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GUIDE FOR WRITING A SOCIAL DISADVANTAGE NARRATIVE

 * 

Owned by Fazila Sunbal

Aug 18, 2023
8 min read

Guide for Writing a Social Disadvantage Narrative.pdf

 

 * 1 1. Purpose
 * 2 1a. Definition
 * 3 1b. How SBA Determines Disadvantage
 * 4 2. Key Elements of a Social Disadvantage Narrative
 * 5 3. Indication of Identity
 * 6 4. Descriptions of Incidents
 * 7 4a. Examples of When
 * 8 4b. Examples of Where
 * 9  4c. Examples of Who
 * 10  4d. Examples of What
 * 11  4e. Examples of Why
 * 12  4f. Examples of How


1. PURPOSE

This guide assists 8(a) participants and applicants with writing their social
disadvantage narratives by explaining each element of the SBA requirement.

To participate in the 8(a) Business Development Program (8(a) Program, a firm
must be 51% owned and controlled by socially and economically disadvantaged
individuals. The owner or owner(s) who are claiming social and economic
disadvantage must demonstrate their individual social disadvantage by writing a
narrative.


1A. DEFINITION

Social disadvantage is defined as an individual that has been subjected to
racial, ethnic, or cultural bias within American society because of their
identities as members of groups and without regard to their individual
qualities. See 13 CFR 124.103(c).

An individual only needs to establish social disadvantage once for the entirety
of the program term. 


1B. HOW SBA DETERMINES DISADVANTAGE

SBA must determine that the discrimination or bias experienced by an individual
is chronic, substantial, and has occurred within American society (not another
country). Additionally, the discrimination must have negatively impacted the
individual’s entry or advancement in the business world. 


2. KEY ELEMENTS OF A SOCIAL DISADVANTAGE NARRATIVE

Social disadvantage narratives should contain the following elements:

 * An indication of which identity or identities is/are the basis of social
   disadvantage.

 * Descriptions of incidents in which bias or discrimination has occurred.

Generally, narratives are sufficient at a length of 3 pages, but may require
more or fewer pages. SBA will request additional information, if needed.


3. INDICATION OF IDENTITY

Clearly describing which identity or characteristics you possess and how you
have been subject to discrimination helps SBA understand your experience and
eligibility for the 8(a) Program.

Race, religion, ethnic origin, gender, sexual orientation, identifiable
disability, and isolation from American society, and others are all categories
of identities/characteristics which have formed the basis of successful social
disadvantage narratives. It is important to specify the
identities/characteristics within the category/categories which form the basis
of your social disadvantage (e.g., Subcontinent Asian American woman are
specific identities within the race and gender categories).

One identity/characteristic is sufficient to establish social disadvantage,
although individuals with multiple identities/characteristics may wish to
specify more than one, as it is often difficult to determine which single
characteristic is the subject of discrimination. 


4. DESCRIPTIONS OF INCIDENTS

An individual should typically provide two incidents of bias to establish
chronic and substantial social disadvantage. One incident may be enough to
establish social disadvantage if it is pervasive or recurring. SBA recommends
limiting the narrative to two examples to avoid unnecessary delays to the review
process.

Experience(s) should be related to education, employment, and business history
(including current or previously owned companies). Some of the broad types of
experiences which may establish social disadvantage are included later in the
document.

 * Education – SBA considers factors such as: denial of equal access to
   institutions of higher education; exclusion from social and professional
   association with students or teachers; denial of education honors rightfully
   earned; and social patters or pressures which discouraged the individual from
   pursuing a professional or business education.

 * Employment – SBA considers factors such as: unequal treatment in hiring,
   promotions, and other aspects of professional advancement, pay and fringe
   benefits, terms and conditions of employment, or retaliatory or
   discriminatory behavior by an employer; and social patterns or pressures
   which have channeled the individual into nonprofessional or non-business
   fields.

 * Business history – SBA considers factors such as: unequal access to credit or
   capital; acquisition of credit or capital under commercially unfavorable
   circumstances; unequal treatment in opportunities for government contracts or
   other work; unequal treatment by potential customers and business associates;
   and exclusion from business or professional organizations.

For each incident, please describe who, what, where, why, when, and how
discrimination or bias occurred. Incidents are more easily digested by the SBA
if they provide information in the following order:

 * When – Explain when the discriminatory conduct occurred. Exact dates, if
   available, are preferred but are not necessary so long as the incident
   provides a specific time period. This discrimination can be from any period
   of your life; you do not need to be experiencing current discrimination to
   qualify.

 * Where – Explain where the discriminatory conduct occurred. The incident must
   have occurred in American society.

 * Who – Explain who committed the discriminatory action. This could include an
   individual, a group of individuals, or an institution. Individual names,
   where available, are preferred but not necessary so long as the incident
   provides a specific figure or organization.

 * What – Explain the discriminatory conduct.

 * Why – Explain the reason(s) that the conduct was more likely motivated by
   bias or discrimination than other non-discriminatory reasons. Without
   additional facts, a mere assertion that the action was the result of bias or
   discrimination is not enough to support a claim of social disadvantage.

 * How - Explain how each instance of discriminatory conduct impacted your entry
   into or advancement in the business world. Offensive comments or conduct,
   while reprehensible, will not support a claim of social disadvantage if there
   is no negative impact associated with the incident.


