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LGBTBE® Cohort Program

Is your business LGBTBE® Certified?  If yes, you can apply for the Chamber's LGBTBE® Cohort Program.

What is the LGBTBE® Cohort Program?

The LGBTBE® Cohort Program is a supplier engagement & member education program designed to support LGBTBE® Certified Businesses in the greater Houston region.  The regional program connects a cohort of LGBTBE® Certified businesses through in-person and virtual events to supplier diversity and procurement professionals and other certified businesses to help them learn, grow and build their network.

The program is consistent with the Chamber's mission of supporting members through business growth, education, and advocacy.  As an LGBT Business Enterprise and Chamber member, certified LGBTBE® businesses may be invited to participate in the LGBTBE® Cohort Program, comprised exclusively of certified, LGBTQ+-owned companies.

Through increasing the number of LGBTBE® Certified Businesses in the region, the program focuses on connecting LGBTQ+ business owners to supplier diversity experts, affiliated with Chamber Corporate partners, and to supply chain opportunities.

The program aims to address the economic inequities and challenges, through supply chain engagement, that LGBTQ+ business owners face because of systemic discrimination and marginalization due to sexual orientation, gender identity or gender expression, especially transgender, people of color and women-owned LGBTQ+ businesses.
The program goals include assisting LGBTQ+ entrepreneurs, who have the capacity to participate in supply chain engagement, with connection and learning opportunities to maximize the certification.

Eligibility / Criteria

  • Business must be a member of the Greater Houston LGBT Chamber of Commerce and in good standing
  • Business must be LGBTBE® Certified
  • The LGBTBE® Certification must be current for the duration of the program
  • Cohort participants will commit to attending all learning sessions to the best of their ability

Ready to Apply?

If your business meets the eligibility/criteria above and you are interested in participating in the program, please contact the Chamber for more details.

The deadline for participation on the 2023 LGBTBE® Program is November 30, 2022.

Get LGBTBE® Certified

If your company is not LGBTBE® Certified, apply today for certification!  You can learn more about how to get LGBTBE® Certified at https://www.houstonlgbtchamber.com/lgbt-business-certification/. 

Did you know your LGBTBE® Certification fee is waived if you're a member of the Greater Houston LGBT Chamber of Commerce?