The  U.S. Small Business Administration announced $100,000 in grant funding to Syracuse University’s Institute for Veterans and Military Families to develop additional programs that support service-disabled military veterans. The funding announcement represents exactly one-third of the total $300,000 in funding distributed nationally to organizations offering entrepreneurship training to service-disabled vets.

The funding opportunity, offered by SBA’s Office of Veterans Business Development, supports each organization’s programs for service-disabled veterans planning to start a new business or expand and diversify existing small businesses. Syracuse University was chosen based on their demonstrated history of and commitment to providing training programs and resources to service-disabled veterans.

“Service-disabled veteran small business owners bring a unique and valued skill set to entrepreneurship,” said SBA Acting Administrator Chris Pilkerton. “Funding these organizations involved in helping service-disabled veterans establish successful businesses will go a long way toward securing the future for these veterans and their families.”

The new federal funding from the SBA will be utilized by Syracuse University’s Institute for Veterans and Military Families to develop an Entrepreneurship Bootcamp for Veterans with Disabilities, combining entrepreneurial education with hands-on experience. The program curriculum is designed to take service-disabled veterans through the stages of venture creation, while providing the training, professional networks and support necessary to successfully launch a business.

“Syracuse University is a national leader when it comes to advancing the lives of veterans and military families. The SBA and President Trump know this funding will be used to enhance opportunities for service-disabled vets – heroes who have given so much of themselves defending our nation’s freedom,” added SBA Regional Administrator Steve Bulger who oversees the federal agency’s operations in New York, New Jersey, Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands.

“Thanks to this new SBA Office of Veteran Business Development grant of $100,000,  more service-disabled veterans will be able to access Syracuse University’s IVMF Entrepreneurship Bootcamp for Veterans with Disabilities (EBV) training to help them start and grow their own small businesses,” said SBA Syracuse District Director Bernard J. Paprocki.

In addition to Syracuse University’s Institute for Veterans and Military Families, the three other awardees include:

• Riata Center for Entrepreneurship, Spears School of Business at Oklahoma State University (Stillwater, Oklahoma): Veterans Entrepreneurship Program (VEP) – $75,000. VEP opens the door to small business ownership by developing skills needed to create and sustaining a business, while coordinating the offering of additional programs and services for service-disabled veterans.
• Saint Joseph’s University (Philadelphia, Pennsylvania): Entrepreneurship Bootcamp for Veterans with Disabilities (EBV) – $50,000. Saint Joseph’s University’s program is designed to provide the tools, education and mentoring necessary for post-9/11 disabled veterans to start or grow their businesses.
• Dog Tag, Inc. (Washington, D.C.) – $75,000Dog Tag, Inc., is an educational program for transitioning service members, service-disabled veterans, and military spouses seeking to launch small business ventures.  The program combines a classroom component taught at Georgetown University and an opportunity to experience small business ownership at Dog Tag Bakery in Washington, D.C.

The SBA will celebrate service-disabled veterans, as well as all-era veterans, service members, and military spouses during National Veterans Small Business Week from November 4 to 8, 2019.

SBA district offices and resource partners will host events nationwide connecting current and aspiring veteran business owners to entrepreneurship resources.  Celebrate NVSBW by visiting www.sba.gov/vetbiz.

To learn more about the SBA’s small business startup and expansion resources for veterans, visit www.sba.gov/veterans.