What evidence must an individual who is not a designated group member provide to show social disadvantage?
At least one objective distinguishing feature that has contributed to social disadvantage, such as race, ethnic origin, gender, physical handicap, long-term residence in an environment isolated from the mainstream of American society, or other similar causes not common to individuals who are not socially disadvantaged: 1. Personal experiences of social disadvantage stemming from the objective distinguishing feature or features set forth in the preceding paragraph. The experiences must have been in American society, not in other countries, and must have been substantial and chronic. 2. Negative impact on entry into or advancement in the business world because of the disadvantage. SBA considers any relevant evidence in assessing this element. In every case, however, SBA considers education, employment and business history, where applicable, to see if the totality of circumstances shows disadvantage in entering or advancing in the business world. Back To Top 2.
