MMBDC CERTIFICATION CRITERIA
A Minority Business Enterprise (MBE) is a for profit enterprise, regardless of size, physically located in the United States or its trust territories, which is owned, operated and controlled by minority group members. "Minority group members" are U.S. citizens who are African-American, Hispanic American, Native American, Asia-Pacific American, and Asian-Indian American. "Ownership" by a minority group or individual means the business is at least 51% owned by such group or individual or, in the case of a publicly owned business, at least 51% of the stock is owned by one or more such individuals. Further, those minority group members or individual, control the management and daily business operations.
Below is further clarification of certification criteria:
Minority Group Member - For purposes of this program, an individual who is at least 1/4 or 25% minimum (documentation to support claim of 25% would be required from applicant) of the following:
African-American - A U.S. citizen having origins in any of the Black racial groups of Sub-Sahara Africa.
Hispanic-American - A U.S. citizen of true-born Hispanic heritage (true-born meaning "authentically" or "genuinely" as per Webster), from any of the Spanish speaking areas of Latin America or the following regions: Mexico, Central America, South America and the Caribbean basin only. Brazilians shall be listed under Hispanic designation for review and certification purposes.
Native-American - A person who is an American Indian, Eskimo, Aleut or Native Hawaiian, and regarded as such by the community of which the person claims to be a part. Native Americans must be documented members of a North American tribe, band or otherwise organized group of native people who are indigenous to the continental United States and proof can be provided through a Native American Blood Degree Certificate (i.e. tribal registry letter, tribal roll register number). MMBDC will accept those tribes recognized by either the federal government or state government. In the case of American Indian listing on the tribal registry and acceptance by the tribe can be substituted for the 25% bloodline requirement.
Asian-Pacific American - A U.S. citizen whose origins are from Japan, China, Taiwan, Korea, Vietnam, Laos, Cambodia, the Philippines, Samoa, Guam, the U.S. Trust Territories of the Pacific or the Northern Marianas.
Asian-Indian American - U. S. citizens whose origins are in India, Pakistan and Bangladesh.
Operate - To be actively involved in the day-to-day management of the business.
Own - To have possession of at least 51% of the business. Ownership is interpreted so as to ensure that the minority group member(s) enjoy the normal and customary incidents of ownership.
