State Payments to MWBEs Marks Highest Utilization Spend in Program History
31.86 Percent MWBE Utilization Rate Exceeds Nation-Leading 30 Percent Goal for Fifth Consecutive Year
Increased Discretionary Purchasing Threshold to $1.5 Million Streamlines Procurement and Expands Opportunities
Governor Kathy Hochul today announced historic achievements for New York State’s Minority- and Women-Owned Business Enterprise (MWBE) Program as detailed in the newly released 2025 MWBE Annual Report. In Fiscal Year 2024–25, New York State disbursed $3.3 billion in payments to MWBEs — the highest statewide MWBE utilization spend in the history of the program — and achieved an estimated 31.86 percent utilization rate, marking the fifth consecutive year the State has met or exceeded its nation-leading 30 percent MWBE participation goal. Earlier this year, Governor Hochul signed legislation raising the MWBE discretionary purchasing threshold to $1.5 million, further streamlining procurement and expanding contracting opportunities for certified MWBE firms across the State.
“New York is leading the nation in uplifting minority- and women-owned businesses, and these results show what happens when we open doors to equal opportunity,” Governor Hochul said. “With a record $3.3 billion in payments to MWBEs and a 31.86 percent utilization rate, we are proving — five years in a row — that equity and economic growth go hand in hand. By raising the discretionary purchasing threshold to $1.5 million and continuing to streamline certification, we are ensuring more MWBEs can compete, win, and thrive across our State.”
The 2025 MWBE Annual Report outlines significant advancements made under Governor Hochul’s leadership to modernize, strengthen, and expand New York State’s MWBE program. Following the elimination of the certification backlog in 2023, the Division of Minority and Women’s Business Development has continued to accelerate processing times, now averaging under 90 days for determinations. Through a series of targeted initiatives — including Sail-Thru Summer, Whirlwind Winter, Trailblazers in Business, Respuesta Rapida, Second Chance Certification Initiative, and Women Entrepreneurs Rising — the State provided hands-on application assistance to eligible firms through a network of Entrepreneurship Assistance Centers. Many applicants received determinations in as few as 30 days, marking the fastest certification timelines in program history.
The MWBE program now includes 9,745 certified firms statewide, with 2,225 firms certified or recertified in FY 2024–25. The State also expanded demographic reporting, with 249 certified businesses voluntarily providing detailed Asian American and Pacific Islander (AAPI) information for the first time, ahead of next year’s inclusion of Middle Eastern and North African (MENA) categories.
New York’s record-setting performance this year reflects strong participation across sectors and regions. State agencies and authorities reported $10.46 billion in total 15-A eligible expenditures, with MWBE utilization totaling $3.333 billion, comprising $1.724 billion in MBE utilization and $1.609 billion in WBE utilization. Since FY 2020–21, nearly $15 billion in State procurement spending has been directed to MWBEs, underscoring New York’s sustained commitment to equitable economic development. To further expand access, the State increased the MWBE discretionary purchasing threshold to $1.5 million, allowing agencies to procure more efficiently while widening the pipeline of contracting opportunities for certified firms.
Throughout FY 2024–25, the Division of Minority and Women’s Business Development expanded its statewide presence through the MWBE Regional Opportunities Expo Series, held in Syracuse and the boroughs of Manhattan and Queens, drawing more than 1,000 attendees and providing matchmaking, workshops, and direct engagement with public and private project owners. The Division also delivered two training webinars per month and participated in nearly 100 regional events, strengthening relationships with businesses across all ten New York regions.
New York State’s MWBE program is administered by Empire State Development’s Division of Minority and Women’s Business Development under Executive Law Article 15-A. Through certification, oversight, capacity building, and direct engagement, the program continues to help minority- and women-owned businesses grow, compete, and contribute to a more open statewide economy.
The 2025 MWBE Annual Report outlines significant advancements made under Governor Hochul’s leadership to modernize, strengthen, and expand New York State’s MWBE program. Following the elimination of the certification backlog in 2023, the Division of Minority and Women’s Business Development has continued to accelerate processing times, now averaging under 90 days for determinations. Through a series of targeted initiatives — including Sail-Thru Summer, Whirlwind Winter, Trailblazers in Business, Respuesta Rapida, Second Chance Certification Initiative, and Women Entrepreneurs Rising — the State provided hands-on application assistance to eligible firms through a network of Entrepreneurship Assistance Centers. Many applicants received determinations in as few as 30 days, marking the fastest certification timelines in program history.
The MWBE program now includes 9,745 certified firms statewide, with 2,225 firms certified or recertified in FY 2024–25. The State also expanded demographic reporting, with 249 certified businesses voluntarily providing detailed Asian American and Pacific Islander (AAPI) information for the first time, ahead of next year’s inclusion of Middle Eastern and North African (MENA) categories.
New York’s record-setting performance this year reflects strong participation across sectors and regions. State agencies and authorities reported $10.46 billion in total 15-A eligible expenditures, with MWBE utilization totaling $3.333 billion, comprising $1.724 billion in MBE utilization and $1.609 billion in WBE utilization. Since FY 2020–21, nearly $15 billion in State procurement spending has been directed to MWBEs, underscoring New York’s sustained commitment to equitable economic development. To further expand access, the State increased the MWBE discretionary purchasing threshold to $1.5 million, allowing agencies to procure more efficiently while widening the pipeline of contracting opportunities for certified firms.
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