Kentucky Chamber Foundation, Inc.

In partnership with various certifying organizations, including the Kentucky Transportation Cabinet and the Kentucky Finance and Administration Cabinet, this website will feature a searchable database where users can find and filter minority-owned businesses by name, service provided, NAICS designation, location, and certification type, across the Commonwealth of Kentucky. It will highlight and expand the number of businesses utilizing certification processes and provide opportunities for minority businesses to seek certification.  The Kentucky Chamber Foundation's webpage will include a FAQ page and links to participating MBE certifiers to help businesses decide which certification works best for them and learn how to get started. 

The Foundation is the philanthropic arm of the Kentucky Chamber. The Kentucky Chamber is the state's largest business association, representing the economic needs of over 80,000 businesses. Companies have expressed that they want to be more diverse but have difficulty finding diverse suppliers. The number one call we get is – "where are local suppliers?". While the Foundation will operate this project, it has also been considered by the Kentucky Chamber Board of Directors and the Executive Committee. They are happy to support the successful rollout of this effort.

In Kentucky, only 7.7% of businesses are minority-owned (2018), falling well short of 12.5% of the state's underrepresented minority population. Additionally, there are a number of both public and private entities that issue certifications with designating a business as minority-owned. While each certification process is different, they also carry different levels of legitimacy in determining if they are recognized by federal contractors, state-level agencies, etc. A disparity study by the Minority Business Development Agency of the U.S. Department of Commerce in 2017 entitled "Contracting Barriers for Minority Business Enterprises" indicated in addition to outright racism, marketplace barriers such as exclusionary networks can be amongst the most difficult to overcome.   

Kentucky does not mandate businesses to direct a percentage of their spending towards minority-owned businesses, thus increasing the need for a database like the Kentucky Minority Business Database. One of the questions posed most often to the Center for DE&I is, "where can I find a listing of minority-owned businesses?"   To better assist organizations looking to diversify their supply chain, boost the exposure of minority-owned businesses in Kentucky, and encourage more minority-owned businesses to get certified, the Center for DE&I will launch a statewide Minority Business Database website.  

The Kentucky Minority Business Database will connect small business owners, specifically minority-owned businesses, to other businesses across the state. It will boost the exposure of minority-owned businesses, thereby making them more accessible and easier to find for organizations looking to diversify their supplier chain. 

The Kentucky Minority Business Database will also help demystify the minority certification process, with its FAQ page explaining the difference between certification types, and providing direct links to the partnering certifiers' web portals where they can begin their registration process. This will also incentivize minority-owned businesses that are not certified to do so and be included in the database.  

 Phase 2 of the Kentucky Minority Business Database will offer additional programs and webinars to help upscale minority-owned businesses.  These program offerings will include sessions on topics such as: how to start a business, what kind of cooperation should my business be, the difference between becoming a nonprofit vs. for-profit, etc. The Kentucky Minority Business Database" will also connect qualifying businesses to the various Minority Business Accelerator programs available throughout the Commonwealth. 

The Kentucky Minority Business Database will directly serve Kentucky's underrepresented minority population. As stated earlier, only 7.7% of Kentucky businesses are minority-owned (2018). Falling well short of 12.5% of the state's underrepresented minority population. After the Kentucky Minority Business Database is launched, we can reach out to all of the different minority business communities to extend our partnership. These communities include Buy Black Lou, Black Market Kentucky, Black Owned Louisville, the Lexington Black Business Guide, the Noir Black Chamber of Commerce, the Louisville Hispanic Chamber of Commerce, and the Kentuckiana Hispanic Business Council. Thanks to our partnership with Louisville's MBE Certification program, we will also be able to showcase businesses that are LGBTQ+ owned and disability-owned.

The Kentucky Minority Business Database will be available to businesses for use and the entire populace of Kentucky. So, while larger industries will be able to use the Kentucky Minority Business Database to diversify their supplier chain, individuals making personal choices to use minority-owned businesses will also be able to do so. 

Yes, the Kentucky Minority Business Database will be a state-level solution for Kentucky, run by the Center for DE&I at the Kentucky Chamber Foundation. This database will be publicly accessible.

Our main partners in this initiative are the Kentucky Finance and Administration Cabinet, the Kentucky Transportation Cabinet, and the City of Louisville's Human Relations Commission. These entities are responsible for the Minority and Women Business Enterprise (MWBE), Disadvantage Business Enterprise (DBE), and the Minority Business Enterprise (MBE) certifications, respectively. 

Mission: The Kentucky Chamber Foundation's Center for Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion serves as the conduit through which Kentucky businesses will build an inclusive and equitable Commonwealth. Through partnerships with employers of all sizes and guidance from civic, education, and nonprofit leaders, the Center for Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion aims to create deliberate, meaningful, and sustainable change to address the inequalities that have long hindered Kentucky's progress.  

