Press Releases

Training and education will increase minority entrepreneurs’ access to contracts and capital

Washington, D.C. (July 31, 2010) The Minority Business Development Agency (MBDA) and the National Urban League have joined forces to expand opportunities for minority entrepreneurs. MBDA and NUL will pool their collective resources to support the growth of minority-owned firms located in Atlanta, Chicago, Cleveland, Cincinnati, Jacksonville, Kansas City, Los Angeles, New Orleans and Philadelphia.

“MBDA looks forward to working with the National Urban League to increase our reach to minority entrepreneurs and help them grow to size and capacity,” said MBDA National Director David A. Hinson. “Our 46 centers around the nation are working diligently to provide avenues for minority businesses to grow and compete. The League’s Entrepreneurship Center Program will help us reach minority-owned firms in areas where we currently don’t have a presence and service more minority entrepreneurs in communities where we do.”

Wednesday, May 12, 2010:  MBDA and Asian Chamber of Commerce of Louisiana Host Town Hall for Minority-Owned Businesses Affected by Deep Water Horizon Incident

WHAT:  
The Minority Business Development Agency (MBDA) and the Asian Chamber of Commerce of Louisiana will host a town hall meeting with Vietnamese community-based organizations and local business development organizations, the Small Business Administration Disaster Relief Team, and others to share information with fishermen, shrimpers and crew members, and to discuss their rights and privileges as minority business owners in the aftermath of the DeepWater Horizon incident.                

Washington (February 2, 2010) - President Barack Obama’s fiscal year (FY) 2011 budget submitted today to Congress for the U.S. Commerce Department’s Minority Business Development Agency (MBDA) includes $32.3 million for MBDA to promote the growth and global competitiveness of minority-owned businesses across the nation. President Obama’s 2011 Budget request compares to $31.5 million in MBDA’s 2010 budget.

Having steered the economy back from the brink of a depression, the administration is committed to moving the nation from recession to recovery by sparking job creation to get millions of Americans back to work and building a new foundation for the long-term prosperity for all American families. To do this, MBDA’s 2011 budget makes critical investments in key areas that will help create jobs and strengthen the conditions for economic growth by promoting exports, clean energy and green industries. Minority-owned firms play a significant role creating job opportunities for all Americans and are twice as likely to generate sales through exports compared to non-minority firms.

Seven Local Centers Receive Funds

Washington, D.C. (October 6, 2009) – The U.S. Commerce Department’s Minority Business Development Agency (MBDA) today allocated a total of $900,000 to seven minority business centers across the country to increase minority business access to American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA) contracting opportunities.

“Minority-owned firms play a significant role in the nation’s economic growth,” MBDA National Director David Hinson said. “President Obama and the entire Administration are committed to ensuring that minority businesses receive their fair share of contracts in rebuilding our economy. This effort is designed to put them into a position to do just that.”