DOBE Certification for Financial Services Companies

For businesses that are at least 51% owned by individuals with disabilities.

Financial services is one of the most mature sectors for supplier diversity. Here's why certification matters:

Billion Dollar Commitments: Major financial institutions are among the largest diverse supplier buyers in the world. JPMorgan Chase spends over $2 billion annually with diverse suppliers. Bank of America, Citi, and Wells Fargo each spend over $1 billion. These are not aspirational goals—they are tracked and reported commitments.

Regulatory Expectations: The Dodd-Frank Act established Offices of Minority and Women Inclusion (OMWI) at major financial regulatory agencies, encouraging regulated financial institutions to assess diversity in their procurement. This regulatory backdrop reinforces bank commitment to diverse suppliers.

Broad Procurement Needs: Banks and insurers buy everything—IT services, marketing, legal, facilities management, printing, office supplies, consulting, and more. You don't need to sell financial products to sell to financial services companies.

Community Reinvestment: Financial institutions are evaluated under the Community Reinvestment Act (CRA) and other frameworks that incentivize community investment, including diverse supplier spend.

Insurance Industry: The insurance sector has its own supplier diversity requirements and organizations, providing additional opportunities beyond banking.

Financial services companies in the Billion Dollar Roundtable collectively represent some of the most well-resourced and committed diversity procurement programs in the corporate world.

Must be at least 51% owned by individuals with a physical or mental impairment that substantially limits major life activities.

Disability:IN publishes three baseline requirements, and its National Certification Committee verifies each one against your documents.

The published standard

• At least 51% owned, operated, managed, and controlled by a person (or persons) with a disability
• For-profit business
• Headquartered in the country in which it applies for certification; U.S. applicants document U.S. citizenship or permanent residency for the qualifying owner

Ownership: the 51% rule

• The owner(s) with a disability must hold at least 51% of the equity, documented through stock certificates, a stock transfer ledger, or the operating agreement
• Ownership must be genuine equity, not a nominal arrangement built to qualify; voting agreements, stock options, warrants, and buy/sell agreements are reviewed for provisions that undercut the 51%
• Multi-owner businesses qualify as long as the disability-identified owner(s) hold 51%+ combined

Control: management and operations

• The disability-identified owner must actually run the business: day-to-day operations and long-term strategic decisions
• Governing documents (bylaws, operating agreement, board minutes) must show that management authority sits with the disability-identified owner, not with non-disabled co-owners or outside managers through side agreements

Documenting disability status Disability:IN requires one form of disability documentation per qualifying owner. Any one of the following satisfies it:

• Records from a licensed, registered, or certified vocational rehabilitation specialist (state or private)
• An Individualized Education Program (IEP), for an owner with a learning disability
• Documentation from a federal, state, D.C., or U.S. territory agency that issues disability benefits
• The Disability:IN Physician's Form completed by a licensed medical professional

Service-disabled veteran owners applying as SDV-DOBE submit a DD-214 plus their VA Disability Ratings Letter instead. Visible and non-visible disabilities both qualify; the IEP route shows the standard reaches learning disabilities that many owners assume don't count.

Step 1: Pick the right designation Disability:IN issues three: DOBE (owner with a disability), V-DOBE (veteran owner with a disability), and SDV-DOBE (owner whose disability is service-connected). The designation determines which documents you submit, so settle this before opening the application.

Step 2: Check whether you qualify for a fast track Firms holding a current WBENC or NGLCC certification apply through the Disability:IN Certification Hub with a reduced document set; Disability:IN says those determinations typically take 30 days. Businesses verified through SBA VetCert apply for SDV-DOBE with their DD-214, VA Disability Ratings Letter, and SBA VetCert letter plus standard business documentation. NaVOBA-certified firms can opt in to the program as an SDV-DOBE, with renewals handled through NaVOBA.

Step 3: Download the certification checklist and gather documents Disability:IN publishes a certification checklist at disabilityin.org listing every required document by business structure. First-time applicants need formation and governance documents, proof of ownership, three years of signed federal tax returns, current financial statements, payroll records, and one form of disability documentation per qualifying owner (vocational rehabilitation records, an IEP, disability-benefits agency documentation, or the Disability:IN Physician's Form).

Step 4: Apply through the Certification Hub and pay the $300 fee Applications run through Disability:IN's Certification Hub at supplierhub.disabilityin.org. The $300 non-refundable processing fee is due by credit or debit card at submission. Be consistent; reviewers compare application answers against governing documents.

Step 5: National Certification Committee review The committee reviews the file and reserves the right to request additional documents if disability ownership, management, and control are not adequately established. Respond within any stated deadline to keep your file moving.

Step 6: Certification decision Once approved, certification is valid for three years. You can use the DOBE mark in your marketing and bid submissions, and corporate procurement teams can find you through Disability:IN's directory of certified suppliers.

Federal Opportunities

Key agencies in the financial services ecosystem:

• Department of the Treasury: Financial management, IT services, economic policy support
• Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation (FDIC): Banking regulation support services
• Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC): Regulatory technology and services
• Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB): Consumer protection technology and research

Government Financial Services Contracts

• Financial management and accounting services
• IT modernization for financial regulatory agencies
• Economic research and analysis
• Compliance and regulatory technology solutions
• Training and education services for financial literacy programs

Compliance Technology

Federal regulators need technology solutions for:

• Anti-money laundering (AML) systems
• Know Your Customer (KYC) platforms
• Regulatory reporting tools
• Cybersecurity solutions for financial infrastructure
• Data analytics for market surveillance

State and Local

State treasury departments, pension funds, and insurance commissioners all procure goods and services, often with diverse supplier preferences for investment managers, custodians, legal counsel, and professional services.