to identify emerging businesses and cultivate their growth and sustainability. The realization of this objective will strengthen the minority business community, support job creation and further economic growth in Ohio.

Professional MBAC staff work with owners of existing businesses, certified Minority Business Enterprises (MBE's), certified Encouraging Diversity Growth and Equity (EDGE) and socially and economically disadvantaged businesses. MBE's are defined as businesses that are at least 51% or more owned and controlled by one of the following groups: African American, Hispanic, Native American or Asian American. EDGE certified businesses are defined as enterprises that are owned by economically and socially disadvantaged entrepreneurs. The MBAC's provide MBE and EDGE entrepreneurs with management, technical, financial and contract procurement assistance in addition to loan and bond packaging services. These services are available with no cost to businesses located throughout Ohio.