US Small Business Administration launches 2022 National Veterans Small Business Week

Virtual and in-person events highlight agency’s efforts to support nation’s nearly 2 million veteran-owned small businesses

On Monday, Administrator Isabella Casillas Guzman, head of the U.S. Small Business Administration, announced the SBA will celebrate National Veterans Small Business Week (NVSBW) Oct. 31 through Nov. 4, with a series of virtual and in-person events highlighting the entrepreneurial spirit and resilience of veteran small business owners.

SBA stated, “Under the Biden-Harris administration, increasing support for our service members, veterans, and their families has been a key priority. In October 2022, the SBA announced additional funding opportunities for community-based organizations to create targeted, impactful programming, and expand access to SBA resources to support veteran entrepreneurs.”

Guzman said, “Each year, we celebrate National Veterans Small Business Week to honor America’s nearly 2 million veteran entrepreneurs who have answered our nation’s call to serve and protect us, and are now making a difference every day for local communities and our nation’s economy. This week, and every week, the U.S. Small Business Administration is committed to doing its part to fulfill our responsibility to our veteran entrepreneurs by ensuring they can access the tools and resources they need to start, grow and build resilient businesses.”

Throughout the week, SBA, resource partners and local organizations across the country will focus on highlighting various aspects of the entrepreneurial journey for veteran small business owners, and the agency’s support of this critical community in hybrid, in-person and virtual formats. Topics include transition assistance, entrepreneurial training, government contracting, disaster assistance, and access to capital resources. Currently, there are over 100 virtual events that are free and open to the public. Visit sba.gov/nvsbw for the full schedule.

“Through National Veterans Small Business Week, the SBA showcases how veterans apply skills and traits developed in the military – such as problem-solving, flexibility and resilience – to their successful small businesses,” said Victoria Reynolds, deputy director of the SBA Buffalo district office. “Our calendar of local events will feature key topics of interest to veteran and military spouse owners, including government contracting, financing and business planning.”

For more information about National Veterans Small Business Week, or to find events, visit sba.gov/nvsbw. Sign up for an event and join the online conversation using the hashtag #VetBiz. 

The SBA’s Office of Veterans Business Development (OVBD) works through SBA’s resource partner network, which includes small business development centers, SCORE, women’s business centers, and 22 VBOCs located throughout the nation. VBOCs also are a leading partner in hosting the “Boots to Business” and “Boots to Business Reboot” programs, which offer courses on entrepreneurship on military installations and in local communities. Since the program’s inception in 2013, “Boots to Business” has trained and graduated more than 165,000 service members, veterans, National Guard and Reserve members, and military spouses. For more information on the resources available for veteran entrepreneurs, visit www.sba.gov/veterans.

Now in its ninth year, NVSBW raises awareness of veteran small business ownership, and encourages communities to support their veteran- and military-owned businesses. To learn more, visit www.sba.gov/nvsbw.