FAQs
Frequently Asked Questions
The 360 Business Council is the umbrella organization for a growing family of initiatives that help businesses connect, engage, and grow. Building on the nearly 50-year legacy of the Michigan Minority Supplier Development Council (MMSDC), the 360 Business Council brings together a portfolio of programs and services—including Business Solutions Group (BSG) lending, advisory, and training services; the Global Initiative; Workforce Development; MatchMaker365; Plug and Play Detroit; Thrive; Supplier Prequalification Program by Supplier Gateway; and others—to support businesses at every stage of growth.
As the operator of these initiatives, the 360 Business Council serves businesses of all sizes, as well as corporations, government agencies, and partners committed to their growth. MMSDC, which for almost 50 years has connected businesses to opportunity and today supports $56 billion in annual economic output, remains a cornerstone of the family and continues its mission to ensure everyone is included in this country's economic opportunities.
About the 360 Business Council
Q: What is the 360 Business Council?
A: The 360 Business Council is the umbrella organization for a growing family of initiatives that help businesses connect, engage, and grow. The family includes the Michigan Minority Supplier Development Council, the Business Solutions Group, Supplier Gateway, MatchMaker365, Plug and Play Detroit, Thrive, and workforce development programs, with more on the way. The name reflects our approach: full-circle support for businesses at every stage, from every angle.
Q: Is MMSDC going away?
A: No. The Michigan Minority Supplier Development Council is not going away, not being replaced, and not being acquired. The 360 Business Council is an umbrella organization being introduced above our existing work, and MMSDC is a cornerstone of that family. Its mission, its certification support, and the team behind it all continue. Think of it as Marriott, which includes Ritz-Carlton, Courtyard, and Westin under one roof: each brand keeps its own name and identity, while the larger family opens more doors.
Q: What is the official new name, and when does it take effect?
A: The 360 Business Council is being officially introduced on July 20, 2026. You will begin seeing the new name, logo, website, and updated messaging across our platforms with more information rolling out over the following weeks.
Q: What does '360' mean?
A: It reflects how we work: full-circle support, from every angle, at every stage of business growth. Businesses connect to opportunities, engage with corporations and partners, and grow with support from programs spanning capital access, advisory services, workforce development, and innovation.
Q: Why is the organization evolving its focus?
A: In 2017, we began reviewing the true impact of supplier diversity programs over the past 50 years. It was our organization that commissioned the study showing it would take 333 years to close the equity gap. This finding is based solely on the quantifiable success of those programs. We began testing new concepts to identify the best way to include everyone in the economy. The programs we created for small businesses have outpaced the growth of those focused solely on a single group.
We have learned that small businesses across all backgrounds face major hurdles in scaling, securing capital, and navigating supply chains. By expanding our mission to serve all small and mid-sized businesses, we can apply our proven programs, resources, and network to drive broader economic growth while continuing to champion the diverse business owners who built this organization.
Q: Does this mean you are no longer supporting minority-owned suppliers?
A: Absolutely not. We are not doing less for minority suppliers; we are doing more for the small and mid-sized business community, which includes all suppliers, including minority suppliers. In fact, our integrated approach has strengthened outcomes for minority businesses: more networking circles, more peer-to-peer commerce, and a broader pool of corporate partners.
Q: Is this change a reaction to current political pressures or shifts in policy?
A: No. This is a strategic evolution a decade in the making. Ten years ago, we began testing our supplier development models with non-minority small businesses to see whether our methodology could drive broader economic impact. The results were definitive: our framework works for all small businesses. Just as important, integrating a wider network of small and mid-sized businesses strengthened the environment for minority suppliers. This transition is not a reaction to the external political climate; it is the culmination of ten years of data proving that an integrated model yields better results for everyone.
Q: Is this change unique to Michigan?
A: No. Across the country, councils in the affiliate network are expanding their brand, reach, and programming to serve the evolving needs of the businesses and corporations in their regions. The marketplace has changed significantly over the past 50 years, and organizations like ours have grown well beyond a single program or funding source. We can only speak for Michigan, but we are proud to be part of a broader movement toward serving more businesses, more completely.
For Existing Corporate Members and Minority Business Owners
Q: I'm worried our specific voice and needs will get lost in a broader pool. How will you prevent that?
A: While the umbrella mission is expanding, the MBE Input Committee will continue to address the distinct, systemic challenges faced by minority-owned businesses. The leaders, relationships, and programs that have served you are not being diluted; they are being reinforced by a larger network, more corporate partners, and more peer-to-peer commerce.
Q: How does this evolution affect our corporate sponsorship or supplier development commitments?
