Veteran Owned Businesses

Here you will find resources to help veterans start their own businesses and locate government contracting opportunities.

Small Business Assistance for Veterans

• Veterans Business Development Guide
  Training, counseling and assistance to veteran and service-disabled veteran-owned small businesses.
• VetBiz.gov – Veterans in Business Portal
  Help for veteran entrepreneurs who want to start and
  expand their businesses in the federal and private marketplaces.
• VeteransCorp.org – Entrepreneurial Guidance for Veterans
  Provides veterans with a guide to starting, managing, and growing a business.
• National Veteran Small Business Conference & Expo
  Annual conference focused on veteran small businesses and federal procurement opportunities.
• Business Resources for Disabled People
  Info about starting, financing and running a small business aimed at disabled persons, including service disabled veterans.
• Registering As a Veteran-Owned Business
  There is no formal government registration process for veteran-owned business.  Nevertheless, there are other opportunities for you and your business.

Financing a Business

Federal and state government agencies do not provide grants to veterans for starting a business. However, there are a number of low-interest loan programs that help veterans obtain startup financing. The following loan progams are specifically for veterans and members of the military community. Visit the Loans and Grants Search Tool to get a full list of grant, loan, and venture capital programs for which you might qualify.

• Military Reservist Economic Injury Disaster Loan
  This loan program provides funds to eligible small businesses to meet its ordinary and necessary operating expenses that it could have met, but is unable to meet, because an essential employee was "called-up" to active duty in their role as a military reservist.
• Patriot Express Pilot Loan Initiative
  Provides financial assistance for veterans and members of the military community wanting to establish or expand small businesses.
• Employ Illinois – Military Reserve Loan
  These loans are available to active reserve military, and provide low-interest access to capital to hire employees, make capital improvements or pursue other avenues that will lead to business survival.
• Wisconsin Dept of Veteran Affairs – Personal Loan Program
  Veterans who meet military service and state residency requirements may apply the proceeds to starting or expanding a small business.

Government Contracting

• Service Disabled Veteran Owned Small Businesses : Contracting Guidance
  Info to help service-disabled veteran-owned small businesses do business with the federal government.

Employing Veterans – Info for Employers

• Become a Hire Vets First Employer
  Information on how employers can show support for the HireVetsFirst program.
• Uniformed Services Employment and Reemployment Rights Act (USERRA) Advisor
  Helps veterans and employers understand employee eligibility and job entitlements, employer obligations, benefits and remedies under the Act.