Jim LeVan ⋅ Port Monmouth, NJ Rubrik ⋅ 15 years experience

have you checked out the VA's website? http://www.va.gov/osdbu/entrepreneur/index.asp

Randall Short ⋅ Pasadena, MD U.S. Army, Major ⋅ 22 years served

Hi,
VA Vocational Rehab (VR&E) has a business ownership track. Don't let them tell you differently, it is not often used. I was the first to use it at the Baltimore office, and they fought me every step of the way, but in the end they granted me $45K worth of equipment to start my own company. There is limitations on the amount and what it can be used for based mostly on your disability rating. It took the better part of two years but I got the help. You will need to do a business plan through them and all of the leg work. Good luck!
Randy

Robert Brockman ⋅ San Diego, CA San Diego State University now Self Empl ⋅ 52 years experience

You didn't mention it but if you don't have a business plan in hand you are basically hunting without ammunition so to speak. The responses that are already here are all good for a hunt but what everyone will be looking for is a business plan and if they are not, it is probably not a serious source. The response about "grants" is spot on and looking for those will take you down a lot of blind allies for the most part unless you happen across someone giving handouts. I would say the suggestions that are made here are all good and all worth pursing. Good hunting.

April Holland ⋅ Gulfport, MS Ready2Startup ⋅ 10 years experience

There are a few Veteran Entrepreneur Grants offered. If you haven't graduated from programs at Syracuse University's Institute for Veterans and Military Families (IVMF), do it! The programs are as follows:
- Entrepreneurship Bootcamp for Veterans with Disablities (EBV)
- Operation Boots to Business
- Veteran Women Igniting the Spirit of Entrepreneurship (V-WISE)

Once you graduate from IVMF programs, you are eligible to compete in business plan contests with significant "Grant" prizes. Be sure to check out http://vets.syr.edu/ for details on these valuable programs and to apply. These programs make you eligible for grants from Citibank and other benefactors.

There are a few contests that surface during the year like Inc. Magaginze's Military Entrepreneur program. Get details at http://www.inc.com/military-entrepreneurs.

There are Military Veteran Centric Startup Accelerators out there too that offer assistance to include possible cash prizes via pitch competitions and/or investment.
- VetTransfer in Milwaukee, Wisconsin
- VetLaunch in New Orleans, Louisiana

There are more, but those 2 come to mind.

Hope this helps...
V/r
April

Emanuel Carpenter ⋅ Alpharetta, GA SDR Master Class ⋅ 20 years experience

Good question. There are tons of grants out there, some for veterans, some of others.

Look for incubator programs online, companies that offer small business loans, and organizations that provide entrepreneur boot camps for veterans. Besides the SBA, these resources come to mind:

http://www.veterantrainingsymposium.com/
http://www.entrepreneur.com/article/237718
https://www.kabbage.com/blog/?s=grant
http://www.ebvfoundation.org/
http://smallbusinessgrant.fedex.com/
http://www.businessownersideacafe.com/

Best of luck.

Morgan Hoogvelt ⋅ Helotes, TX Morgan Human Capital Management ⋅ 12 years experience

I am not aware of any grants and with all the research I have done myself - visited the SBA, visited SCORE and numerous other places...I think is my be safe to assume there are no grants available. Even loans for business for vets are hard to come by.

Best bet all these places have told me is to bootstrap your business.