Woman-owned Business Certification is an important option to consider for female entrepreneurs looking to scale their businesses in New Jersey— particularly for those who want to do more business with the federal government or corporate America.
While its benefits are abundant, women-owned business certification is not the most straightforward process — you have to meet specific qualifications and fill in a lot of paperwork. Luckily, we’ve broken down the ins and outs of certification in New Jersey, as well as the various businesswomen resources unique to the state, to make the process as painless as possible and help you take this big next step.
We’ve narrowed down the Women-Owned Business certification process. There are many resources (e.g. WBE or SBA) that will help with your application.
Follow our guide to learn more about how to become a certified Woman-Owned Business in New Jersey.
The origin of certification programs can be traced back to 20 years ago when researchers revealed the severe lack of corporate and government agencies contracting with women-owned businesses. The U.S. government reacted with a goal to award “at least five percent of all federal contracting dollars to women-owned small businesses each year.”
This was achieved in 2015 when 17.7 billion of federal contracting dollars available to small businesses were awarded to Women-Owned Small Businesses (WOSBs). Since then, the government has continued to expand its goals and the resources made available for female entrepreneurs.
The main certification program for women-owned businesses seeking to increase their growth is WOSB, run by the Small Business Administration (SBA). There is also a subset of the WOSB program: the Economically Disadvantaged Women-Owned Small Business (EDWOSB) certification. Both are nationally recognized certifications that facilitate access to federal contracts “set aside” specifically for WOSBs in underrepresented industries, leveling out the playing field for women-owned businesses.
Alternatively, women business owners in New Jersey have the option of using one of the SBA-approved third-party certifiers:
Qualifications vary depending on the certification for which you apply. So, here are the general requirements for the women’s contracting program, according to the SBA website. Your New Jersey business must adhere to the following guidelines to become a Women-Owned Small Business (WOSB):
Your New Jersey business must adhere to the following guidelines to even be considered for an Economically Disadvantaged Women-Owned Small Business certification (EDWOSB):
The full rundown of qualifications is available online in the Code of Federal Regulations. There is also the option to get a preliminary assessment by the SBA’s Certify website to see if you’ll qualify.
There are two key ways for New Jersey-based businesses to get national certification. The first is self-certification which requires you to answer questions and upload documents (the amount depends on whether you’ve previously participated in SBA programs) through the certify.SBA.gov website. While planning for this, reference the SBA’s preparation checklist which tells you everything you’ll need throughout the process.
Women applying prior to summer of 2020 through the SBA have the option to self-certify through their website; however, after June 30, businesswomen will no longer be able to self-certify. Instead, you will have to certify through an approved third-party agency. Alternatively, you can choose the SBA’s Women-Owned Small Business federal contracting program and apply for certification through their online portal. The SBA application involves two steps:
SBA’s online program is free to use, though you will still need to pay the required fees if you’re interested in receiving an actual certificate through a third-party, since the SBA does not provide the certificate itself. A certificate is not required for federal government contracts — you only need to be officially certified and listed on their women-owned business database.
If you’re still unsure about the specifics of the SBA’s Women-Owned Small Business Federal Contracting Program, you can call (800) 827-5722 or email answerdesk@SBA.gov. To speak to a representative, be prepared to wait approximately 5-10 minutes for the automated message to end and depending on their call volume, you may have a longer wait.
Alternatively, you can apply to be certified by one of the four approved third-party certifying agencies. You will then need to provide proof of your certification through certify.SBA.gov, closely following the listed instructions. Each third-party agency has its own benefits and unique application process.
You should know that these aren’t the only options. New Jersey also has a number of state-wide, local, and regional certification programs “to improve participation and inclusion for certified businesses throughout the state.”
Making use of these local businesswomen resources can supplement other actions, like reading the list of required documents and qualifications, to help women prepare for and increase their chances of gaining certification.
Your woman-owned business should be able to qualify for DBE certification in the state of New Jersey. You gain a number of advantages with a DBE certification. Your business is put on the radar of companies fulfilling contracts using federal funds from the U.S. Department of Transportation (USDOT) in the state. You also get access to the Business Opportunity and Workforce Development Office, which provides assistance to help your business be more competitive.
The goal of the DBE program is to help businesses like yours compete with larger corporations for contracts that are funded partially or fully by USDOT. Businesses are given incentives to hire DBE companies, so being certified increases your chances of being chosen for what could be lucrative contracts.
Qualifying for a DBE is not complicated, although it does require you to submit an application and some other documentation. As long as your business is majority-owned and operated by a woman (or minority), is a small business, and your net worth is not too high, you can most likely qualify.
There are several different programs in the state that offer DBEs, so you have a variety of avenues to get a DBE in New Jersey. The simplest way to qualify for all of them is to go through the NJUCP program. It is designed to be a “one-stop shop” for any business searching for a way to get a DBE certification.
Once you access the NJUCP portal, you will be given the option of applying for your DBE certification through one of the three main agencies that utilize DBE businesses – Port Authority of New York and New Jersey, New Jersey Transit, or New Jersey Department of Transportation. You can use any one of the three to apply for your certification.
The NYNJMSDC also strives to help women-owned businesses gain access to business opportunities in New York and New Jersey. They seek to build a sustainable supply chain that incorporates women and minority-owned businesses. The MBE certification is recognized by major U.S. corporations, non-profit organizations, and public agencies. It does cost money to get certified, but certification should help you access more business opportunities.
You can get certified by the Women’s Business Enterprise Council (WBEC) to gain access to benefits and resources that include training and education, as well as networking opportunities and other tools. The WBEC certification is designed to help you gain access to more business opportunities and to become a better entrepreneur. They are an advocate for women business owners in New Jersey and in many other states on the East Coast.
There are many benefits of becoming a Certified Women-Owned Business in New Jersey, starting with the fact that you’ll have increased contracting opportunities with major corporations and the government.
As a certified WBE, you’ll also get access to unique businesswomen resources like regional and national events, webinars, training, and business expos, as well as inclusion on a national database which includes over 13,000 certified women business enterprises.
Qualified WBEs can be eligible for the Women Owned Small Business (WOSB), a national certification recognized by the federal government.
Though the government predominantly does not have grants available for certified for-profit businesses, companies that create a product benefiting their whole industry can qualify for unique grants. Contact your state branch of the Small Business Development Center for more information on this subject.
If a woman-owned business certification is not right for you, there are additional funding opportunities for women entrepreneurs such as national grants, investors for women-owned businesses, loans, and more.
