ALBANY — Interested New York business owners can now apply for any MWBE (minority and women-owned business enterprise) certification programs in New York using one website and one common application. 

Gov. Andrew Cuomo earlier this year directed Empire State Development’s Division of Minority and Women’s Business Development to establish a statewide integrated MWBE application portal.

The portal will also provide applicants with direct assistance from program staff in order to make the process of completing the application “as accessible as possible.” 

Cuomo also announced additional improvements to the MWBE certification process. 

They include extending MWBE certifications from three years to five years; expanding the Division of Minority and Women’s Business Development’s internal resources and working with external stakeholders to “streamline and reduce” the time associated with the application review process; and releasing updated information and guidance that explains the certification process and providing increased technical assistance to applicants as they navigate the certification process.

Recent history 

In 2011, the governor set a goal of utilizing MWBEs for 20 percent of state contracting. Two years later, that goal was surpassed — and in 2014, Cuomo raised the goal to 30 percent. The MWBE utilization reached 29 percent during fiscal year 2018-2019, “the highest recorded rate” in New York and the “highest MWBE utilization rate in the country,” per Cuomo’s 2020 State of the State report. 

That year, contracts worth about $3 billion were awarded to minority or women-owned businesses. 

During Cuomo’s tenure, more than $15.9 billion in state contracting dollars have been awarded to MWBEs and more than 7,900 MWBEs have been certified. Additionally, in July 2019, Cuomo signed legislation reauthorizing New York’s MWBE program, extending the program for an additional five years until 2024. 

A number of different entities within New York State currently operate MWBE programs. They include New York State, New York City, Erie County, the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey, the New York State 53 Chapter of Women’s Business Enterprise National Council, and the New York/New Jersey Minority Supplier Development Council. Each entity has its own individualized application and certification requirements. 

In order to be competitive for government contracts, many minority and women owned businesses “find it necessary” to seek multiple certifications, a process that is often “very time consuming” and involves submitting similar information to several different entities, the state contends. This process serves as a “barrier” for too many minority and women-owned businesses that are seeking to contract with government entities in New York state. 

“In order to tackle this problem,” Cuomo directed Empire State Development’s Division of Minority and Women’s Business Development to establish the statewide integrated MWBE application portal.  

The training is an activity that “we definitely look forward to resuming, particularly in light of the AEI funding” when UMEA is able to do so, says Me’Shae Rolling, UMEA’s interim executive director, who spoke with CNYBJ on April 3. 

Founded in 2017, the AEI is comprised of a group of 24 community leaders from the five counties of Central New York who represent the region’s diversity of government, business, and academia and work to address economic opportunities and challenges identified by the community. Onondaga County administers the initiative with funding from the state, including more than $16 million to support projects in Round 2.

On its website, UMEA is described as Central New York’s “first and only” minority chamber of commerce. UMEA says its mission is “harnessing the economic power of the minority community for the benefit of the Upstate and Central New York region.”

Staying safe, watchful

As the coronavirus pandemic continues, Rolling says she wants UMEA members to “stay safe and healthy” and to watch for any resources that can help when companies return to full operation.

“Let’s keep our eyes and ears peeled for all of the resources [that’ll be available],” she adds.

Rolling mentioned the U.S. Small Business Administration’s (SBA) Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) and the Economic Injury Disaster Loan Emergency Advance program as the “two biggest ones.” The PPP is a forgivable SBA-backed loan that helps small businesses keep their workforce employed during the coronavirus pandemic. The Economic Injury Disaster Loan Emergency Advance program will provide up to $10,000 of economic relief to businesses that are currently “experiencing temporary difficulties,” per the SBA website.

About UMEA

UMEA was first introduced at the 2015 annual meeting of CenterState CEO. A group of local business leaders felt the community had a need for a minority chamber of commerce to address the needs of the business owners and entrepreneurs of color in the region. 

UMEA is an organizational partner of CenterState CEO. Robert Simpson, president and CEO of CenterState CEO, is one of UMEA’s founders and sits on its board. UMEA has an office inside CenterState CEO, which provides a lot of support services for UMEA, according to Rolling. She describes the partnership as “supportive and collaborative.”

Calvin Corriders, regional president of Pathfinder Bank’s Syracuse market, serves as the UMEA board president. Besides her role as interim executive director of UMEA, Rolling is also the local franchise owner of EventPrep, Inc. 

”It was also not lost on them that minority businesses contribute significantly to the economy. They have tremendous buying power,” she says.

UMEA currently has about 100 dues-paying members and the figure is “growing,” according to Rolling. She also notes that UMEA’s reach and touches are “actually 700 strong,” referencing Facebook followers, EventBrite records, sign-in sheets from meetings, and attendance sheets from events. 

UMEA has members in the Binghamton area, along with stakeholders from Albany and Rochester. It recently had a meeting with Tony Gaddy, the president of NYS Black Chamber of Commerce to discuss the synergies between the two organizations.

“We are an inclusive organization and quite frankly, there are Caucasian businesses who are members of UMEA,” she adds.

Other activities

During 2019, UMEA held its community meetings at Syracuse University’s Nancy Cantor Warehouse on West Fayette Street. Prior to the COVID-19 pandemic shutdowns, UMEA was getting set to host the first of its strategic networking events to “provide value” to its members in the “places and spaces” of UMEA board members. The first had been scheduled for the end of March at the Syracuse Educational Opportunity Center (SUNY EOC). Tim Penix, vice president of SUNY EOC, also serves as a UMEA board member.

Earlier this year, UMEA used community-development block grant (CDBG) funding from the City of Syracuse to allow its members and those in the construction trade to participate in the construction company growth-accelerator program.

It was a six-week session that continued between Jan. 9 and Feb. 13, which Rolling described as a “key” program of the first quarter. 

The members participated free of charge in partnership with the Syracuse Builders Exchange. 

Rolling also noted that UMEA had subsequently secured the instructors to translate the entire series in Spanish in a day-long session on March 14 as the coronavirus situation was starting to impact a lot of elements of society. The graduation ceremony for both cohorts was to occur at the inaugural strategic networking event March 26, which was also postponed.