Winchendon Community Action Committee
Supplier Diversity Policy

1. Purpose
The Winchendon Community Action Committee (CAC) is committed to advancing equity, promoting economic opportunity, and strengthening the local economy. This Supplier Diversity Policy formalizes our commitment to ensuring that diverse businesses—especially those in our own rural region—have equitable access to contracting and purchasing opportunities with CAC.
 
2. Statement of Commitment
CAC prioritizes buying local first and actively supporting minority-owned and other historically underrepresented businesses. We intentionally engage businesses that are, small, local, and/or disadvantaged,  veteran-owned, disability-owned, women-owned, minority-owned, women-owned, immigrant-owned, and/or LGBTQ+-owned. Supplier diversity is a core strategy for building community wealth, expanding economic mobility, and strengthening the local small-business ecosystem. All CAC procurement will reflect this commitment to equitable opportunity and local business growth.
 
3. Scope
This policy applies to all CAC purchasing, subcontracting, and procurement activities across programs, operations, facilities, events, and administrative functions.
 
4. Policy Objectives
CAC sets the following supplier diversity goals:

• At least 20% of all annual vendors will be minority-owned businesses.

• At least 5% of all annual vendors will be certified or certifiable under the Massachusetts Supplier Diversity Program (SDP) (MBE, WBE, VBE, DOBE, LGBTBE, etc.).

• CAC will support local diverse businesses in understanding, pursuing, and completing SDP certification through our HEAL Collaborative Local Makers Hub work. .

• CAC will lead with local purchasing, prioritizing Winchendon and North Central MA businesses whenever feasible.

• Promote equitable access by broadly sharing subcontracting and purchasing opportunities.

• Integrate supplier diversity considerations into all vendor evaluations.

• Track and review progress annually to ensure continuous improvement.

 
5. Governance & Accountability
Supplier diversity is a shared responsibility of CAC staff and the Board of Directors. The Executive Director will ensure procurement practices follow this policy and will report annually on:

• Percent of minority-owned vendors

• Percent of SDP-certified (or SDP-eligible) vendors

• Actions taken to support vendor certification

• Opportunities for improvement
   

CAC’s governance structure requires representation from low-income residents and youth, ensuring community voice and lived experience guide vendor selection priorities.
 
6. Implementation Strategies
CAC will implement this policy by:

• Maintaining and updating a list of local and diverse vendors.

• Proactively seeking quotes and outreach from minority-owned and small businesses.

• Incorporating supplier diversity into vendor selection criteria.

• Supporting local diverse businesses in pursuing SDP certification, including information, guidance, and referrals.

• Building new vendor relationships through events, partnerships, and community outreach.

• Collaborating with regional partners to expand opportunities for diverse supplier participation.
   

 
7. Review & Updates
The Board of Directors will review this policy at least every two years to ensure alignment with CAC’s mission and evolving community needs.