Business grants for veterans are available to help them become successful in civilian life

Veterans make up around 7% of the adult population in the US, and own around 5.6% of US businesses. However, veteran-owned businesses face more difficulties when securing capital than non-veteran business owners. They may find it challenging to qualify for small business financing after their military service. Fortunately, business grants for veterans, offered by federal, state and private foundations, are available to level the playing field of veterans. The money can be used to grow or start a business. Grants.gov is the federal online database that has information on all grants offered by the federal government, including those by the US Department of Veterans Affairs (VA), and the US Department of Defense. The US Small Business Administration (SBA) runs outreach centers   

The Second Service Foundation (formerly StreetShares Foundation), runs a Military Entrepreneur Challenge each year, giving veterans and their spouses the opportunity to pitch and win business grants for veterans. Warrior Rising nonprofit runs a six-step business development program to provide training, mentoring, and networking opportunities to veterans. Grand Valley State University offers a three-month program for startup training and networking opportunities for veteran entrepreneurs and their spouses. Hivers and Strivers is an angel investment group that offers early-round investment funds through its Venture Capital for Veterans program.   

Helping veterans with service-connected disabilities  

If you are a veteran business owner with fewer than 250 employees or less than $20 million in revenue over the past two years, then you can compete for a $25,000 grand prize to scale your operations. Veteran Readiness & Employment (VR&E) program is designed to help veterans with service-connected disabilities find a job as they return to civilian life. Although not exclusive to veterans, Venmo Small Business Grant worth $10,000 is given to 20 small business owners, along with access to industry leaders for guidance and support. Farmer Veteran Fellowship Fund helps veterans who are in their beginning years of farming or ranching. It provides business grants for veterans, ranging from $1,000 to $5,000.   

Franchise possibilities for veteran business owners  

Texas Woman’s University (TWU) runs Veteran Woman Entrepreneurship grant program through which it offers five business grants for veterans worth $5,000 to Texas women veterans each year. Upto $2 million is available to veterans in the form of Military Reservist Economic Injury Disaster Loan (MREIDL) from SBA, with a 30-year payback period. The Office of Small and Disadvantaged Business Utilization (OSDBU), supervised by the Department of Veterans Affairs, provides training, employment initiatives, and franchise possibilities to veteran business owners. Boots to Business (B2B) Revenue Readiness program by SBA provides courses to veterans to gain the knowledge, and experience needed to start a successful business.   

Helping you with the grant application process   

However, to win a business grant for veterans, you need to present a solid business plan to the granting authority, and submit the required documentation within the published deadlines. It’s here that professional grant writers available at GovernmentGrants.us can help you. They can craft a grant application that will maximize your chances of winning a business grant for veterans. Moreover, by paying a small monthly membership of just $29.95 to GovernmentGrant.us, you can access updated information on all available grant opportunities, including childcare grants, minority grants, housing grants, education grants, and more. This membership fee is refundable in case your grant application is rejected. For this, you just have to send the rejection letter to GovernmentGrants.us within 90 days.