YBI Selected to Boost Ohio Minority-Owned Businesses

COLUMBUS, Ohio — The Youngstown Business Incubator is among seven partners selected by the state to operate Minority Business Assistance Centers to serve minority and disadvantaged businesses in every Ohio county.

The MBAC program is managed by the Ohio Development Services Agency’s Minority Business Development Division. The centers support minority-owned and disadvantaged businesses by offering no-cost counseling, state certification support and training focused on creating jobs and increasing sales. Trained advisers at the center assistance with producing government contracts.

Partners of the MBAC program include nonprofit organizations, economic development organizations and educational institutions with experience in business and economic development.

“Our MBACs play a vital role in assisting our minority business owners with business development by helping them start, grow, and sustain their businesses,” said Jeffrey L. Johnson, chief of the Minority Business Development Division. “We are excited to partner with these host organizations to continue this great work.”

The other partners include the Akron Urban League in Akron, the African American Chamber of Commerce of Greater Cincinnati and Northern Kentucky, the Urban League of Greater Cleveland, the Columbus Urban League in Columbus, the City of Dayton’s Human Relations Council, The Institute for Social Justice at Union Institute & University and Mays & Associates in Toledo.

“Ohio Minority Business Assistance Centers have experienced unprecedented demand for their services over the past 15 months, and these seven partners will continue to help small businesses succeed in this difficult environment,” said Lydia Mihalik, director of the Ohio Development Services Agency. “These businesses are critical to Ohio’s economic success and our MBAC advisers are there to help them thrive.”

Published by The Business Journal, Youngstown, Ohio.