Certify Your Minority-Owned Business With Enhanced Digital Certification
Certify your MBE, no matter the size, in less than 72 hours with SupplierGateway’s Enhanced Digital Certification™.
Accepted by the World’s Biggest Companies
Certify Your Minority-Owned Business Fast
According to the 2022 Annual Business Survey, the US has approximately 1.2 million minority-owned businesses that were responsible for employing at least 5 million people. While minority-owned business growth increases year over year, there is still disparity in regards to access to capital and new business deals, not to mention that less than 1% of minority-owned firms are actually certified as MBEs.
Getting certified opens up new opportunities for minority-owned businesses, but traditional certifications are high-barrier considering the cost and time needed to get certified.
SupplierGateway’s Enhanced Digital Certification™ makes it easy to get certified by being the most affordable and inclusive diversity certification on the market. We certify small, woman-owned, minority-owned, veteran-owned, disability-owned, LGBT+-owned, and HUBZone businesses. Our all-in-one certification unlocks opportunities with organizations looking to do more business with minority-owned firms.
Our Entirely Online Application Process Makes MBE Certification Quick and Easy
Our digital application process with no site visits means applications take as little as 15 minutes to complete, and your woman-owned business is certified within 48 hours. Get the minority-owned business certification preferred by government agencies and the world’s leading organizations like Microsoft, Target, Amazon, Nike, Home Depot, Vizient, and more.
Start by registering your business in our portal.
Answer questions about your business. Having tax information and specific business documents handy makes this part easier.
Upload your ID and complete a biometric scan. We only use this information to confirm your ID, and do not use this information for any other purpose.
We check to make sure the information you give us is accurate.
Once checks and screenings are successfully passed, your certificate is issued in less than 72 hours.
Enhanced Digital Certification™
Looking for help? Here are our most frequently asked questions
A MBE is a company-level diversity certification that can be issued by a third-party certifying organization or federal, state, or local governments. The application requirements will vary depending on the certificate issuer.
Becoming certified as a minority-owned business also places the organization in a searchable database maintained by the issuing organization, potentially increasing the MBE’s exposure to new buyers.
To be eligible for certification as an MBE, an organization must be at least 51% owned and controlled by a U.S. citizen. Depending on who is issuing the certificate, additional requirements may apply.
Third-party organizations like SupplierGateway and NMSDC usually issue certifications. Companies wishing to be certified must complete an application, pay a fee, and provide supporting documentation showing that a minority controls the business.
A supplier diversity certification is an attestation ofthe diverse status of the owners and operators of your business. A diverse supplier is a business of any size that is owned and operated by an individual or group of people that is part of a traditionally underrepresented or underserved group, and a supplier diversity certification is a statement made by a third-party about the diverse ownership of your business.
Most corporate supplier diversity initiatives require a third-party supplier diversity certification in order to count any spending or activities done with a diverse business
The main benefits of having an MBE/minority-owned business certification are being eligible for government funding/grants, gaining access to government contracts, and participating in corporate inclusive procurement initiatives.
Most corporate supplier diversity initiatives require a third-party supplier diversity certification to count any spending or activities done with a diverse business. Being certified as a MBE allows you to be counted, making you a more attractive company to do business with.
Any bonafide US Citizen- or Resident-Owned Business that is 51% owned, managed, and controlled by one or more of the included diversity categories (minority, woman, veteran, disability, LGBT) is eligible to get certified. Any business that meets the US Government’s threshold of Small Business is also eligible for certification, regardless of diverse ownership.
Non-US EDC Certification categories will be added in the near future, but EDC is also currently available in Nigeria, Kenya, Canada, and the UK. Qualifications vary depending on country, and this will be updated to reflect those qualifications in the near future.
For a Sole Proprietorship, any one of the following documents is required as applies to your organization:
- Schedule C of owner’s tax return (most recent)
- Fictitious Business Name Statement (if a DBA is being used)
IRS Form SS4 (if in business less than a year) - IRS LTR 147C – EIN Verification Letter (if in business less than a year)
- Active business license showing the owner’s name or DBA
For a Limited Liability Company (LLC), any one of the following documents is required as applies to your organization:
- Articles of Organization/Certificate of Formation
- Operating Agreement (fully executed)
- Certificate of Filing (actual form, not the certificate page)
- Initial Resolutions (fully executed)
- Statement of Information
- IRS SS4 (Sole Member only)
- Diversity Certification from NMSDC, WBENC, NGLCC, USBLN, NaVOBA or NVBDC
For an S-Corporation, any one of the following documents is required as applies to your organization:
- Articles of Incorporation with the stock information included
- Form 1120 of corporation tax returns (most recent)
- Active diversity certification from NMSDC, WBENC, NGLCC, USBLN, NaVOBA or NVBDC
For a C-Corporation, any one of the following documents is required as applies to your organization:
- Stock Ownership documents
- Liquor License applications
- Financial contributions statement
- Contract agreements (small businesses without share certificates)
- Active diversity certification from NMSDC, WBENC, NGLCC, USBLN, NaVOBA or NVBDC