{"id":725,"date":"2022-10-13T10:23:51","date_gmt":"2022-10-13T14:23:51","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/nidiaonline.org\/?p=725"},"modified":"2022-10-13T10:23:53","modified_gmt":"2022-10-13T14:23:53","slug":"sba-announces-over-4-million-in-new-funding-to-expand-veterans-business-owner-outreach","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/nidiaonline.org\/sba-announces-over-4-million-in-new-funding-to-expand-veterans-business-owner-outreach","title":{"rendered":"SBA Announces Over $4 million in New Funding to Expand Veterans Business Owner Outreach"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

PRESS RELEASE<\/strong> – October 12, 2022<\/p>\n\n\n\n

WASHINGTON \u2013\u00a0<\/strong>Today, the\u00a0U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA)<\/a>\u00a0announced a new funding opportunity for up to $400,000 to be awarded to up to 12 entities including\u00a0<\/strong>private organizations, colleges and universities, private sector firms, nonprofit organizations and state, local or tribal governmental agencies to provide critical training and counseling to aspiring and existing veteran small business owners as a\u00a0Veterans Business Outreach Center<\/a>\u00a0(VBOC). The news comes ahead of\u00a0Nations Veterans Small Business Week 2022<\/a>, one of the Agency\u2019s flagship events, taking place October 31 \u2013 November 4, that will put the spotlight on one of the Biden-Harris Administration\u2019s priorities \u2013 supporting our servicemembers, veterans, and their families at every stage of the entrepreneurial journey.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cUnder Administrator Guzman, the SBA remains committed to providing more local resources for veteran entrepreneurs, a critical but under-resourced group of entrepreneurs among the small business community,\u201d said Larry Stubblefield, Associate Administrator for the SBA\u2019s Office of Veterans Business Development<\/a>. \u201cAs the focus on serving underserved communities becomes increasingly important, OVBD expects the demand for VBOCs will continue to grow. This expansion will grow the VBOC program from 22 to 34 locations<\/strong> nationwide and assist in supporting veteran small business owners in all U.S. states and territories. The additional locations aim to enhance the experience for veteran small business owners by reducing appointment wait times, increasing local presence, providing additional local training opportunities, meeting the needs of Boots to Business participants, and ensuring that all VBOCs have the necessary resources to perform required counseling and training functions.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

With this SBA funding, grant awardees will be able to provide training to transitioning service members and military spouses through the Boots to Business entrepreneurship training program, which is part of the Department of Defense\u2019s Transition Assistance Program. Additionally, applicants will provide counseling, technical assistance, financial skill development, comprehensive business assessments, and mentoring services to veterans, transitioning service members, Reserve and National Guard members, and military spouses interested in starting or growing a small business.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Organizations across Alaska, Central California, Colorado, Kentucky, Nebraska, Iowa, Nevada, Oklahoma, Arkansas, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Puerto Rico, South Carolina, and South Florida may apply for a portion of the total $4.1million in funding available for this program in Fiscal Year 2023.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Each award is made for a base project period of 12 months, with four 12-month option periods, starting May 1, 2023. Additional information about the funding opportunity, including specific coverage areas and instructions on how to apply, can be found at www.grants.gov<\/a> and by searching \u201cSB-OVVB-23-001<\/a>.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Applications submitted via other media, including SBA\u2019s website, will be rejected and will not be evaluated. Applications must be submitted via grants.gov<\/a> no later than 11:50 p.m. EST on Wednesday, November 23, 2022. <\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

SBA\u2019s Office of Veterans Business Development will host information sessions on the funding opportunity via this Microsoft Teams link<\/a> or this call-in number (202-765-1264; access code: 265 542 768#) at the following times:<\/p>\n\n\n\n