Among the inequalities in Kentucky is the lack of minority-owned businesses and support to facilitate their growth. Part of the work led by the Center for DE&I will be to set up accelerator programs for growing MBEs and ignite programs for MBEs that are just getting started. 

The Center for DE&I uses a critical theoretical framework when analyzing and addressing issues that disproportionately impact underrepresented minority populations. Critical theory is interdisciplinary research that combines empirical and historical evidence as a means of solving socio-political problems. It critiques "life as it is" within the practices, traditions, values, and beliefs of a particular society. The tenants of critical theory challenge the dominant ideology, are committed to social justice, and value experiential knowledge, while also acknowledging that experiences navigating different institutions, structures, and processes, can be shaped by different aspects of your identity.

The Kentucky Minority Business Database is an example of critical theory in action because it centers on the experiences of minority-owned businesses that are trying to flourish in a predominantly white landscape. Unlike our white counterparts, minority-owned businesses and business leaders often lack the social capital needed to gain access to affluent networks and leaders that are essential to upscaling their ventures. The Kentucky Minority Business Database will serve as a conduit to help these businesses gain that social capital by supplying resources to get a certification and connecting minority-owned businesses to larger enterprises that have expressed interests in diversifying their suppliers. 

An additional theoretical approach illustrated by the Kentucky Minority Business Database is that of pragmatism. Pragmatism, in its broadest definition, is a solution-oriented framework that emphasizes practical solutions to yield tangible results with satisfactory consequences. When presented with the problem that business enterprises are struggling to find minority-owned businesses, the pragmatic solution is to create a centralized place where anyone can do just that in partnership with our local entities who do similar work. In the same fashion, as minority-owned businesses bring forward issues they are facing, the Kentucky Minority Business Database will respond pragmatically in finding a solution. 

Currently, the combined total number of businesses that are certified as DBE, MBE, or MWBE, from our 3 certification granting entities in Kentucky totals 1,098 businesses. 

As word spreads about this database for the state, we can expect a significant increase in the number of businesses listed, as more minority businesses should pursue certification in order to be included in the database. We anticipate 5,000 businesses to be a part of this database by year five. 

Minority-owned businesses, through the different certifiers we will use for the Kentucky Minority Business Database, require that the businesses are 51% or more minority-owned and operated.

We serve the business community of Kentucky. The Kentucky Chamber Foundation represents 3,800 member businesses – from family-owned shops to Fortune 500 companies – that employ over half of the Commonwealth's workforce.

The Kentucky Chamber Foundation's powerful grassroots network, through a partnership with over 80 local chambers in the state, consists of 25,000 professionals.  We have the potential to impact minority-owned businesses' access to this strong network and open up opportunities while encouraging a private business-led approach to the diversification of supply changes.

Organizational strategy is influenced by the DE&I Center's Taskforce, the Kentucky Chamber's Foundation Board, and the Kentucky Chamber Board. The members that constitute these boards are a combination of business, civic, and education leaders from across the Commonwealth. 

Minority-owned businesses in Kentucky are underrepresented, often under-resourced, and lack the social capital needed to thrive in our largely homogenous state. This is a multifaceted issue that can't be solved with a single solution. The Kentucky Minority Business Database is one out of many solutions that will be needed to improve the plight of minority-owned businesses in our state. It will help minority-owned businesses gain exposure and intentionally connect them to larger businesses as clientele. It is also a great introductory point for minority-owned businesses to become members of a state-level chamber and all the benefits that come with it. At the same time, the Kentucky Chamber holds significant social capital within the business sector. This project has the potential to open doors into a business community where some may not feel welcomed or included but aspires to be truly representative of a 21st-century Kentucky that reflects the increasing diversity of our state and our country.

The Center for DE&I's task force is made up of leaders from many different sectors in Kentucky. 6 of the 11 members are business owners and/or leaders in Kentucky, 4 of which are leaders of color. Two of the task force members come from nonprofit organizations that push for the advancement of marginalized groups in our state (National Center for Families & Learning and the Pritchard Committee) and are leaders of color. 2 more of our task force members are also leaders of color, represent our education sector, on behalf of the Association of Independent Kentucky Colleges & Universities and the Kentucky Council on Postsecondary Education. We also have civic representation from the Commonwealth of Kentucky Commission on Human Rights. 

This powerhouse of a task force helps to ensure we have leaders guiding the work that not only is a part of the community and those this office serves but also have the influence and decision-making capabilities needed to make a change on a systemic level. Our partners include representation from Toyota, the Kentucky Center for Statistics, the Prichard Committee, KFC YUM!, Brown-Forman, Columbia Gas, the National Center for Families Learning, the Association of Independent Kentucky Colleges and Universities, the Kentucky Council on Postsecondary Education, The Commonwealth of Kentucky Commission on Human Rights, HJI Supply Chain Solutions, and Equity Solutions Group LLC.

