National Veterans Small Business Week
Update: The Small Business Administration published a news release noting that the 12th annual National Veterans Small Business Week (NVSBW) celebration “originally scheduled for November 3-7, 2025, has been canceled due to the ongoing federal shutdown. The week-long recognition, which would have honored America’s 1.6 million veteran-owned small businesses, cannot proceed because of the funding lapse that has suspended key SBA programs and services.”
The original article is preserved below for archival purposes.
National Veterans Small Business Week
The U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA) observes National Veterans Small Business Week (NVSBW) each year to help connect veteran entrepreneurs with resources to start, grow, or expand a business. The SBA and its partners host events for the 1.6 million U.S. businesses owned by veterans.
The theme for 2025 was “Honoring Veteran-Owned, American Made.” This theme highlights businesses owned by veterans in U.S. manufacturing and the nation’s supply chain.
Event Focus and Topics
The SBA, Veterans Business Outreach Centers (VBOCs), SCORE, and Small Business Development Centers (SBDCs) host the week’s events, including online workshops and other activities offered at no cost. Topics include, but are not limited to:
- Access to capital sessions that explain business financing, “lender-ready” requirements, and loans backed by the SBA.
- Federal contracting workshops provide training on the certification process for VOSB (Veteran-Owned Small Business) and SDVOSB (Service-Disabled Veteran-Owned Small Business). Participants can learn how to identify contract opportunities and craft effective proposals.
- Additional workshops will cover business operations, including marketing, AI applications, and cybersecurity.
Attending
You can choose what to attend from the list of National Veterans Small Business Week events taking place across the country. There are free webinars, in-person events, and various training options available.
Connection to Year-Round Support
National Veterans Small Business Week raises awareness of support systems available to veterans year-round. Attending an event can connect a business owner with counseling and business plan assistance. Additionally, qualifying veterans can participate in the SBA’s “Boots to Business” program. Boots to Business is an entrepreneurship course offered as part of the military’s Transition Assistance Program (TAP).
How the SBA Helps Veterans
The U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA) runs the Office of Veterans Business Development (OVBD), its main hub for supporting entrepreneurs who are also veterans.
SBA provides resources for active service members, veterans of all eras, and military spouses. The program’s focus is on 4 key areas: education, counseling, access to capital, and government contracting.
According to the SBA official site, “…the SBA empowers job creators with the resources and support they need to start, grow, and expand their businesses or recover from a declared disaster. It delivers services through an extensive network of SBA field offices and partnerships with public and private organizations.”
Education and Training
SBA training programs provide a path from idea to start-up. As mentioned above, Boots to Business (B2B) is offered as a training track within the military’s Transition Assistance Program (TAP) on installations worldwide.
This in-person course gives service members an overview of what it takes to be an entrepreneur. It covers the basics of a business plan, how to analyze markets, and provides an introduction to SBA resources.
Boots to Business Reboot is for veterans who have already transitioned, as well as National Guard members, Reserve members, and military spouses. It provides the same curriculum as the on-base course but is held in local communities. This makes it accessible to those who no longer have base access.
After completing B2B or Reboot, participants can take follow-on courses. The main one is the B2B Revenue Readiness program. This is an online course run in partnership with Mississippi State University. It goes beyond the basics and helps participants build a business model and prepare to find customers.
Business Counseling
The SBA funds a network of partners who provide free, one-on-one counseling.
Veterans Business Outreach Centers (VBOCs) are the SBA’s “boots on the ground” for veteran support. These centers, located across the U.S., are the partners that host most B2B Reboot classes. Their core service is confidential, one-on-one counseling.
Veterans can receive assistance with writing a business plan, conducting a feasibility analysis on an idea, or creating detailed financial projections. VBOCs also serve as guides, connecting veterans to other local and federal resources.
SCORE is a network of volunteer business mentors, often retired executives, who provide their expertise at no cost. While a VBOC might help build the plan, a SCORE mentor can provide long-term guidance on running the business.
Small Business Development Centers (SBDCs) are also available. SBDCs are often based at colleges and universities. They offer in-depth, no-cost business consulting and low-cost training on specific topics, such as accounting, cybersecurity, or marketing.
Access to Capital
The SBA helps veteran businesses get funding. While the SBA doesn’t typically lend money directly, it does offer a partial guarantee on loans made by banks and other approved lenders. This guarantee reduces the lender’s risk, making it easier for a small business to get approved.
The SBA Express Loan program is a popular option. It offers a faster approval time (often within 36 hours). For veteran-owned businesses, the SBA offers a major benefit: the upfront guarantee fee is waived. This waiver provides a significant financial saving.
Another key resource is the Military Reservist Economic Injury Disaster Loan (MREIDL). This is not a startup loan. It provides working capital to a business if an essential employee, including the owner, is called to active duty. This loan helps the business cover operating expenses and survive the disruption.
Government Contracting
Federal law requires the federal government to award a certain percentage of contracts to small businesses. This includes specific “set-asides” for companies owned by veterans.
To compete for these contracts, a business must get certified. The SBA manages the official VetCert portal. This is the only way to get certified as a:
- VOSB (Veteran-Owned Small Business)
- SDVOSB (Service-Disabled Veteran-Owned Small Business)
Once a business is certified as an SDVOSB, it can compete for set-aside contracts. The federal government has a goal to award at least 3 percent of all its prime contracting dollars to SDVOSB-certified companies.
The Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) goes even further. The VA has a “Veterans First” program that requires its contracting officers to give first priority to VOSBs and SDVOSBs when procuring qualifying goods and services. This gives certified veteran entrepreneurs a distinct advantage when doing business with the VA.
About the author
Editor-in-Chief Joe Wallace is a 13-year veteran of the United States Air Force and a former reporter/editor for Air Force Television News and the Pentagon Channel. His freelance work includes contract work for Motorola, VALoans.com, and Credit Karma. He is co-founder of Dim Art House in Springfield, Illinois, and spends his non-writing time as an abstract painter, independent publisher, and occasional filmmaker.
