Women Working at Whiteboard

4 Certification Programs for Women-Owned Small Businesses

In one of our most recent blog posts, we highlighted some of the ways to better market your company as a women-owned small business. One of these ways was to know the women-owned small business (WOSB) program inside and out and to look into becoming WOSB certified.

What does it mean to be WOSB certified?

In order to be eligible for the WOSB Contracting Program, in which you compete for federal contracts that are set aside for your diverse status, you need to be a certified WOSB – either through self-certification or through third-party certification. This lets the government verify that you are what you say you are: a women-owned small business. Here are four different certification programs for you to choose from seeking third-party certification.

Certification Programs

1. The Women’s Business Enterprise National Council

Also known as WBENC, the Women’s Business Enterprise National Council is the largest certifier of women-owned businesses in the U.S. Becoming WOSB-certified through WBENC has a variety of benefits, including opportunities to network and pursue business deals, scholarship and award opportunities, and a variety of ways to promote your business. View all the benefits here.

2. The National Women Business Owners Corporation

Also known as NWBOC, the National Women Business Owners Corporation became the first organization to create a national certification program for women-owned businesses more than 20 years ago. The benefits of becoming WOSB-certified through NWBOC include a mentoring program, trainings and webinars, and award opportunities. View all the benefits here.

3. The U.S. Women’s Chamber of Commerce

Also known as USWCC, the U.S. Women’s Chamber of Commerce helps women start and build successful businesses and careers. The organization is an authorized 3rd party certifier for the federal WOSB and EDWOSB programs. The benefits of becoming WOSB-certified through USWCC include access to conferences and summits throughout the year.

4. The El Paso Hispanic Chamber of Commerce

Also known as EPHCC, the El Paso Hispanic Chamber of Commerce offers several Federal small business certifications for any business that would like to become a supplier for the U.S. Government. Business development specialists assess your business and help you with the certification process.

Interested in self-certification? No worries. Check out this preparation checklist from the Small Business Administration to kick-start your self-certification process.

Becoming certified as a WOSB can help you stand out among your competition and can result in federal contracts set aside for your diverse status. Take it from us – JetCo Federal is a WBENC certified company. Though the certification program may require some paperwork, it pays off in the long run by helping further differentiate your company. By using one of these four third-party certification programs, you’ll be on your way better marketing your company as a WOSB.

Angel Tree with tags on it

Angel Tree Toy Drive 2019

The holiday season is approaching, bringing joy and cheer to our region.

For some of our west Michigan neighbors, finding the funds to purchase holiday gifts is difficult. That’s where the Salvation Army’s Angel Tree Toy Drive comes in. They’ve been making holidays happier for 35 years.

This year, the Salvation Army has a goal of collecting toys for 25,000 children across West Michigan. JetCo Federal is supporting this cause – we are an official Angel Tree site for the drive, which is taking place from November 8 – December 15.

How Does the Angel Tree Toy Drive Work?

  1. Visit one of the Angel Tree locations in West Michigan! If you would like to stop by our cheery office, our address is 525 Ottawa Ave NW, Lower Level, Grand Rapids.
  2. Pick a tag off our Angel Tree. Each tag indicates the age and gender of the child who will be receiving the gift.
  3. Purchase an appropriate gift for the child listed on the tag.
  4. Return the gift, unwrapped, to the Angel Tree location with the tag secured to the gift.
  5. If you pick an Angel Teen tag, do not purchase a toy. Rather, purchase a $10 or $20 gift card to a major retail store. When you bring the gift card back to the Angel Tree location, be sure to hand it to someone at the front desk so that it can be secured in a safe spot. Please make sure the dollar amount is noted on the card.

We welcome you to pick up a tag at the JetCo Federal office Monday – Friday from 8:30 AM – 5 PM. Be sure to return it with the gift by the end of the day on December 13 – we are taking the donations to the Salvation Army on December 16.

Together, we will bring joy to children this holiday season!