Utica, NY – Today, Assemblywoman Marianne Buttenschon in partnership with Empire State Development’s (ESD) Mohawk Valley Regional Office co-hosted an informational roundtable session which brought together state agency representatives, authorities, regional stakeholders, and local prospective and certified minority & women owned business enterprises (MWBEs) to hear and share updates on the NYS MWBE program, economic development initiatives across the region, and the potential benefits of MWBE certification.

Established in 1988, New York’s MWBE program was established to expand contracting opportunities for minority- and women-owned businesses on state contracts and to address historic barriers to participation in state procurement. Certified MWBEs are placed on a statewide directory that connects them with state agencies and vendors seeking subcontractors, are exempt from competitive bidding requirements on procurements under $200,000, and gain access to lending, bonding, and business development resources.

According to the 2025 MWBE Annual Report, New York State disbursed $3.3 billion in payments to MWBEs in Fiscal Year 2024-25, the highest statewide MWBE utilization spend in the program's history, and a $369 million increase, or 12 percent, over the previous year. The result was an estimated 31.86 percent MWBE utilization rate for state contracts, marking the fifth consecutive year that New York has met or exceeded our nation-leading 30 percent MWBE contract participation goal, bringing total disbursements to MWBE businesses to nearly $15 billion since Fiscal Year 2020-21. Statewide, 9,745 firms are currently MWBE certified, with 3,637 MBEs, 1,942 MWBEs, and 3,638 WBEs, and 2,225 firms newly certified or recertified in Fiscal Year 2024-25.

Today’s event, offered as part of ESD’s statewide MWBE Roundtable Series, was designed by ESD to serve three categories of business owners: prospective applicants who are considering whether MWBE certification is right for their business; businesses with a pending MWBE application who are seeking guidance on how to move forward with the process; and certified MWBEs seeking resources and connections to grow and expand their business footprint.

“The goal of today’s roundtable is to provide our hardworking local entrepreneurs and business owners with the direct access to state resources, certification guidance, and connections they need to take their next step, whether that’s applying for MWBE certification for the first time, recertifying, or finding new opportunities and connections as a certified business. I would like to thank ESD Commissioner Hope Knight and the members of ESD’s Mohawk Valley Regional Office for their leadership in facilitating today’s dialogue and look forward to continued opportunities to share these important conversations and resources within our communities.” ~Assemblywoman Buttenschon.

Attendees at today’s roundtable heard directly from state and regional leaders, were informed about major economic development projects and opportunities underway in the Mohawk Valley, and participated in break-out sessions including certification workshops, one-on-one meetings with a Certification Analyst, and networking with local partners and stakeholders.

“I want to thank ESD and Assemblywoman Buttenschon for hosting this roundtable today, for it is so important to keep us [MWBEs] all connected and informed about what is going on, how they are going to help move us forward in the new online platform, and what resources are available to support and mentor us. Without these efforts, we sometimes don’t know what is out there. The local ESD presence is invaluable, and the mentorship between small businesses is vital to all of our success. Even after doing this for a long time, I still need just as much mentoring as anyone else, and that is why I keep coming back to these events.” ~ Mary Shepherd, Owner of BGM Supply.

Businesses interested in pursuing MWBE certification or learning more about the program can visit esd.ny.gov/mwbe or contact Empire State Development's Mohawk Valley Regional Office for further assistance at nys-mohawkval@esd.ny.gov.