State Minority- and Women- Owned Business Enterprise Program

The Minority- and Women- Owned Business Enterprise Program (MWBE) is for businesses owned by women and/or minorities in New York State. Any business that is owned, operated, and controlled primarily by women or minority group members is eligible.

The program prioritizes these businesses for procurement for state government.

A Minority Business Enterprise (MBE) is identified as being at least 51% owned by people who are:

• black persons having origin in any of the black African racial groups;
• Hispanic persons of Mexican, Dominican, Puerto Rican, Cuban, Central or South American descent of indigenous or Hispanic origin, regardless of race;
• Asian and Pacific Islander person having origin in any of the Far East countries, Southeast Asia, the Indian subcontinent or the Pacific Islands; or
• Native American or Alaskan Native persons having origin in the original peoples of North America.

A Women-Owned Business Enterprise (WBE) is a business in which at least 51% is owned by who are women.

Business owners must be citizens or permanent residents to be eligible.