Women and Minority Programs

The federal government offers many programs that help to support minority, female and Native American entrepreneurs.

SBA Minority Enterprise Development and 8(a) Programs
The Minority Enterprise Development Program (MED) and the awards of 8(a) contracts remain the Federal Government's primary tools for providing opportunities for small disadvantaged businesses (businesses owned by individuals who are socially and economically disadvantaged) to enter the nation's economic mainstream.

SBA Office of Small and Disadvantaged Business Utilization Directory
Each federal agency has an office in charge of administering all programs that benefit minority-owned businesses. The SBA offers a list of addresses, telephone numbers, e-mail addresses, and web pages for these agencies, along with similar information for other procurement agencies, bureaus, organizations, and other liaison offices.

Department of Defense Indian Subcontracting Incentive Program
The Department of Defense offers a five percent bonus to both prime and also general contractors who contract with eligible Indian owned businesses. The National Center for American Indian Enterprise Development is committed to Business Development for Indian People. They are a non-profit organization, founded and directed by American Indians. The National Center is the first national organization solely dedicated to developing American Indian economic self-sufficiency through business ownership.

The New Mexico Women's Economic Self-Sufficiency Team
WESST Corp, the Women's Economic Self-Sufficiency Team, is a non-profit organization headquartered in Albuquerque, New Mexico. Its mission is to facilitate the start-up and growth of women and minority-owned businesses throughout the state of New Mexico.

Minority Enterprise Small Business Investment Companies (MESBIC)
MESBICs are privately owned and managed investment firms, chartered by the Small Business Administration, that provide debt and equity capital to new, small independent businesses. Criteria for investment and size and type of investment vary from one firm to another.

SBA Online Women's Business Center
The SBA Women's Business Center promotes the growth of women-owned businesses through programs that address business training and technical assistance, and provide access to credit and capital, federal contracts, and international trade opportunities.

NativeEdge
NativeEdge is a White House Interagency initiative developed to achieve sustainable economic development within the American Indian and Alaska Native communities. It links over twelve federal agencies through a single toll-free number and web site so that entrepreneurs, Native Americans, lending institutions, non-profits, foundations and private businesses can collaborate to promote economic growth in Indian Country.

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