The Kentucky Chamber Foundation Center for DE&I also convenes a monthly meeting for all Kentucky DE&I Chamber leaders across the state. This ensures that we are in touch with the Black and Brown communities across all regions of Kentucky, helping support and staying informed with the current needs, priorities, and initiatives needed to do this work effectively. 

Some of the Task Force members as well as the regional Chamber DE&I leaders, run their own minority business accelerator programs.  The feedback from these programs, the questions business leaders bring to the Center for DE&I, and the input garnered from our regional chambers all overlap in one area specifically, and that is how best to support minority-owned businesses. 

As the state's premier business advocate and largest business association, the Chamber Foundation remains committed to helping Kentucky's economy grow and prosper by providing bold advocacy on behalf of the business community.

The Foundation furthers its mission in workforce development, criminal justice reform, and addiction response in conjunction with the Kentucky Chamber of Commerce. The Foundation serves thousands of individuals across the state by credibly working with the business. Our work as a trusted, neutral convener has resulted in us playing a key role in a number of statewide projects, including support for recovery in the wake of the tornados hitting western Kentucky. The Kentucky Minority Business Database will be the Center for DE&I's first major victory for minority-owned businesses across the state. By elevating our small minority-owned Kentucky businesses on this platform, we will have established our first major win for minority businesses.

Our goal is to support business organizations in their DE&I journey, help create a more inclusive Kentucky, and guarantee more investment into minority-owned businesses.  The Kentucky Minority Business Database is the first step in this larger plan, followed by a launch of a Business Pledge and an overall plan for an equitable Kentucky. 

This pledge will better serve the state and its historically marginalized populations by creating more inclusive working environments, committing to equitable hiring, pay, opportunities for advancement, and uplifting minority-owned businesses, through the commitment it asks of its signers. The commitments entailed in the pledge include a commitment to:

• Use minority-owned businesses by setting an initial minimum percentage goal of all company expenditures annually and working to challenge businesses by increasing this goal annually.  The Foundation's newly-created Kentucky Minority Business Database will help to identify those businesses. 
• Participate in the Foundation's triennial Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Climate Survey to help our state better understand its workforce needs from a diversity, equity, and inclusion perspective and take an intentional, internal look at the business' own culture of inclusion.
• Ensuring diverse applicant pools when hiring, with interviews reflecting the region's demographic makeup. Including getting involved in the Foundation's Talent Pipeline Management program and Kentucky Talent Hub are key ways to help businesses find applicants.
• Participate in educational opportunities to help businesses deepen their cultural competencies. 

• Joe Frazier, Executive Director – Kentucky Chamber Foundation Center for DE&I
  • Project Lead: has a rich background in DE&I initiatives both on the educational, business, and grassroots levels. He served as the Director of the Office of Identity and Inclusion at Bellarmine University and before that in an Assistant Director role at Virginia Tech, overseeing university-wide DE&I efforts, including fundraising, programming, training, conferences, and retention initiatives for the universities. Additionally, the Executive Director led their own minority-owned business, Education 2 Action LLC, a DE&I consulting business, furthering his DE&I experiences working with several nonprofits and businesses on creating inclusive work cultures.

Other leaders and staff support include;

• Ashli Watts, President & CEO – Kentucky Chamber of Commerce
• Beth Davisson, Senior Vice President – Kentucky Chamber Foundation
• LaKisha Miller, Executive Director – Kentucky Chamber Workforce Center
• Harper Michael, Senior Manager – Kentucky Chamber Foundation
• Issa Wright – Coordinator – Kentucky Chamber Foundation
• Jacqueline Pitts, Vice President, Communications and Marketing – Kentucky Chamber of Commerce
• Charles Aull, Senior Policy Analyst – Kentucky Chamber of Commerce
• Sawyer Coffey, Senior Manager, Communications – Kentucky Chamber of Commerce
• Alaina Holcomb, Lead Graphic Designer – Kentucky Chamber of Commerce 

Partnering with the Truist Foundation and MIT Solve will help to sustain the Kentucky Minority Business Database beyond its first year of being established. The funding will cover ongoing maintenance costs and additional staffing to do the work. 

With funding through Truist and other grant opportunities, we can continue to increase the capacity, reach, and legitimacy of the Center for DE&I as we continue to make Kentucky more equitable, inclusive, and welcoming. We are continuing to search for opportunities to partner with organizations who are already doing aspects of this work, so as not to "re-create the wheel," but to bolster those groups' efforts instead. 

Kentucky isn't lacking in organizations to potentially partner with by any means. The largest barrier that comes with equity work, is that organizations and leaders that engage in these efforts are often understaffed and underfunded. More partnerships within state government would be beneficial to this work, to help us make a systemic level change. More partnerships with state government will also help with Kentucky's national image, challenging the narrative that we are a socially regressive state.