Ohio partners with YBI to help grow minority businesses

Staff report

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.

“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,” Jeffrey L. Johnson, chief of the Minority Business Development Division at the Ohio Development Services Agency, said in a statement.

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 begins Jan. 2. Until then, the program at the Greater Warren-Youngstown Urban League in Warren will continue to provide business counseling and services to Ohio minority-owned businesses.

“YBI is excited to have this opportunity to leverage our expertise in working with technology-based businesses and expand our footprint to serve a larger part of the community,” Barb Ewing, CEO of the Youngstown Business Incubator, said in a statement.

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