Minority Business Development Agency (MBDA)

                                                                                                   

 

APPA's Minority Business Development Program

APPA has Partnered with The San Antonio MBDA Advanced Manufacturing Center to bring you this program

Advanced Manufacturing Center (AMC)
“Where Minority-Owned Manufacturing Firms Come to Grow”
 
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Available Resources
Eligibility Requirements
Additional Resources Available
Contact us
 
Program Overview

The San Antonio MBDA Advanced Manufacturing Center, funded by The U.S. Department of Commerce Minority Business Development Agency(MBDA),   and operated by the University of Texas at San Antonio,- provides targeted assistance to minority manufacturers to increase the number of “Made in America” (51% USA Sourced) products that are sold domestically and globally. The Center serves ethnic-minority business enterprises (MBE’s) all around the country and facilitates access to contracts and subcontract opportunities in the government and commercial sectors, business-to-business matchmaking, and refers MBE’s  to specialized advanced manufacturing programs. The MBDA funded programs are part of The Agency’s commitment to ensuring minority businesses are playing an integral part in keeping the ‘Made in America’ product strong as the U.S. manufacturing sector continues to rise.

The location in San Antonio is one of four MBDA funded Advanced Manufacturing Centers. “These Centers support ethnic-minority owned businesses, specifically in the area of advanced manufacturing.  The Minority Business Development Agency, MBDA, promotes the opportunity to partner with these Centers to advance the growth of our MBEs, in the areas of innovative technology and in creating high quality manufacturing jobs. It establishes a national ecosystem of MBE manufacturers who can access Business development specialists in the manufacturing industry and a national network of resources, partners, and stakeholders. The AMC is staffed by business specialists who help high growth ethnic-minority businesses have access to markets and capital. The program facilitates minority-owned firms to create jobs, build scale and capacity, increase revenues, and expand regionally, nationally, and internationally.

Available Resources

Access to Capital

Access to Contracts

B2B Networking

Strategic Business Consulting

The most important aspect of developing your business, and often the most difficult to achieve, is access to capital and finance management. Consequently, these are two of The Advanced Manufacturing Center’s major concentration areas. Our business advisors offer extensive experience in:

  • Commercial lending and banking
  • Financial, credit and risk analysis
  • SBA and conventional loans qualification and evaluation
  • Loan and grant identification and packaging
  • General finance counseling
  • Alternative financing opportunities

Whether it is securing working capital from a lender, applying for an SBA loan, or responding to a grant proposal, we will help you prepare a package with the ultimate goal of obtaining funding.

Business Development Specialists provide procurement assistance to assist ethnic-minority firms to do business with federal, state, and local governments as well as private corporations.

Our services include:

  • Identification of government procurement opportunities
  • Specialized business certification including 8(a), MBE, and Small Disadvantaged Businesses
  • Solicitation analysis
  • Research of contract award histories

Post-award contract administration

Assistance in increasing your market share by identifying new markets or increasing your existing market customer base. Services include:

  • Private sector contract identification
  • Market research
  • Market plan development
  • Marketing communications - advertising, promotions, public relations, brochure design

 

To grow your business, you must have sound management practices and processes in place. Our services include:

  • Strategic and Business Planning
  • Staffing Assessment
  • Mergers & Acquisitions
  • Joint Ventures
  • Teaming Agreements
  • Organization and Structure
  • Policies and Procedures

General Business Consulting

Eligibility Criteria:

While the program serves all Minority Business Enterprises (MBE’s) either directly or through our internal and external strategic partners, target clients include minority-owned manufacturing firms with one or more of the following characteristics:

  • Businesses with annual revenues of over $1,000,000; or
  • Businesses involved in high-growth industries such as green technology, clean energy, or healthcare; or
  • Businesses exhibiting rapid growth potential

Additional Resources Available

Export Consulting

COVID-19 Business Resilience Center

Small Business Development Center

The MBDA Export Center is staffed by experienced export specialists who assist high-performance, minority-owned enterprises to expand into international markets through exports.

Export Growth Services:

Expert Consulting

To succeed as an exporter, MBEs must have sound management practices and processes in place. Our services include strategic advising in critical export areas including marketing, logistics, finance and management.

Export strategy execution assistance: Includes but is not limited to traveling with the client to meet prospects, assisting with prospect screening and selection, international distribution agreement negotiation, partner retention, and more.

  • Clients can expect to receive these services from export specialists with real export experience.
  • Access to Capital for Exporters and Trade Finance
  • Access to International Contracts
  • Access to International Markets
  • Cultural awareness advising and translations.

 

The MBDA/COVID-19 Business Resilience Center’s focus is to assist minority and small businesses located in economically distressed and rural areas. However, as a resilience center, we want to provide help to any small business that has been affected by the COVID-19. Our mission is to educate our clients and help them to become more resilient. Our center provides available information related to:

  • Access to capital such as loans and grants from local organizations
  • (Chambers of commerce, SBAs, SBCs, among others)
  • Access to new markets
  • Access to new contracts
  • Strategic business planning
  • Social Media Strategy
  • ONE-TO-ONE Virtual Meeting
  • Educational Webinars & Trainings.

 

If you are in need of assistance from the Small Business Development Center Network please Click Here. Please reference "SBDC" in you email.

 

Contact Us

If you are interested in having someone from AMC/MBDA contact you about your minority business or your small business please send an email to: [email protected]