FRANKFORT, Ky. — To help businesses looking to diversify their supply chain and provide exposure and resources for certified minority-owned businesses, the Kentucky Chamber Foundation’s Center for Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion have launched the Kentucky Minority-Owned Business Database.
This is the first-ever platform in Kentucky that includes all certified minority-owned businesses in one place. Many entities issue certifications to designate a business as minority-owned, and until now, the business listings were all located on separate websites.
In partnership with various certifying organizations, including the Kentucky Transportation Cabinet, the Kentucky Finance and Administration Cabinet, and the City of Louisville, the Kentucky Minority-Owned Business Database has now centralized the listing of more than 1,100 minority-owned businesses.
The Kentucky Minority-Owned Business Database pulls together the following certification lists:
- The Kentucky Transportation Cabinet’s Disadvantaged Business Enterprise (DBE) certification
- The Kentucky Finance and Administration Cabinet’s Minority and Women Business Enterprise (MWBE) Certification
- The City of Louisville’s Minority Business Enterprise (MBE) Certification
The database features a searchable platform where users can find and filter minority-owned businesses by name, certification type, industry, service provided, location, and more. While each certification process is different, they also carry different levels of legitimacy in determining if federal contractors, state-level agencies, and other entities recognize them.
The Kentucky Chamber Foundation also plans to provide education and resources to help businesses understand the importance of certification, decide which certification works best for them, and learn how to get started with the process. Once minority-owned businesses get certified, they will be included in the Kentucky Minority-Owned Business Database.
“As the state’s largest business association, we constantly hear from companies that say they want to diversify but have difficulty finding minority-owned suppliers. With this database, the Kentucky Chamber Foundation can better help businesses grow, diversify, and create change,” said Ashli Watts, president and CEO of the Kentucky Chamber of Commerce.
“The Kentucky Chamber Foundation is working to address barriers as well as provide opportunities for more Kentuckians to start and grow their business,” said Joe Frazier, executive director for the Kentucky Chamber Foundation’s Center for Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion. “With only a rate of 7.7 percent minority-owned businesses across the state, the Kentucky Minority-Owned Business Database is just the beginning of our work to build a stronger Commonwealth.”
The Kentucky Minority-Owned Business Database is free to the public and will be updated monthly with the most recent certification lists.
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