What does it mean to be a certified business?

Many government, educational and large private sectors companies want to ensure that a portion of their contracting dollars go to M/WBE, Veteran, LGBT, Small and Disadvantaged business owners.

It’s out of this desire that some of these entities have established their own “certification” programs that M/WBE, Veteran, LGBT, Small and Disadvantaged business owners can apply for if they meet certain criteria. The most common types of certification categories are listed below.

It’s important to note that not all local governmental organizations, educational institutions or large private sector businesses offer certification programs.  However, it might be advantageous to inquire if they have any “supplier diversity” initiatives prior to bidding any contracts if you feel you fall into the categories listed below.

What if I am certified with one organization, will that mean my certification will be accepted by another?

Unfortunately, there is not one size fits all when it comes to certifications.  Every certification program entity has their own specific requirements unique to their organizations protocols and you would have to apply to each organization separately.

Having state level certifications often helps to reduce the paperwork at the city and county level.

Orange County and the City of Orlando programs application processes are very similar.

They hold an in-person workshops the 2nd Monday of each month 2:00PM – 4:00 p.m. at the National Entrepreneur Center that will walk you through both applications.