MED Week Awards Program Brochure

National Minority Enterprise
Development Week Awards

Nomination Deadline
Wednesday, June 15, 2021
Nomination form and instructions can be
found at https://www.mbda.gov

OVERVIEW
Since 1969, the U.S. Department of Commerce Minority Business Development Agency (MBDA) has
been instrumental in fostering the growth and global competitiveness of the Nation’s minority-owned
businesses. From an estimated 300,000 minority-owned firms in 1969 to more than eight million today,
MBDA has led the way in gaining public recognition of the achievements and economic contributions
of minority-owned firms.
The MBDA National Minority Enterprise Development Week Awards are the highest level of national
recognition that a U.S. minority-owned firm can receive by the U.S. Department of Commerce.
These prestigious awards, bestowed during National Minority Enterprise Development Week
(MED Week), celebrate the outstanding achievements of minority entrepreneurs, as well as the
individuals and organizations that have demonstrated their commitment to advancing minority
business enterprises.
We recognize that minority communities and businesses have been particularly hurt and continue
to face enormous challenges due to COVID-19. MBDA would like to highlight businesses that have
developed and implemented innovative solutions that promote business continuity and the ability
to thrive through the challenges. We look forward to acknowledging, recognizing and encouraging
the well-deserved accomplishments and ingenuity being demonstrated in the minority business
community at this critical time.
There are three main award categories:

MINORITY FIRMS OF THE YEAR
◆
◆
◆
◆
◆
◆
◆
◆
◆

Minority Construction Firm of the Year
Minority Export Firm of the Year
Minority Manufacturing Firm of the Year
Minority Health Products and Services Firm
of the Year
Minority Emerging Technology and
Industries Firm of the Year
Minority Marketing and Communications
Firm of the Year
Minority E-Commerce Firm of the Year
Minority Veteran-Owned Firm of the Year
Robert J. Brown Minority Business Enterprise
of the Year

CHAMPIONS OF MINORITY
BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT
◆

Access to Capital Award
◆ Advocate of the Year
◆ Distinguished Supplier Diversity Award

INDIVIDUAL RECOGNITION
◆

Abe Venable Legacy Award for Lifetime
Achievement

◆

Ronald H. Brown Leadership Award

Who is eligible for an award?
The Minority Firms of the Year Awards are open to minority business enterprises that are owned or
controlled by the following persons or group of persons: African American, American Indian, Alaska
Native, Asian, Hispanic, Native Hawaiian, Pacific Islander, Asian Indian and Hasidic Jews.
The Champions of Minority Business Development Awards eligible nominees include, but are not limited
to business owners, business executives, and representatives of local, state and federal governments
or nonprofit organizations, universities, colleges and tribal entities.
The Individual Recognition Awards are open to qualified individuals without regard to ethnicity.

Who may submit nominations for awards?
Nominations may be submitted by individuals or organizations in any category applicable and may
be submitted for more than one award category. Self-nominations are also permitted. In addition,
nominations may be submitted by MBDA staff or by representatives of MBDA Business Centers.
However, nominations may not be submitted by members of the headquarters review panels or by
MBDA Selecting Officials.

AWARD CATEGORIES AND EVALUATION CRITERION
Nominations should discuss each criterion referenced in the applicable award category

MINORITY OWNED FIRMS
Minority Construction Firm of the Year
Presented to a minority-owned firm that has achieved outstanding success in private or public
construction projects and has exhibited revenue and job growth over a sustained period of time.
◆

Describe the size, scale and types of construction projects

◆

Explain revenue growth and number of jobs
created/retained over a period of time

◆

Specify challenges overcome – Technical,
commercial, competitive or societal

◆

Describe economic, environmental or
societal contributions

Minority Export Firm of the Year
Presented to a minority-owned firm that has achieved outstanding success in penetrating domestic
and global markets.
◆

Describe how the nominee has penetrated global and domestic markets
◆ Explain revenue growth and number of jobs created/retained over a period of time
◆ Specify challenges overcome – Technical, commercial, or competitive
◆ Describe economic impact, environmental or societal contributions

Minority Manufacturing Firm of the Year
Presented to a minority-owned firm that has achieved success in employing new and innovative
techniques that led to a significant increase in market share, job growth and customer satisfaction.
◆

Describe techniques utilized and the results achieved
Explain revenue growth and number of jobs created/retained over a period of time
◆ Specify challenges overcome – Technical, commercial, competitive or societal
◆ Describe economic, environmental or societal contributions
◆

Minority Emerging Technology and Industries Firm of the year

NEW
CATEGORY

Presented to a minority-owned firm that has achieved outstanding success in high-growth
industries through the utilization or the delivery of services based on new technologies.
◆

Describe new techniques utilized and the results achieved
◆ Explain revenue growth and number of jobs created/retained over a period of time
◆ Specify challenges overcome – Technical, commercial, competitive or societal
◆

Describe economic, environmental or societal contributions

Minority Health Products and Services Firm of the Year
Presented to a minority-owned firm that has improved the quality and delivery of healthcare
through innovation.
◆

Describe the improvements and/or innovations to the quality and delivery of healthcare
◆ Explain revenue growth and number of jobs created/retained over a period of time
◆ Specify challenges overcome – Technical, commercial, competitive or societal
◆

Describe economic, environmental or societal contributions

Minority Marketing and Communication Firm of the Year
Presented to a minority-owned firm who has achieved notable success in the marketing
and communication industry by demonstrating creativity and impact.
◆

