On May 3, Governor Phil Murphy signed Executive Order No. 295 instructing the New Jersey Department of the Treasury to establish a State-backed certification program for LGBTQ+-owned businesses.

The Department will establish rules and regulations and work to ensure the procedures used to certify LGBTQ+-owned businesses are on equal footing with the procedures used to certify other types of businesses.

Under the program, businesses that are majority-owned and operated by one or more individuals who identify as LGBTQ+ can become certified for free as an LGBTQ+-owned business. Certification provides State-backed documentation of a business’ status, which can be beneficial in pursuing contracting opportunities at the local, state, and federal level, as well as in the private sector.

 To view Executive Order No. 295.