The Women's Business Center at Cornerstone Alliance strives to enhance business opportunities and professional development for women and others. Qualifying your business as a Certified Women's Business Enterprise (WBE) or a Minority Business Enterprise (MBE) can increase procurement opportunities with major corporations as well as federal and governmental entities. Many require that you be certified before they extend a contract to you and certification will be an important marketing tool for expanding your company's visibility among decision makers in corporate supplier diversity and procurement.
The Women's Business Center at Cornerstone Alliance has partnered with certification providers to offer CDA, MWBC, and MBE certification opportunities.
Child Care Certification - CDA
The Child Development Associate (CDA) credential is awarded to qualified caregivers who have been trained to provide quality care for children. The credential is proof that a caregiver has demonstrated competence to nurture a child's physical, social, emotional, and intellectual needs. Training tracts for the certification include infant/toddler, preschool, and family (school age).
CDA certification is valid for 3 years. One hundred and twenty clock hours are required in order to obtain certification.
There is a $350 CDA application fee, with scholarships available. Who is eligible for a scholarship?
- A provider employed a minimum of 20 hours per week in a licensed or regulated child care program.
- A family home provider, group home owner or child care center director making less than $15 per hour.
- A group home provider or center making less than $14.25 per hour.
WBC at Cornerstone Alliance partners with Child Care Resources (CCR) to provide Child Care Certification. CCR's Website: www.WorkFamilySolutions.com
Michigan Women's Business Council Certification Program - MWBC
The Michigan Women's Business Council (MWBC) Certification Program is a nationally recognized program that certifies that businesses are at least 51% owned, operated and controlled by a woman or women. MWBC was created to meet the need for a national standard of certification for businesses owned, managed and controlled by women who want to market their products and services in America's major markets. The Michigan Women's Business Council is a certifying partner organization with the Women's Business Enterprise National Council (WBENC) in Washington, DC.
The WBE certification for women-owned businesses is one of the most widely recognized and respected certifications in the nation. Accepted by over 700 major corporations across the country and a number of federal and government agencies, your WBENC certification will be an important marketing tool for expanding your company's visibility among decision makers in corporate supplier diversity and procurement.
The Women's Business Center at Cornerstone Alliance has partnered with the Center for Empowerment and Economic Development (CEED) www.miceed.org, to provide WBENC certification opportunities for women business owners seeking Women's Business Enterprise Certification (WBE). The Women's Business Enterprise (WBE) Certification is a national certification that requires a $350 annual fee.
Minority Business Enterprise (MBE) Certification
A Minority Business Enterprise (MBE) is a for-profit enterprise, regardless of size, physically located in the United States or its trust territories, which is owned, operated and controlled by minority group members. "Minority group members" are U.S. citizens who are African-American, Hispanic American, Native American, Asia-Pacific American, and Asian-Indian American.
"Ownership" by a minority group or individual means the business is at least 51% owned by such group or individual or, in the case of a publicly owned business, at least 51% of the stock is owned by one or more such individuals. Further, those minority group members or individual, control the management and daily business operations.
The Women's Business Center at Cornerstone Alliance has partnered with the Michigan Minority Business Development Council (MMBDC) www.mmbdc.com to provide opportunities for local business owners seeking MBE certification.
The Minority Business Enterprise (MBE) Certification is a state certification that requires a $300 annual fee.
The 8(a) Business Development Program We are pleased to provide you with information on the application process for certification in the 8(a) Business Development Program. The program provides eligible firms with greater access to the resources they need to grow and develop their businesses. This, in turn, improves their ability to compete on an equal footing with other firms in the mainstream American economy. Applying On-Line for 8(a) BD Program Certification: Prior to applying for the 8(a) Program, each firm is urged to take an on-line training and self-evaluation course, which is accessible via the following link: 8(a) Business Development Suitability Tool. If you prefer, you may skip the on-line training and self-evaluation course by clicking on the following link: https://sba8a.symplicity.com/applicants/guide. The first section of the on-line course explains the 8(a) Program in detail. It culminates in an eligibility self-assessment test. The test consists of a series of simple yes/no questions that evaluate the degree to which your firm meets the basic qualifications for the 8(a) Program. If you meet the basic eligibility criteria, you will be allowed to apply immediately for the 8(a) Program via the electronic on-line system. If key eligibility criteria are not met, you will be directed to the SBA resource deemed most appropriate to help you at this time. If you would still prefer at this time to apply using the electronic system, please send an e-mail to BDMIS@sba.gov for further guidance and assistance. The average processing time for an electronic application is ninety days. In addition, please be sure to read What You Should Know When Applying for 8(a) Business Development Program Certification. Paper-Based Applications While requiring considerably more time to process, you may also submit a paper application for 8(a) Program certification. A paper application may be obtained by means of a written request to your local Small Business Administration District Office. Please complete the paper application in its entirety and return it to the address shown below:
Upon receipt of your completed paper application, the data it contains will be retyped in the electronic system, printed out, and sent back to you for verification. If any errors are found, you must return the application to the SBA with the corrections. They will be entered into the on-line application, and another paper copy will be sent to you for verification. This process will repeat until the application contains no errors. At that time, please sign the application and return it to the SBA for processing in the regular ninety-day window. We recommend that you submit your application electronically to avoid these delays. Again, click on this link for access to the electronic application |