Supplier and Vendor Diversity
A supplier/vendor diversity program is the proactive, strategic procurement of goods and services from a diverse cross-section of business owners, including (but not limited to) people of color, women, people who are disabled, the LGBTQ community, and veterans. Often overlooked, this innovative group of business owners can play a vital economic role in the expansion of a nonprofit’s supply chain and the extension of community ties.
Supplier diversity is one of the key equity gaps identified in the Racial Equity in Kentucky’s Nonprofit Sector Report. This page provides several resources, including links to state and local directories that nonprofits may use to find minority-owned businesses to contact for bids, contracts, and other opportunities. We will continue to update this page with resources as we find them. If you find helpful resources, please share them with us!
WATCH: Click here to download a free recording of the Let’s Talk Equity call focused on Supplier/Vendor Diversity.
Samples
- Sample language for vendor/supplier diversity commitment (Coastal Community Foundation of South Carolina): “Through the individuals we employ and service providers we engage, we have an impact on the local economy. In our commitment to equity and inclusion, we will work proactively to provide economic opportunities for diverse communities at all levels of our organization. We will apply an equity lens to our search for vendors, prioritizing local businesses as well as those led by individuals representing diverse constituencies when practicable.”
Statewide Directories
- Kentucky Minority-Owned Business Database (hosted by the Kentucky Chamber Foundation)
- Minority and Women Business Enterprise Certification Program (MWBE)
- Disadvantaged Business Enterprise (DBE)
- Directory of Certified Businesses – Kentucky
- Directory of Certified Businesses – Indiana (reciprocal program)
Lexington Directories
- The Lextropolis Black Business Directory
- Commerce Lexington Minority Resource Guide & Directory
- Lexington Minority Business Enterprise Program – email Sherita Miller at smiller@lexingtonky.gov for the list of businesses
Louisville Directories
- Minority, Woman, or Disadvantaged Business Enterprise (MWDBE) – Click here for information on how to download the directory
- Noir Black Chamber of Commerce – Business Members list
- Louisville Independent Business Alliance – Black-Owned Businesses Directory
- Black Owned Louisville Directory
If your community has a directory, if your organization has a policy,
or if you know of other resources we can share with nonprofits across Kentucky,
click here to share it with us!