NEW YORK (WWTI) – The thirteenth annual Minority- and Women-Owned Business Enterprise Forum will be held on Tuesday, November 14 at the Albany Capital Center. This year’s Forum celebrates 35 years of the program in NYS with the theme of “Championing Our MWBEs: Building on a Legacy of Equity and Excellence in New York State.”

“For 13 years, our annual MWBE forum has served as an important gathering place to connect New York businesses with essential resources and services, and I encourage business owners from all over our state to join us for this year’s forum.”

Governor Kathy Hochul

Through networking opportunities, partnership-building, and a wealth of industry insights, this year’s event will equip MWBEs with the essential tools to grow and prosper in today’s business landscape. You can learn more about the forum and register here.

The 2023 Forum will provide attendees with a wealth of networking, learning and partnership-building opportunities to grow their businesses. Networking in the exhibit hall facilitates relationship-building between certified MWBEs, NYS agencies, prime contractors and private companies. Informative sessions will provide strategies and best practices on critical topics such as successfully bidding on contracts, engaging as a small business in mega projects, accessing capital and grants, and delivering on state contracts post-award.

To celebrate the 35th anniversary of NY’s pioneering MWBE program, the forum will also offer the MWBE Champions Awards Luncheon to honor certified MWBEs, government partners and advocates who have demonstrated remarkable commitment and achievements in promoting diversity in the state’s economy. 

Planned sessions at the 2023 MWBE Forum include:

  • Securing the Bag: Competing for Contracts with a Successful Bid and RFP Response: discussion will focus on how MWBEs can craft and submit successful bids and requests for proposal responses with New York State Agencies and Authorities.
  • Get in Where You Fit in: Getting Your Foot in the Door for Mega Economic Development Projects: Businesses will hear from economic development project leaders from across New York State on how to position themselves to compete for economic development opportunities.
  • Finding Your Pathway to Capital: Determining What Combination of Capital is Best for Your Business: This panel will focus on how to qualify for loans, grants, and alternative streams of capital.
  • MWBEs Roadmap to Success with State Contracts: This workshop will provide MWBEs with guidance and insights from New York State Agency and Authority representatives on how to handle awarded contracts.

The 2023 Forum was established in 1988 and has served as a national model for expanding economic opportunity and supporting the growth of diverse businesses. Over the past 35 years, NYS has equipped MWBEs with skills, resources, and connections to help them succeed. The results of the program have been billions of dollars in contracting opportunities for certified MWBEs and countless workforce and community benefits.