4A. EXAMPLES OF WHEN

The following are examples that would satisfy the level of detailed required by
SBA:

 

 * Example 1 (Education): Spring semester of my second year in college

 * Example 2 (Employment): November 25, 2020

 * Example 3 (Business History): Fall of 2012

The following are examples that would not provide the level of detail required
by SBA:

 

 * Example 1 (Education): In college

 * Example 2 (Employment): In my mid-20s

 * Example 3 (Business History): Within the first few years of starting my
   business


4B. EXAMPLES OF WHERE

The following are examples that would provide the level of detailed required by
SBA:

 

 * Example 1 (Education): University of ABC in [City. State]

 * Example 2 (Employment): ABC Corporation in [City, State]

 * Example 3 (Business History): ABC Bank in [City, State]

The following are examples that would not provide the level of detail required
by SBA:

 

 * Example 1 (Education): At college

 * Example 2 (Employment): My first job

 * Example 3 (Business History): The bank

 


 4C. EXAMPLES OF WHO

The following are examples that would satisfy the level of detailed required by
SBA:

 

 * Example 1 (Education): My faculty advisor, (whose name I do not recall); and
   Dr. John Doe, the Director the University of ABC School of Health Sciences

 * Example 2 (Employment): Jane Smith, VP for Human Resources, ABC Corporation

 * Example 3 (Business History): ABC Bank’s Senior Loan Officer  

The following are examples that would not provide the level of detail required
by SBA:

 

 * Example 1 (Education): My professors

 * Example 2 (Employment): One of the company executives

 * Example 3 (Business History): A bank employee


 4D. EXAMPLES OF WHAT

The following are examples that would satisfy the level of detailed required by
SBA:

 

 * Example 1 (Education): After attending three semesters in the nursing
   program, I decided to pursue a degree in business. Under university policies,
   selecting a new major outside the School of Health Sciences would have
   required approval from my faculty advisor. My faculty advisor declined my
   request to change my major from nursing to business administration.

 * Example 2 (Employment): I had been working for ABC Corporation for three
   years when a site manager position became available. I applied but my
   co-worker, Emily, got the job.

 * Example 3 (Business History): I applied for a $50k business line of credit
   with ABC Bank. My application was tentatively approved so the bank Senior
   Loan Officer asked me to come in-person to sign the final application
   documents. Without explanation, the application was denied the following week
   based on concerns related to my company’s ability to repay.

The following are examples that would not provide the level of detail required
by SBA:

 

 * Example 1 (Education): My faculty advisor, Dr. Doe, refused to approve my
   request to change my major.

 * Example 2 (Employment): I applied for an internal promotion opportunity and
   didn’t get it.

 * Example 3 (Business History): The bank denied my company’s business line of
   credit application.

 


 4E. EXAMPLES OF WHY

The following are examples that would satisfy the level of detail required by
SBA:

 

 * Example 1 (Education): I had completed the necessary pre-requisite classes
   and was otherwise eligible to declare a business administration major. During
   a meeting with my faculty advisor and Dr. Doe, Dr. Doe explained that I would
   have more career options as a woman in healthcare. I later learned that
   several male nursing students in my class were given approval to declare
   majors outside the School of Health Sciences. For these reasons, I believe my
   request was denied based on gender bias. 

 * Example 2 (Employment): I requested a debrief with Jane because I had more
   experience and a higher trade certification than Emily. Jane stated that the
   company needed someone who could inspect active and/or dangerous jobsites. I
   reiterated, just as I had during my interview, that I was capable of
   performing all aspects of the site manager role to include on-site
   inspections. Emily does not have a physical disability like I do. For these
   reasons, I believe Emily was selected over me due to unfounded stereotypes
   associated with my physical disability.

 * Example 3 (Business History): The line of credit was tentatively approved
   because my business met the minimal revenue and capital requirements for
   approval. Additionally, I had an excellent credit score of 790. Only after I
   met the loan officer in person did concerns arise over my ability to repay. A
   white former colleague, who started a business after I did, applied for the
   same line of credit with a lower credit score than I had and was successful.
   For these reasons, I believe my application was denied due to bias toward my
   race.

 

The following are examples that would not provide the level of detail required
by SBA:

 

 * Example 1 (Education): My faculty advisor declined my request because he
   agreed with the Director that I would be better off seeking employment in a
   predominantly female profession.

 * Example 2 (Employment): It was clear that they saw my physical disability as
   a limitation and moved on to the next candidate despite demonstrating that I
   could perform the tasks required for the position.

 * Example 3 (Business History): Plenty of other white business owners were able
   to obtain lines of credit from ABC Bank. Thus, the bank and its employees
   must have arbitrarily set higher standards for business owners and borrowers
   of color.


 4F. EXAMPLES OF HOW

The following are examples that would satisfy the level of detailed required by
SBA:

 

 * Example 1 (Education): Because my business major was not approved, I did not
   graduate with the education and experience necessary for an entry-level
   career in marketing. I spent the next 5 years completing my marketing degree
   as a part-time student, which delayed my entry into the marketing field.

 * Example 2 (Employment): Had I received the site manager promotion, I would
   have earned an additional $20,000 a year. This extra income would have
   allowed me to accumulate capital faster and start my business three years
   earlier than I did.

 * Example 3 (Business History): Because my line of credit application was
   declined, I was not able to purchase an additional truck to increase our
   company’s capacity. As a result, we bid on but lost a contract opportunity
   with the municipal government for facilities maintenance.

The following are examples that would not provide the level of detail required
by SBA:

 

 * Example 1 (Education): The treatment towards me was upsetting and I
   oftentimes think of where I would be today had I not experienced this form of
   bias.

 * Example 2 (Employment): Being passed over for the promotion was demoralizing.
   It made me question why I should continue to work so hard if people would not
   be able to see beyond my disability. For this reason, I did not apply for
   several other promotion opportunities in the company.

 * Example 3 (Business History): The line of credit would have positioned my
   company to compete for larger contracts.  

 







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