The mission of the Office of Minority Enterprise Development is to provide business development assistance to socially and economically disadvantaged business persons to ensure opportunity to participate more fully and successfully in the mainstream National economy.

The Minority Business Development Agency (MBDA) is the only Federal agency specifically created to encourage the growth of minority owned businesses in the U.S. MBDA increases opportunities for racial and ethnic minorities to participate in the free enterprise system through the formation and development of competitive minority-owned and managed firms. The agency=s mission is to:

• Coordinate Federal Government plans, programs, and operations which affect minority business enterprise.
• Promote and coordinate the activities of government and private organizations which help minority businesses grow.
• Collect and disseminate information that will help those interested in establishing or expanding a successful minority-owned firm.
• Fund organizations to provide management and technical assistance to minority entrepreneurs.

The U.S. Small Business Administration has many resources to help women at every level of their entrepreneurial career. We offer loan guarantees and a wide range of other services and programs to help business start and grow-several designed especially for you, the women entrepreneur. We encourage you to explore the many opportunities and options available to you. SBA programs designed specifically for women include:

• The Demonstration Training Program
• The Women=s Network for Entrepreneurial Training
• The Women=s Prequalification Pilot Loan Program

Providing a direct link between corporate America and minority-owned businesses is the primary objective of the National Minority Supplier Development Council, one of the country=s leading business membership organizations. It was chartered in 1972 to provide increased procurement and business opportunities for minority businesses of all sizes.

The NMSDC Network includes a national office in New York and 43 Regional Councils across the country. There are 3,500 corporate members throughout the network, including 195 national corporate members. The Regional Councils certify and match more than 15,000 minority-owned businesses with member corporations which want to purchase goods and services.

The NMBC is an umbrella organization that encompasses hundreds of small businesses located nationally and internationally. The primary purpose of the organization is to enhance the success and profitability of the small business community through the provision of high-quality services, programs, advocacy and networking support. The secondary purpose is to act as an information clearinghouse for the women-and minority owned business enterprise (MWBE) community. Given the various levels of managerial expertise among the membership, the NMBC strives to develop programs that are suited to the needs of the novice as well as the seasoned entrepreneur.

Services:

*NMBC Directory *Corporate Purchasing Directory

* Business Referral Service *Procurement Bulletin

*International Trade Program *Purchase Exchange Program

*Support *Corporate Education Program

*Governing *Become a Member!

*Accomplishments *Related Business Links

*Current Calender *South African Trade Mission

TRY US Resources publishes the TRY US National Minority Business Directory, Purchasing People in Major Corporations and the Minority Business Information Resources Directory (MBIRD). TRY US also sponsors national minority purchasing seminars.