Service Disabled Veteran Owned Small Business Grants – United States government focuses on providing the best service for the service-disabled veteran. As you know, getting a job or starting a new business can be a bit hard for these people. Therefore, the United States government through the Small Business Administration provides some aid to help these people to start and grow their own small businesses.
The Service Disabled Veteran Owned Small Business Grant program is a grant program that is consistently available to the Public Law 109-461. The Veterans Administration and the Small Business Administration work together to manage the grants. This post will be focusing on that, providing information about the grant process, requirements, etc.
Service-disabled veteran-owned small businesses are the top priorities of the Small Business Programs provided by the VA and SBA. People in this category should participate in the grant award process.
Service Disabled Veteran Owned Small Business Grants – History and Eligibility
History
The establishment of Veterans Entrepreneurship and Small Business Development Act in 1999 was the moment where the government provided the grant. In 2003, Congress approved the Veterans Benefits Act. One of the sections of the Act focuses on the service disabled veterans who own small businesses. After a few years, the service-disabled veteran-owned small business grant started as well.
Eligibility
This is important information about the criteria for eligibility for the SDVOSBC. In order to receive the grant, you (and your business) have to meet the following criteria:
- You have a disability that is related to your service. And this must be confirmed by the Department of Veterans Affairs or Department of Defense
- Make sure your business is a small business, determined based on the North American Industry Classification System (NAICS)
- Become the owner of the business (51%)
- The service-disabled veteran should sit in the highest position in the business, and control the management and daily operation of the business.
- The service-disabled veteran should have the authority to control both long-term decisions and day-to-day management.
There are some exceptions in some cases. To see what they are, we recommend you contact your Contracting Officer (CO). This can help you to see if they can set aside the requirements and award you with the grant.
It is also important to note that the SBA doesn’t only provide financial aid such as a grant or low-interest loan. They also have a very good resource of information that can help you start, manage, and develop your business. We highly recommend you visit their official site and take a look at their guide for starting up a business.
The Alternatives
Besides the Service Disabled Veteran Owned Small Business Grants, there are other ways for disabled veterans to get fresh money for their businesses. In general, on-service disabled veterans are the top priority in getting financial aid. Aside from the Federal government help, you need to seek help from your State government. Almost every state has some kind of program that can help these people and their small business.
Therefore, don’t just submit your application to Service Disabled Veterans Owned Small Business Grants only, because there are still lots of other possibilities available.
18 million of Americans are veterans, which means 7% in the U.S. Veterans own about 6% of businesses in America, and they employ about 4 million people. This information is based on the U.S. Census Bureau.
FAQ
Here are some popular questions about service-disabled veteran-owned small business:
What is the meaning of veteran and service-connected disability?
The definition of veteran and service-disabled veteran is based on 38 U.S.C. 101 (2) and (16), the Department of Veterans Affairs, United States Code. The definition of “veteran” means a person who served in the air service, naval, or active military, and who was released or discharged in certain conditions, but not dishonourable.
The phrase “service-connected” basically means that if you gets hurt or dies because of a disability while you’re serving in the military, it’s considered connected to their service. If you gets injured or sick while in the military, it’s seen as happening because of your duty, unless it was your fault. For example, if you were misbehaving, using alcohol or drugs, went away without permission, or got in trouble with the law.
What is the definition of “service-disabled veteran”?
A Service-Disabled Veteran is someone who was in the military, navy, or air force, and left with an honourable discharge, not a dishonourable one. They are a Service-Disabled Veteran if their disability happened while they were on duty in the military, navy, or air force.
If I participate in SBVOSB program, do I have to meet minimum disability rating?
There’s no specific minimum disability rating requirement. Any veteran, whether they have a disability rating from 0% to 100%, can identify themselves as a Service-Disabled Veteran for federal contracting purposes.
What is the focus of service-disabled veteran-owned small business?
A small business that is owned and run by a Service-Disabled Veteran or Service-Disabled Veterans. As described in section 3(q) of the Small Business Act (15 U.S.C. 632(q)), and the regulations of the Small Business Administration’s SDVOSBC Program (13 C.F.R. 125).
Is there any formal certification process from SBA to follow?
The Veterans Benefits Act of 2003, which introduced limited contracting opportunities for Service-Disabled Veteran-Owned Small Business Concerns (SDVO SBC) in Federal procurement, did not mandate a formal certification process for such concerns. An SDVO SBC declares its status on its own for all Federal contracts.
To bid on a Federal contract, the SBC must participate in the Government’s Central Contractor Registration (CCR). After registering in CCR and submitting an offer for a Federal Contract, the SDVO SBC needs to complete an “On-Line Representations and Certifications Application.” For more details and online registration, visit the Government’s Business Partner Network (BPN) at http://www.bpn.gov/.
Can SDVO status be challenged?
According to the Veterans Benefits Act of 2003, the Small Business Administration (SBA) has the authority to confirm the eligibility of any Service-Disabled Veteran-Owned Small Business Concern (SDVO SBC). In sole-source procurements, the SBA or the Contracting Officer can challenge the SDVO SBC status of the apparent successful offeror.
For competitive set-asides, any concerned party has the right to protest the SDVO SBC status of the apparent successful offeror. If there’s a protest, SDVO SBCs must be ready to provide the SBA with evidence confirming their status as a Service-Disabled Veteran.
Read More: How To Get Housing Grants for Disabled Veterans
References:
- People with Disabilities – https://www.sba.gov/business-guide/launch-your-business/register-your-business
- Image: baltimore.cbslocal.com
- (https://business.defense.gov/Socioeconomic-Programs/SDVOSB/)
