The federal government has a big concern on supporting the Disabled veterans in United States of American. There are many government agencies and private organizations which provide the help for those veterans to allow them to start any small business. For the disabled veterans, The U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs and The Veterans Corporation will be good potential resources to find small business grants for disabled veterans.
The U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs and The Veterans Corporation are both good potential resources for the disabled small business owner who is a U.S. veteran. If you plan to get small business grants for disabled veterans, you need to prepare your business plan and DD 214 military record.
The first thing to do is going to Business.gov. In this website, you can find all federally funded programs which are available for disabled veterans. Your decision on where to apply depends on whether you want to start the small business or simply expand your business.
Steps to get Small Business Grants For Disabled Veterans
Here are some tips on how to get small business grants to support disabled veterans:
Complete Your Paperwork
Next, you need to finish all paperwork which is needed to apply for grant. The U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs has established special branch, called The Center for Veterans Enterprise. The main purpose of the organization is helping the veterans to gain the grant to start their small business.
They summarize on the simple steps which you need to do. These are including a written outline of the business idea which is followed by business structure, business plan, a review of the business plan, implementation of the business plan, and registration of veteran-owned business. You need to follow this outline to get small business grants for disabled veterans.
Contact U.S. Department of Veteran Affairs
It is also important for you to contact the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs and the U.S. Small Business Administrations. It is done to check which specific grants which are qualified for you.
In finding the best grants for disabled veterans business, you should check Grants.gov. The website provides up-to-date listing of all grants from the government. It is including the business grants. These grants are designed specifically for individuals or people who are living in certain regions.
Use Keyword Search Tool
You can use the keyword search tool on the website and search for small business grants. Make sure you are searching through the results and checking the details to see whether the grants are relevant to your needs or not. It is possible for you to get the application from this website.
Open Business.gov.
You can also apply the same methods on Business.gov. This website also offers keyword search tool which you can use to find the best grants. From these websites, you will be able to get the information on the latest grants which are available for you.
Make sure you meet all the requirements needed to get the grants or your request on the grants will not be granted. If you have any question related to the small business grants for disabled veterans, you can ask questions on the people in those offices above.
List of Small Business Grants for Disabled Veterans
Here are the list options if you want to get small business grants, especially if you have families categorized as disabled veterans:
The Second Service Foundation
The Second Service Foundation, previously known as the StreetShares Foundation, organizes the Military Entrepreneur Challenge, providing veterans and their spouses with a chance to pitch and win grants for their businesses. To participate in the pitch challenge, interested individuals need to register online and attend a speed coaching session. Following this, you must complete an application, which includes providing a one-page summary of your business.
Upon acceptance into the competition, you have to prepare a 2-minute pitch about your business. You will deliver in person at a Second Service Foundation conference. During this event, three finalists present their pitches live, and the winner is determined by an audience vote. The grant prizes vary depending on the specific event and its location.
Farmer Veteran Fellowship Fund
The Farmer Veteran Fellowship Fund provides financial support to veterans who are in the early phases of operating farming or ranching businesses. To be eligible for this program, established in 2011, you must be members of the Farmer Veteran Coalition. The upcoming round of applications is from January 3 to February 14, 2024.
National Association for Self-Employed (NASE) Growth Grants
NASE Growth Grants program invites applications for the opportunity to win $4,000 awards for quarterly basis. To be eligible to apply, businesses must be members of NASE. Veterans get a 15% discount for the annual fee and can immediately apply for the program upon becoming the part of the organization.
The Antares REACH Grant Program
The Antares REACH Grant Program provides $20,000 grants for the underrepresented business owners. For example, those with military affiliation. To qualify, your business must have earned at least of $25,000 of revenue in 2022.
Grants.gov
Grants.gov is a database with over 1,000 federal grant awards, including small-business grants from agencies like the Department of Labor, the Department of Veterans Affairs, and the Department of Commerce.
To apply for these programs, ensure your business meets eligibility requirements and apply for a Grants.gov account. While not exclusively for veteran entrepreneurs, this database is a valuable resource for those seeking free funding opportunities.
GrantWatch
GrantWatch is an online platform listing hundreds of small-business grants across the United States. This allows you to search for grants that match your needs and eligibility criteria, including those specifically for veterans.
While GrantWatch provides free membership, a premium membership offers extra features like keyword search and full grant information access. Paid memberships begin at $18 for a weekly subscription.
Several state governments allocate funds to specifically support veteran small-business owners. In some states, certifications for veteran-owned or service-disabled veteran-owned businesses are available to assist these entrepreneurs in competing for government contracts.
For example, Florida’s Office of Supplier Diversity certifies veteran-owned businesses, providing them access to a portal listing government contracting opportunities. Notably, certification and recertification are offered free of charge.
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