About MBDA
The Minority Business Development Agency’s (MBDA) mission is to promote the growth and global competitiveness of Minority Business Enterprises (MBE) in order to unlock the country’s full economic potential.
Success Stories
MBDA’s network of 131 grant programs drive success nationwide by:
Empowering 9.7 million minority business enterprises.
Providing services in 50 states, Puerto Rico, and the District of Columbia
Broadening access to capital, contracts, and markets.
From Vision to Victory: Experiences Enhanced by MBDA's Programs
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The Minority Business Development Agency (MBDA) Aids in the Advancement of Women in Construction
Indeed Construction Clean-up, PasadenaWomen represent a small percentage of the construction industry, making up around 10.9 percent of the construction workforce in 2020, according to the United States (U.S.) Bureau of Labor Statistics. Traditionally seen as a male dominated field, women and nonbinary individuals in construction face... -
Bridging the Delmar Divide
Kingsway Development, St. LouisThe region in St. Louis, MO called the Delmar Divide refers to an area north of Delmar Boulevard, a physical and psychological dividing line which reveals distinct socioeconomic, cultural, and public policy differences between the haves and the have-nots in the region. Over several decades, polici... -
Taking the leap into entrepreneurism - Silver Spoons
MBDA Business Center, ChicagoTamara Turner, a single mother and businesswoman, went from working 3 jobs and going to school full-time to support her dreams, to owning a multi-million-dollar dessert and food service business. In 2017, after grinding through school, multiple jobs, she knew the time was right to take the entrep... -
Entrepreneurship Education for Formerly Incarcerated Persons
Entrepreneurship Education Formerly Incarcerated Persons, Los AngelesRoyal Men Solutions Carl Williams founded Royal Men Solutions in August 2020. His passion for carpentry and wood making runs deep through his DNA. He is a third-generation carpenter and has been building cabinets with his father since he was a child. Carl knew he wanted to start a business. He... -
OurPlace Residential Services
MBDA Business Center, MinnesotaOurPlace Residential Services Over the course of their careers as inpatient nurses in Minneapolis, Murwo Elmi, Ikraan Abdulle, Farhia Abdulahi, and Faiso Abdulle have seen a bit of everything. After 10 years, however, the group shared a similar realization: once their patients were released bac... -
Noah’s Ark, Imari Mackey
Entrepreneurship Education for Formerly Incarcerated Persons, South CarolinaNoah’s Ark, Imari Mackey Thanks to FLEE, Imari is changing the world one house at a time. During his time serving in federal prison, Imari heard about the Dannon Project’s Financial Literacy, Entrepreneurship & Education (FLEE) Program. FLEE is funded by MBDA’s Entrepreneurship Education fo... -
Calaway Foods
MBDA Business Center, SacramentoCalaway Foods Jack Huang took a leap when he left his career as a banker to start Calway Foods, growing and selling pecans, almonds, walnuts, and pistachios. Jack didn’t know much about pecans, but he knew the opportunity was there. Thanks to Jack’s hard work and the Sacramento MBDA Business C... -
Buck Roofing, LLC
Enterprising Women Color, HawaiiBuck Roofing, LLC Buck Roofing has been a mainstay roofing company in Hawaii for decades, founded by Buck Schipa in 1976. After graduating from school in the late-2000's, Hina Schipa took over her father’s business. Thanks to her work in construction management and contracting, she had the exp... -
All Gateway Network Business (AGNB)
MBDA Business Center, VirginiaAll Gateway Network Business (AGNB) The Virginia MBDA Business Center provided us business management experience in government contracting and small/minority business development. We got turned down, we failed, had setbacks, had to start over many times, but we kept going at it. In anybody’s... -
Evalv IQ
MBDA Business Center, LouisianaEvalv IQ Theresa Jones, owner and principal of Evalv IQ, a boutique professional services firm, knows how to seize an opportunity. In the early days of the COVID-19 pandemic, she saw a growing need for protection in the IT sector and knew Evalv IQ could fill a critical role in the industry. Wh... -
Indigenous Design Studio + Architecture
Four Winds Diversified Project,Indigenous Design Studio + Architecture Tamara Begay, CEO and President of Indigenous Design Studio and Architecture (IDS+A) is breaking new ground in the architecture industry. With only 17% of registered architects being women and 0% being Native American, IDS+A continues to thrive and is the... -
Celebrating The Work of MBDA Business Centers We are so excited about the opportunities we have created to help the nation’s MBEs, that we wanted to close this year by highlighting the great work of a few of our Business Centers and Programs. With that in mind, below are snapshots of our work in Ar...