U.S. Minority Business Development AgencyPart of the U.S. Department of Commerce, MBDA is the only federal agency created specifically to foster the creation, growth and expansion of minority-owned businesses in the U.S. Assistance is provided to socially or economically disadvantaged individuals who own or wish to start a business. Such persons include: Asian Pacific Americans, Asian Indians, Black Americans, Eskimos/Aleuts, Hasidic Jews, Native Americans, Spanish Speaking Americans, and Puerto Ricans.