2024 Membership Guide

2024

CORPORATE MEMBERSHIP SERVICES GUIDE

ABOUT The MMBC Continuum is an economic accelerator for stage II Minority and WomenOwned Business Enterprises (M/WBEs) that successfully connects diverse suppliers with the Mid-South’s largest corporations.

GAIN ACCESS As a large corporation, The MMBC Continuum can help you access scalable M/WBEs by industry, distribute and communicate your procurement opportunities via RFPs and RFQs, assist in formulating a written supplier diversity policy and program, form joint ventures with M/WBEs, formulate second-tier M/WBE programs with your major national vendors and assist you in developing M/WBEs through your own developmental/incubator process.

The MMBC Continuum also has an initiative to enhance and institutionalize your diversity and inclusion efforts. As the premier minority economic development organization in the mid-south, The MMBC Continuum creates innovative programs and services that produce results. Please review our website to learn more about how we can assist you. Your membership in our organization is very important to us.

Please review this digital guide to learn about the 2024 membership benefits and services.

YOUR MEMBERSHIP IN OUR ORGANIZATION IS VERY IMPORTANT TO US.

JOIN OR RENEW TODAY Thank you for being a corporate member of the MMBC Continuum. Your membership enhances your ability to do business with a larger audience of diverse suppliers and is designed to optimize your engagement with local certified M/WBEs.

REQUEST AN INVOICE We made customizing your membership and/or sponsorship support easy. After reviewing the details of our programs, events and member benefits and determining which plan to support, simply select if you would like to combine your selections in one invoice or request separate invoices for each of your corporate membership or sponsorship commitments.

Do you have any questions?

Please contact us at 901-525-6512, and ask to speak to someone about corporate membership benefits and services.

Generate a Customized Invoice

THANK YOU FOR YOUR SUPPORT!

CORPORATE MEMBERSHIP The Mid-South Minority Business Council Continuum has developed a “new model” approach for diversity and inclusion by partnering with corporations to identify opportunities and providing business solutions that add value and produce efficiencies.

As a member of The MMBC Continuum, you will join over 120 local, national and global corporations who have a commitment to diversity and inclusion and are seeking to do business with capable, diverse suppliers.

SERVICES Corporate services can be customized to implement your policies or achieve your strategic priorities. Fee-based services are available for complex and broad-based scopes of work.

M/WBE Database or The Corporate Efficiency Directory (CED) An online database of nearly 700 certified M/WBEs in more than 70 industry classifications.

Consultative Services Focused engagement with corporations to produce a framework that supports the development of a formal, company-wide strategic diversity plan that enhances supplier diversity, workforce diversity, community giving and internal diversity committees.

Matchmakers A customized process that allows purchasing teams to meet one-on-one with only those M/WBEs that meet their specific supplier requirements and enables them to see firsthand their business operations.

RFP Distribution A method to maximize RFP distribution to potential M/WBE bidders in the local area.

Model Diversity Corporation Initiative A diversity and inclusion model with proven outcomes that can strategically improve corporate performance with diversity as a major catalyst.

Alliance for Purchasing Excellence (APEX) An association of senior purchasing and procurement professionals whose objective is to promote best practices in supplier diversity and M/WBE scalability.

Corporate Resource Committee (CRC) Committee for purchasing professionals to exchange ideas and discuss upcoming opportunities for M/WBEs.

Programs & Events Technical Assistance and Development Training The Mid-South Minority Council - Technical Assistance and Development Pool, Inc. (MMC-TADP) is the 501 (c)3 sister organization to the MMBC Continuum. The MMC-TADP provides business resources to M/WBEs to assist these emerging businesses in improving their operations, practices, efficiency and effectiveness. The scope of services includes management and financial consulting, human resource management, proposal and contract review, bonding and insurance, joint venture coordination, legal services, marketing and website development, accounting and bookkeeping, strategic planning, turnaround management, business valuation and wealth management.

If your company has Environmental, Social and Governance (ESG) objectives that align with the mission of the MMBC Continuum and MMC-TADP, please consider making a tax-deductible corporate contribution.

Tennessee MBDA Business Center Click Here to View

The Minority Business Development Agency (MBDA) Business Center is a federal resource to support the continued growth of minority businesses. The MMBC Continuum was awarded funding for the MBDA Business Center in 2012. As the only center in the State of Tennessee, the Center serves the Mid-South and other regional markets. The MBDA focuses on providing access to capital, contracts, new markets and strategic business consulting.

Economic Development Forum View 2024 Sponsorship Levels

Each year, the MMBC Continuum convenes national thought leaders, representatives from all levels of government, corporate representatives, minority-owned and women-owned businesses, representatives from the M/WBE economic and advocacy ecosystem, and the greater community. Over the years, this forum has: Featured national thought leaders, consultants, and renowned speakers to share research findings, insight, and data as evidence for the case of M/WBE engagement, corporate procurement policies, diverse corporate governance, and economic strategy Presented federal, state, and local policy positions that supported or furthered corporate and M/WBE procurement engagement Amplified proven corporate and M/WBE strategies Provided hundreds of face-to-face corporate and M/WBE procurement connections in the Exhibition Hall Facilitated millions of dollars in post-Exhibit Hall procurement connections

Robert R. Church, Sr. Achievement Awards It is during this annual meeting and convening of our membership and finale of the Economic Development Forum, that we reflect on and celebrate the intentional commitment of our corporate partners who provide ongoing access to numerous opportunities, as well as the amazing achievements of scalable minority and women-owned business enterprises throughout Greater Memphis.

While supporting underrepresented suppliers has a proven positive impact on a corporation’s bottom line, implementing programming, both internally and externally, that works to support and grow those businesses through strategies such as technical assistance, can have a positive impact on their communities—an impact that can extend for generations.

Holiday Business Mixer Secure 2024 Sponsorship

The weather outside may be frightful, but we promise the cocktails and hors d'oeuvres will be most delightful!

End the year mixing and mingling with fellow corporate members and M/WBEs at our annual holiday business mixer.