A: This expansion multiplies the impact of your investment. Your support now reaches a larger network of businesses while continuing to advance the supplier development outcomes you have always valued. We are also expanding the menu of ways to engage, allowing for more customized partnership opportunities aligned to your priorities, whether that is supplier development, workforce, innovation, or capital access.
The Track Record Behind the Name
Q: What has this organization accomplished?
A: Almost 50 years of measurable results. When the council was chartered in 1977, its first full year saw 14 certified MBEs and 30 corporate members generating $208 million in spend with minority businesses. Today, the businesses we serve generate $55 billion in annual economic output, up from $36 billion in our most recent prior study, with roughly 1,450 certified MBEs and a 95% year-over-year retention rate. Along the way, we operated Michigan's MBDA Business Center for 12 years, recognized as the top-performing center in the country in 2018, and built the Michigan Minority Procurement Conference into the largest regional event of its kind in the nation.
Q: What results are the newer initiatives already delivering?
A: The expanded model is not a promise; it is already producing. In the last twelve months alone:
- Business Solutions Group facilitated 13 transactions producing $270 million in revenue growth, $16.5 million in capital, and approximately 1,500 jobs created or retained.
- Our funding arm has delivered over $48 million in financial transactions, with 120 clients in the pipeline seeking capital.
- Plug and Play Detroit has graduated 85 startups since inception, 59% founded by socially and economically disadvantaged individuals (SEDI), which have collectively raised more than $501 million in venture funding.
- The Global Initiative built a $250 million-plus nearshoring sourcing footprint across the US, Canada, and Mexico, and facilitated a $42 million Volkswagen contract for a certified MBE, creating 200 jobs.
- Workforce programs secured training grants, generated over $1 million in annual economic impact, and placed over 500 individuals into employment opportunities.
- MatchMaker365 delivered 178 buyer-approved matches connecting businesses with procurement opportunities, with 78% showing strong potential for future contracts.
Q: What does the future look like under the 360 Business Council?
A: Bigger reach, same mission. The umbrella structure lets us scale what works: expanding capital access and advisory services to more businesses, growing the buyer-to-business matchmaking that turns connections into contracts, extending global market access through nearshoring and trade partnerships. Every new business that joins the network strengthens it for everyone already in it: more peer commerce, more corporate partners, and more opportunity flowing to the diverse businesses that built this organization.
Certification and the Family of Brands
Q: Will the council continue to serve National Minority Supplier Development Council (NMSDC) MBEs as it has for almost 50 years?
A: Yes. MMSDC continues to serve NMSDC-certified MBEs. The marketplace has changed enormously over five decades, and our council is proud to have evolved so that the best programs and services are available to the businesses we serve. NMSDC certification remains a strong standard and now sits alongside a broader set of resources because our small business owners, corporate partners, and economic development partners all deserve best-in-class support, which requires a diversified strategy.
Q: Does this change certification? Will my current benefits or program access change?
A: Certification is not changing. NMSDC certification remains available for businesses that want it, and we will continue to support certified firms with the full range of our resources. This expansion brings additional resources into our network, ultimately creating more opportunities for your business to grow. Nothing you rely on today is being taken away; the menu is getting bigger.
Q: How will the different brands be used going forward? What about MBDA and NMSDC?
A: The 360 Business Council operates as the umbrella, and you will increasingly see our communications come from the 360 Business Council name. MMSDC continues as the brand for NMSDC certification, supplier recognition, and related activities, just as we operated the Minority Business Development Agency's Michigan center for 12 years: MBDA kept its identity, and everyone knew MMSDC was the operator behind it. That operator model is exactly how the family works. Business Solutions Group, our workforce development programs, Plug and Play Detroit and other programs keep their identities under the umbrella.
Q: Why not bring certification back in-house to serve MBEs directly?
A: We prefer to focus our resources on programs and services that add value for corporate and business constituents.
Q: Who can receive service from the 360 Business Council?
A: Our programs serve businesses of all sizes, from startups and entrepreneurs to established companies working to scale, along with the corporations and partners committed to their growth. Eligibility for specific programs varies by initiative, since several are supported by state and federal grants with their own criteria; program pages on our website list requirements for each. In general, if you own or lead a business in Michigan that is working to grow, there is a place for you here.
Q: Are your programs specific to certain industries or geographies?
A: Our programs serve businesses across industries, from manufacturing and automotive to technology, professional services, construction, retail, and beyond. Our corporate network, global initiatives, and certification support connect businesses to opportunities across the region, nationally, and internationally. Certain grant-funded programs carry specific geographic requirements, which are listed with each program.