Minority-owned businesses often shut out of state program designed to get them work

A nearly 40-year-old program designed to give minority-owned business in Wisconsin a leg up in getting contracts to work for the state could be improved greatly. That’s according to business owners involved in the program, or who would like to do business with the state.

The state of Wisconsin met a rare financial goal in fiscal year 2020. More than 5 percent of contracted business with state agencies was done by minority-owned businesses — or businesses that are at least 51 percent owned by people of color, women or veterans.

Five percent has been the state`s goal since 1983 when the Legislature created the Wisconsin Supplier Diversity Program. But the goal has only been met four times in its long history....