Certify Your Woman-Owned Business With Enhanced Digital Certification
Certify your WBE, no matter the size, in less than 72 hours with SupplierGateway’s Enhanced Digital Certification™.
Accepted by the World’s Biggest Companies
Certify Your Woman-Owned Business Fast
Woman-owned businesses are vital for job creation. During the pandemic, woman-owned businesses added 1.4 million jobs and an estimated $579 billion in revenue to the economy. Despite outpacing the growth of businesses owned by men by 94%, very few woman-owned businesses are certified.
Getting certified opens up new opportunities for woman-owned firms, but traditional certifications are high-barrier considering the cost and time needed to get certified.
SupplierGateway’s Enhanced Digital Certification™ makes it easy to get certified by being the most affordable and inclusive diversity certification on the market. We certify small, woman-owned, minority-owned, veteran-owned, disability-owned, LGBT+-owned, and HUBZone businesses. Our all-in-one certification unlocks opportunities with organizations looking to do more business with woman-owned firms.
Our Entirely Online Application Process Makes WBE Certification Quick and Easy
Our digital application process with no site visits means applications take as little as 15 minutes to complete, and your woman-owned business is certified within 48 hours. Get the woman-owned business certification preferred by government agencies and the world’s leading organizations like Microsoft, Target, Amazon, Nike, Home Depot, Vizient, and more.
Start by registering your business in our portal.
Answer questions about your business. Having tax information and specific business documents handy makes this part easier.
Upload your ID and complete a biometric scan. We only use this information to confirm your ID, and do not use this information for any other purpose.
We check to make sure the information you give us is accurate.
Once checks and screenings are successfully passed, your certificate is issued in less than 72 hours.
Enhanced Digital Certification™
Looking for help? Here are our most frequently asked questions
A WBE is a company-level diversity certification that can be issued by a third-party certifying organization or federal, state, or local governments. The application requirements will vary depending on the certificate issuer. Some governments, like the US Federal Government, require that a portion of their contracts be set aside for minority and women-owned businesses; becoming certified as a WBE allows the organization to bid on these opportunities.
Often, becoming certified also places the organization in a searchable database maintained by the issuing organization, potentially increasing the WBE’s exposure to new buyers.
To be eligible for certification as a WBE, an organization must be at least 51% owned and controlled by a female U.S. citizen. There may be additional requirements dependent on who is issuing the certificate; for example, some states do not require a woman-owned business to be a small business.
Third-party organizations like SupplierGateway, WBENC, or NAWBO usually issue certifications. Companies wishing to be certified must complete an application, pay a fee, and provide supporting documentation showing that a woman controls the business.
The chart below lists all current third-party certifiers, what they certify, how long certification takes, and the cost associated with certification.
For WBE certification, cost starts at $25 through SupplierGateway’s Enhanced Digital Certification, and goes up to $1250 for a larger woman-owned business to certify through WBENC.
The main benefits of having a WBE/woman-owned business certification are being eligible for government funding/grants, gaining access to government contracts, and participating in corporate inclusive procurement initiatives.
Most corporate supplier diversity initiatives require a third-party supplier diversity certification to count any spending or activities done with a diverse business. Being certified as a WBE allows you to be counted, making you a more attractive company to do business with.
Any bonafide US Citizen- or Resident-Owned Business that is 51% owned, managed, and controlled by one or more of the included diversity categories (minority, woman, veteran, disability, LGBT) is eligible to get certified. Any business that meets the US Government’s threshold of Small Business is also eligible for certification, regardless of diverse ownership.
Non-US EDC Certification categories will be added in the near future, but EDC is also currently available in Nigeria, Kenya, Canada, and the UK. Qualifications vary depending on country, and this will be updated to reflect those qualifications in the near future.
For a Sole Proprietorship, any one of the following documents is required as applies to your organization:
- Schedule C of owner’s tax return (most recent)
- Fictitious Business Name Statement (if a DBA is being used)
IRS Form SS4 (if in business less than a year) - IRS LTR 147C – EIN Verification Letter (if in business less than a year)
- Active business license showing the owner’s name or DBA
For a Limited Liability Company (LLC), any one of the following documents is required as applies to your organization:
- Articles of Organization/Certificate of Formation
- Operating Agreement (fully executed)
- Certificate of Filing (actual form, not the certificate page)
- Initial Resolutions (fully executed)
- Statement of Information
- IRS SS4 (Sole Member only)
- Diversity Certification from NMSDC, WBENC, NGLCC, USBLN, NaVOBA or NVBDC
For an S-Corporation, any one of the following documents is required as applies to your organization:
- Articles of Incorporation with the stock information included
- Form 1120 of corporation tax returns (most recent)
- Active diversity certification from NMSDC, WBENC, NGLCC, USBLN, NaVOBA or NVBDC
For a C-Corporation, any one of the following documents is required as applies to your organization:
- Stock Ownership documents
- Liquor License applications
- Financial contributions statement
- Contract agreements (small businesses without share certificates)
- Active diversity certification from NMSDC, WBENC, NGLCC, USBLN, NaVOBA or NVBDC