Minority and Women Owned Business Enterprises (MWBE) Contractors

Habitat for Humanity New York City and Westchester County is committed to advancing local and minority and women owned businesses by:

Promoting contracting, subcontracting and purchasing opportunities to MWBEs and local small businesses;

Requiring that our organization contract with qualified MWBEs and local small businesses whenever possible.

We are looking to increase our list of qualified MWBEs and local businesses, with the goal to meet or exceed the State’s target of 30% of contracts going to MWBEs.

We are currently seeking qualified and certified MWBE contractors, architects, and other vendors for our construction and development projects in Westchester County and New York City, including our Accessory Dwelling Unit and Aging in Place Home Repair programs in Westchester County. All interested MWBEs should visit our Contracts for Bid page and fill out the form to submit their information.

What is an MWBE?

The MWBE Program is for businesses owned by women and/or minorities in New York State. Any business that is owned, operated, and controlled primarily by women or minority group members is eligible.

A Minority Business Enterprise (MBE) is identified as being at least 51% owned by people who are:

Black persons having origin in any of the Black African racial groups;

Hispanic persons of Mexican, Dominican, Puerto Rican, Cuban, Central or South American descent of indigenous or Hispanic origin, regardless of race;

Asian and Pacific Islander person having origin in any of the Far East countries, Southeast Asia, the Indian subcontinent or the Pacific Islands; or

Native American or Alaskan Native persons having origin in the original peoples of North America.

A Women-Owned Business Enterprise (WBE) is a business in which at least 51% is owned by people who are women.

Business owners must be citizens or permanent residents to be eligible.

Get Certified

To take advantage of the State’s MWBE program, you must first certify your business as a MWBE with the State. With a MWBE certification, you’ll enjoy the following benefits:

You’ll be placed on the certified MWBE directory where State agencies and organizations like Habitat looking for subcontractors can reach out to you.

You won’t be subject to the State’s competitive bidding requirements for procurements under $200,000.

You’re more likely to be awarded a contract over similarly qualified competitors by an agency or vendor looking to meet their MWBE participation goal.

Additional Resources