U.S. flag

An official website of the United States government

Dot gov

Official websites use .gov
A .gov website belongs to an official government organization in the United States.

Https

Secure .gov websites use HTTPS
A lock () or https:// means you’ve safely connected to the .gov website. Share sensitive information only on official, secure websites.

  1. Passage Bipartisan Infrastructure Bill

HandshakeThe U.S. Department of Commerce’s Minority Business Development Agency (MBDA) is pleased to announce the passage of the Minority Business Development Act of 2021. This historic legislation was included in the Bipartisan Infrastructure legislation.

The passage of this legislation makes the U.S. Department of Commerce Minority Business Development Agency (MBDA) permanent, and it will be expanded and elevated within the department. This action allows the agency to increase their programs and outreach to the Nation’s more than 9 million minority-owned businesses. The Minority Business Development Act of 2021 one of the biggest investments in the minority business community in the last 50 years.

This historic legislation assigns an Under Secretary to oversee the Agency, mandates services to rural areas, provides authorities for a new Minority Business Development Grant program and the creation of partnerships with HBCU’s and minority-serving institutions. This action is one of the most significant investments in the minority business community in the last 50 years. The bill expands the geographic reach of the MBDA by authorizing the creation of regional MBDA offices, rural business centers, and increasing the number and scope of existing programs.

  • The Minority Business Development Agency was created by Executive Order in 1969 and is the only federal agency solely dedicated to the growth and global competitiveness of minority business enterprises
  • The passage of this law makes the MBDA a permanent agency
  • The law expands the geographic reach of the MBDA by creating regional MBDA offices, rural business centers, and increasing the number and scope of existing programs.
  • The law increases MBDA’s grant-making capacity to partner with community and national nonprofits engaged in private and public sector development as well as research.
  • It creates an entrepreneurship grant program to cultivate the next generation of minority entrepreneurs on the campuses HBCUs and MSIs across the Nation.
  • MBDA will be led by a presidentially appointed and Senate-confirmed Under Secretary of Commerce for Minority Business Development.