WOMEN ENTREPRENEURS + MINORITY OWNED BUSINESSES

Elevate your business with YBI’s MBAC Certification program.

The Youngstown Business Incubator’s Minority Business Assistance Center helps minority-owned startups and small businesses obtain crucial state certification.

This four-week program is for entrepreneurs who have owned and operated their businesses for a minimum of one year. Each week, our hands-on workshop walks each business owner through a crucial step of the certification process until they’re ready to submit their local certification applications to the state of Ohio during the final week.

Why is this important? Certified businesses receive more contract opportunities and potential funding!

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An image of an MBE-certified small business owner.

Certification. Contracts. Capital.

JOIN OUR WAITLIST FOR 2025

We want to help every entrepreneur in their business endeavors and foster economic development. That’s why our 3-Phase Accelerator Program is so important. It includes MBAC Certification, MBAC Capital, and MBAC Contracts (formerly known as MBAC Create, MBAC Launch, and MBAC Grow).

This MBAC Certification program gives technical assistance to minority small business owners in certification procurement, contract procurement, and accessing more business opportunities.

The program is available to U.S. citizens who are minority entrepreneurs, such as African Americans, Hispanics, Asians, or other people of color, as well as women-owned businesses. Participants must have owned and operated their business for a minimum of one year.

For each phase of the program, diverse speakers are invited to lead business management workshops related to their area of expertise.

To best encourage participation and motivate business owners to complete the program, the MBAC team grants one participant a monetary award. The grant amount and winner are determined based on the phase of the program the business owner participated in, as requirements for completion differ for each phase. Strong partners of MBAC will be asked to sponsor each award to continue cultivating every entrepreneur’s growth and sustainability throughout this region.

The dates and locations of each phase of this program vary each semester.

Waitlist

The Idea Stage

Class Information

Classes will be held at the Youngstown Business Incubator (YBI) at 241 W. Federal Street, Youngstown, Ohio 44503 on Wednesday evenings (April 12th – May 10th) from 5:00-7:00 pm.

Selection Process

Space is limited so acceptance will be on a first come, first served basis. Once reviewed, an email will be sent to confirm acceptance along with program guidelines.

Program Fee

There is a $50.00 non-refundable fee due upon acceptance, with information to follow upon acceptance. SCHOLARSHIPS ARE AVAILABLE.

Class Schedule

WEEK 1
Go over the certification checklist, certification plan development and benefits.
Week 2
Review the importance of financial documents (balance sheet, cash flow statement, and profit and loss).
Week 3
Review Personal Net Worth Statement (PNW) and Company Value Worksheet.
Week 4
Create an Ohio Business Gateway account and submit your MBAC certification application. (The first participant to submit receives the sponsored grant award.)

An image of a business owner with WBE certification.

Waitlist

Elevate your business with YBI’s MBAC Certification program.

Certification. Contracts. Capital.

The Idea Stage

Class Schedule

WEEK 1

Week 2

Week 3

Week 4

Are you ready to elevate your business?

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