Ohio partners with YBI to help grow minority businesses

YOUNGSTOWN — The Ohio Development Services Agency has selected the Youngstown Business Incubator to help develop and grow Ohio small, minority-owned and socially and economically disadvantaged businesses through the Minority Business Assistance Centers Program.

“It’s about creating sustainability,” said Jeffrey L. Johnson, chief of the Minority Business Development Division at the Ohio Development Services Agency, in a statement. “Through our partnerships across the state, minority-owned businesses are better served in their local communities and have a better opportunity to maintain long term success.”

This program supports minority-owned businesses by offering no-cost counseling, state certification support, and training focused on creating jobs and increasing sales.

The contract between the state and YBI will begin Jan. 2. Until then, the program at the Greater Warren-Youngstown Urban League will continue to provide business counseling and services to Ohio minority-owned businesses.

For information about the Minority Business Assistance Centers program, visit: www.minority.ohio.gov, then click “Minority Business Assistance Center” link.