Advocate for Women-owned Businesses
Founded in 1999, WBEC Metro NY and Greater DMV is still a thriving community today.
Comprised of two of the 14 regional partner organizations of WBENC—WBEC Metro NY and Greater DMV is the nation’s leading advocate for women-owned businesses. We provide WBENC certification—the gold standard in diversity certification—and support certified women-owned businesses in our New York and Washington, D.C. regions, with educational programs, networking opportunities and recognition.
WBEC Metro NY and Greater DMV is incorporated in the state of New York and recognized as a nonprofit 501(c)(3) organization.
Metro NY & Greater DMV Women-owned Businesses Account for:
BILLION
TOTAL
MILLION
YEARS
PEOPLE
Benefits of Being a Female Business Owner
Our certified women-owned businesses build on their success through mutually beneficial partnerships with Fortune 1000 corporations, federal agencies and other WBEs nationwide.
Most Fortune 1000 corporations require women-owned businesses to be WBENC certified to access their supplier diversity programs. These world-class programs serve as a bridge to countless business opportunities for certified WBEs.
Getting certified is the first step. We’re here to help women-owned businesses reach their goals.
Areas of Focus
Our three areas of focus are delivering business Content, building WBE Community, and providing Connections for business opportunities.
Content
The contribution of tools, resources, and information to the WBEC Metro NY and Greater DMV network facilitates the
- Understanding the tools needed to maximize the benefits of the network
- Leadership development for business infrastructure growth
- Language and information so WBEs can identify the area their product or services impact
Content can be provided through:
- Participating in WBEC Metro NY and Greater DMV programs as a presenter or panelist
- Providing access to WBEs or Corporate Members to content focus opportunities
- Inviting WBEC Metro NY and Greater DMV constituents to informational internal organizational programs
- Providing WBEC Metro NY and Greater DMV with important information to share with its constituents
All in support of the mission of the WBEC Metro NY and Greater DMV to support the WBE community.
Community
The impact of opportunities to connect WBEC Metro NY and Greater DMV constituents with one another for the general benefit of the WBE community. Community opportunities provide constituents not only with a sense of belonging but possibilities to meet other WBEs, Corporate Members and supporters within the diverse WBEC Metro NY and Greater DMV and WBENC network, and overall women-owned business community as a whole. It is the Social Capital that is needed to get the information referenced above:
- Learning about the right time/ right place for opportunities
- Peer to peer relationship building
- Sharing best practices and challenges and solutions
- Peer to peer buying
All in support of the mission of the WBEC Metro NY and Greater DMV to support the WBE community.
Connections
The offering of resources and opportunities to the constituents of the WBEC Metro NY and Greater DMV network through WBE to WBE, WBE to Corporate, WBE to Opportunities and Allies/Mentors/Partners Connections.
Connections include, but are not limited to:
- Providing contracting opportunities
- Reporting spend within the WBEC Metro NY and Greater DMV WBE network
- Providing mentorship either individually or in a formal program
- Providing referrals to WBEs to resources and opportunities within and outside of the WBEC Metro NY and Greater DMV and WBENC network
All in support of the mission of the WBEC Metro NY and Greater DMV to support the WBE community.
Resources for Women-owned Businesses
WBEC Metro NY and Greater DMV helps you obtain certification and make the most of it.
leadership
WBEC Metro NY and Greater DMV Provides WBENC Certification Services to Businesses Based in:
WBEC Metro NY
- New York
- Northern and Central New Jersey (through Trenton)
- Southern Connecticut (through New Haven)
WBEC Greater DMV
- Washington, D.C.
- Maryland
- Virginia
WBEC Metro NY and Greater DMV is a local network with national access. All WBENC certified businesses have access to programming, corporate, and business opportunities offered by all 14 Regional Partner Organizations.
Our position within a high-profile national organization gives us a platform for generating awareness of certified WBEs and paving the way to real business opportunities. At the same time, having local offices in New York and Washington, D.C. allows us to work with WBEs directly and help them reach their goals through a range of regionally based events and programs.
Acronyms
Here are the acronyms frequently used by WBEC Metro NY and Greater DMV, which you’ll want to know.
Environmental, Social, and Governance
Regional Partner Organization
14 partner organizations operating at the regional level to provide WBE certification on behalf of the Women's Business Enterprise National Council.
Strategies to Advance and Grow Enterprises
The U.S. Small Business Administration
A national organization that provides women entrepreneurs resources for starting, financing and building small businesses.
Strategic Vision, Cash Flow, Alliance of the Team, Leadership, and Execution
Women's Business Enterprise
A business that has obtained WBENC certification, designating it as women-owned, operated, and controlled.
Women’s Business Enterprise Council
A regional partner organization of the Women’s Business Enterprise National Council (WBENC).
Women's Business Enterprise National Council
The largest, most widely recognized advocate and authority on WBEs as suppliers to corporations in the U.S.
Women of Color
Woman-Owned Small Business
A women-owned business that has attained WOSB certification, making it eligible for some federal government contracts. WBEC Metro NY and Greater DMV provides WOSB certification on behalf of the Small Business Administration (SBA).