Introduction to MySBA Certifications and Business User Roles​

The MySBA Certifications platform is designed to provide both business applicants and internal SBA personnel with a streamlined, clear, and efficient application and review process. MySBA Certifications replaces several legacy certification websites with a unified and consolidated software solution.

There are three user types/roles involved in a given business's application: Qualified Owner, Delegate, and Contributor. While there can only be a single Qualified Owner and a single Delegate per application, there may be many Contributors. Each role carries a distinct set of responsibilities during the application process. Let's examine:​

Qualified Owner:​

• A Qualified Owner (or QO) is a primary business owner that owns and controls the business applying for certification(s). As "first-in-command" during the application effort, the QO ensures the application is initiated, completed, and submitted according to MySBA Certifications requirements. The QO may assign/invite a Delegate to assist in managing and completing the application, and may invite Contributor(s) to complete specific sections in the application as needed. There can only be one Qualified Owner per business; even if a business is structured as a partnership with equal ownership, the business must identify a single partner to serve as the QO.​

Delegate:​

• The Delegate is a business representative chosen by the QO to serve as "second-in-command" during the business's application effort. Like the QO, there can only be one Delegate per application. The Delegate must be invited to the application by the QO, and will complete several details of the business application on behalf of the QO once the application is initiated. The Delegate is also authorized to invite Contributor(s) to complete specific sections in the application as needed.​

Contributor:​

• A Contributor is an individual invited to participate in the application effort by the QO and/or Delegate because they hold pertinent business information. There are often many business Contributors per application. Functioning as an "officer" of sorts, a Contributor's involvement and access within MySBA Certifications is more targeted and limited than the QO or Delegate, yet still essential to the application's completion. Note that a Delegate may also serve as a Contributor in a given application.

NOTE:
If you are invited to an application as a Delegate or Contributor, you must first create a MySBA Certifications account. Once your account is created, you will be able to log in and use your invitation code to access the application and provide inputs. Learn more about creating an account here and learn more about the login procedure here.