Describe creative approaches utilized in campaigns and new marketing tools developed
◆ Explain revenue growth and number of jobs created/retained over a period of time
◆ Specify challenges overcome – Technical, commercial, competitive or societal
◆ Describe economic, environmental or societal contributions

Minority E-Commerce Firm of the Year

NEW
CATEGORY

Presented to a minority-owned firm that has achieved outstanding success by harnessing the power
of the internet to offer goods and services to other businesses and/or directly to the consumer.
◆

Describe the firm’s creative approaches to offering and selling goods in the digital space
Explain revenue growth and number of jobs created/retained over a period of time
◆ Specify challenges overcome – Technical, commercial, competitive or societal
◆
◆

Describe economic, environmental or societal contributions

Minority Veteran-Owned Firm of the Year
Presented to a veteran-owned minority business enterprise that has had achieve success
in their industry that has led to a significant increase in job growth and customer satisfaction.
◆

Describe techniques utilized and the results achieved
Explain revenue growth and number of jobs created/retained over a period of time
◆ Specify challenges overcome – Technical, commercial, competitive or societal
◆
◆

Describe economic, environmental or societal contributions

Robert J. Brown Minority Business Enterprise of the Year
Presented to a minority business enterprise that has exceeded industry standards and achieved
phenomenal business success leading to significant growth and job creation, while showing a
commitment to social responsibility and strong community involvement.
◆
◆
◆
◆
◆
◆

Specify length of time in business
Explain growth in revenue and number of employees
Explain current and past financial performance
Describe innovative techniques utilized
and the results achieved
Specify challenges overcome – Technical,
commercial, competitive or societal
Describe economic, environmental
or societal contributions

CHAMPIONS OF MINORITY BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT
Access to Capital Award
Presented to an individual or organization that has demonstrated outstanding leadership in the
financial community by providing traditional and/or alternative working or investment capital to
minority-owned businesses.
◆

Documented leadership and advocacy for access to capital
◆ Specify dollar value of loans or other financial instruments provided to minority businesses
or individuals
◆ Highlight unique strategies, tools, and/or approaches to increase money invested in
minority business enterprises
◆ Describe projects implemented as a result of funding

Advocate of the Year
Presented to an individual or organization that has demonstrated significant accomplishment
in advocating minority business enterprise as an economic force in the global economy.
◆

Describe accomplishments related to the nominees’ advocacy efforts
Highlight specific obstacles, challenges, or issues championed by the advocate
◆ Specify promotion of MBDA as a significant contributor to the success of MBEs in the
global marketplace
◆

◆

Explain results of the nominees’ advocacy efforts

Distinguished Supplier Diversity Award
Presented to the organization or individual whose business practices have had a significant impact
on the growth and development of minority-owned firms.
◆

Specify increased dollar values of purchases from minority
business enterprises over the past five (or more) years
◆ Explain number and types of companies in the
nominee’s supply chain
◆ Explain number of jobs created
◆ Describe innovative strategies or notable
improvements to the supplier diversity program

INDIVIDUAL RECOGNITION
The Abe Venable Legacy Award for Lifetime Achievement celebrates high standards of excellence,
dedication and accomplishment over a sustained period of time. The award is granted to an individual
who has played an integral role in the creative, technical or professional progress of minority business
development over the course of his/her life.
◆

Describe the role played by the nominee in the development of minority business enterprise
over the past 25 (or more) years
◆ Describe the organization or programmatic improvements the nominee achieved
◆ Explain he nominee’s impact on his/her industry
The Ronald H. Brown Leadership Award is inspired by the outstanding leadership of the late U.S. Secretary
of Commerce, Ronald H. Brown. As the first African-American to serve as the Department’s Secretary,
he was a staunch advocate for diversity and business expansion. The Award recognizes individuals
who have achieved significant results by promoting diversity, expanding minority business enterprise
and demonstrating exceptional leadership in the public or private sector.
◆

Describe the innovations and improvements initiated by the nominee and the results
◆ Describe the exceptional and effective leadership demonstrated by the nominee
◆ Explain the extent to which the nominee impacted the global economy

Notwithstanding any other provision of the law, no person is required to respond to, nor shall
any person be subject to a penalty for failure to comply with, a collection of information
subject to the requirements of the Paperwork Reduction Act, unless that collection of
information displays a currently valid OMB Control Number. The OMB Approved Number for
this Collection is 0640-0025 and it expires on 2/28/2024.
The information is used by the MBDA to recognize outstanding minority business development
activities of national importance and to determine those applicants best meeting the
preannounced criteria. No confidentiality for the information submitted is promised or provided
except that which is exempt under 5 U.S.C. 522(b)(4) as confidential business information.

The public reporting burden for this collection is estimated to average 2 hours per response
including the time for reviewing instructions, searching existing data sources, gathering and
maintaining the data needed and completing and reviewing the collection of information.
Send comments regarding this burden estimate or any other aspect of this collection of
information, including suggestions for reducing this burden to: Minority Business Development
Agency, Office of Legislative, Education, and Intergovernmental Affairs, U.S. Department
of Commerce, 1401 Constitution Ave., N.W., Washington, D.C. 20230 and to the Office of
Information and Regulatory Affairs of Management and Budget, Washington, D.C. 20503.

Questions? Please contact:
Antavia Grimsley
MBDA National MED Week Program Manager
202-841-2384
agrimsley1@mbda.gov