Ambassador Program

Local Leaders. National Network. Lasting Impact.

Ambassador fly-in group posing.

The Ambassador Program unites entrepreneurial community builders from across the country with a mission to enhance local business ecosystems. The 12-month program trains and supports already well-positioned and established leaders as they engineer a more friendly business environment for veteran and military spouse entrepreneurs and connect them with key entrepreneurial resources. 

Our Ambassadors know the lay of the local business landscape, have an innate talent for networking, and a passion for helping veteran and military spouse entrepreneurs. Over the course of a year, they host local networking events, connecting military affiliated entrepreneurs to the people and resources that can take their business to the next level. They also complete an Ecosystem Leadership Project (ELP), driving positive and lasting changes in their local business environment. 

Get Connected

Join the Ambassador program or connect with your local Ambassador

Interest Form Find Your Ambassador

Why Become an Ambassador?

Becoming an Ambassador is an incredible opportunity for leaders who understand and value the power of community, having experienced its benefits firsthand. Ambassadors have access to valuable entrepreneurial resources and networks and are eager to share them with others, paying it forward. In this role, you’ll be at the intersection of veterans, military spouses, and entrepreneurship within your community.

Representing IVMF, a well-respected national nonprofit, will open new doors that might have otherwise remained closed. Being an Ambassador gives you an opportunity to supercharge your own network, not just by being in the room with key players in your local ecosystem, but by creating the guest list yourself.

Further, if you’re part of an entrepreneurial service organization (ESO) or run a business that supports other companies, serving as an Ambassador can greatly enhance your ability to serve even more people. Key ecosystem partners make outstanding Ambassadors and can benefit from a broader view of the local entrepreneurial landscape. 

What to Expect

A group of 8 women and 2 men in casual attire gather into a group to pose for a photo on a patio.

Serving and Connecting

The IVMF Ambassador program is a year-long volunteer opportunity where you assess your local business environment’s accessibility to veteran and military spouse entrepreneurs. Over the course of the year, you’ll work to improve conditions for veteran and military spouse-owned businesses, leaving your community a better place for veterans and their families to do business.

The program doesn’t expect you to just figure out how to do that on your own. IVMF provides Ambassadors with training over the course of two mandatory in-person fly-in events, one in summer and another in early spring, as well as monthly virtual connects, and an Ecosystem Leadership Project (ELP).  At the end of your experience, you’ll have made a real impact for entrepreneurs in your area, reducing the barriers and obstacles veteran and military spouse entrepreneurs face.   

IVMF Ambassadors take a selfie at the NVRC.

The Ecosystem Leadership Project (ELP)

Your Ecosystem Leadership Project (ELP) is a chance to move the needle in your local community. It's a project you design based on the intersection of what your ecosystem needs and what you're positioned to deliver.  

No two ELPs look the same, and that's intentional. What matters is that it's purposeful, realistic, community-rooted, and moves the needle for veteran and military-connected entrepreneurs in your area without relying on funding beyond your community stipend. Before designing your ELP, look around - identify what's already happening in your community, who is already doing the work, and where you can collaborate, enhance, and connect existing efforts. The goal is to break down silos and fragmented resources, not stand up something new for the sake of it. 

A large group photo taken on an auditorium stage with two rows of people standing and several sitting or kneeling in front of the group.

What Makes a Great Ambassador?

IVMF Ambassadors possess a range of special qualities that make them uniquely suited to connect local military-connected entrepreneurs to the resources and connections they need to find success.  

IVMF team speaking to the Ambassadors at the SU fly-in 2026

Leadership Development

Ambassadors are equipped with tools, training, and support to lead projects, form strategic partnerships, and mentor others.  

Ambassadors talking over lunch at the SU fly-in 2026.

Community Building

Ambassadors connect local stakeholders—businesses, nonprofits, education, and government—to close support gaps for entrepreneurs.  

Ambassadors smiling together at 2026 fly-in at the NVRC

Strategic Partnerships

Ambassadors engage with partners to increase access to funding, mentorship, and business support.  

In a sunny outdoor patio setting, three women engage in light conversation and laugh while others move around about them.

Sustainable Impact

With their personally curated Ecosystem Leadership Projects (ELPs), Ambassadors aim to dismantle systemic barriers and create long-term community support.

Creating Opportunity For Military-Connected Businesses

Joining the Ambassador Program allows you to make a real difference in the lives of veteran and military spouse entrepreneurs. Local Ambassadors play a huge role in actualizing the American dream of entrepreneurship and small business ownership by fostering a more friendly business ecosystem, and expanding access to resources and networks for military-connected entrepreneurs. 

The Ambassador Program is your chance to be the person who makes that key introduction or points an entrepreneur to that critical resource that can change their lives and the trajectory of their business. Early-stage founders can get so caught up in their day-to-day operations that they miss big picture opportunities right in front of them. As an Ambassador, your ability to raise awareness about those opportunities and facilitate connections is an invaluable part of their journey, and one they’ll never forget. 

I understand that many veterans struggle with the transition to civilian life, and entrepreneurship can be a powerful way to regain purpose, stability, and success. By supporting veteran entrepreneurs, I'm continuing to serve your community—just in a different capacity.
Henry Banh Houston Ambassador U.S. Army Veteran
Henry Bahn

Frequently Asked Questions