Grants & funding for veteran-owned businesses.
The real government programs, foundations, and funds that exist today — with what each one actually is, not just its name. VAB doesn't administer any of these; we organized them because most searches for "veteran business grants" turn up outdated lists or programs that quietly stopped operating.
Backed by the federal government
Government programs
SBA Veteran Business Outreach Centers (VBOC)
Free, no-cost counseling, training, and mentorship for veteran entrepreneurs — including the Boots to Business course, run through 30+ SBA-funded centers nationwide.
Not a loan or a grant — this is free business counseling and training, the on-ramp most other programs on this page assume you've already been through.
Find your local VBOCSBA 7(a) Veterans Advantage
A guaranty-fee waiver on SBA 7(a) loans under $350K for veteran-owned businesses, with reduced or no fees on loans under $150K.
This is a fee waiver on an SBA 7(a) loan, not free money — VAB originates SBA 7(a) loans directly, so this applies to VAB's own SBA lending.
See VAB's SBA loans →SBA Veteran Small Business Certification (VetCert)
Certification as a Veteran-Owned (VOSB) or Service-Disabled Veteran-Owned (SDVOSB) small business, unlocking federal set-aside contracts reserved for certified veteran businesses.
This program moved from the VA to the SBA effective January 2023 — self-certification was eliminated. If you see it called "VA Vets First Verification," that's the retired name; VetCert is current.
Start certification at SBA.govMilitary Reservist Economic Injury Disaster Loan (MREIDL)
Up to $2M in working-capital financing for a small business whose operations are impaired because an essential employee was called to active duty as a reservist.
A narrow, specific-situation program — most veteran-owned businesses won't qualify unless a key employee's reserve orders directly hurt the business.
Check eligibility at SBA.govIndependent of the federal government
Grants & investment
StreetShares Foundation Veteran Small Business Award
An annual award program (typically $4,000–$15,000 per recipient) for veteran-owned businesses that are at least 51% veteran-owned, with priority for resource-constrained applicants.
Deadlines shift year to year — check the Foundation's own page for the current cycle rather than assuming last year's dates.
See this year's award cycleWarrior Rising
Free training (Warrior Academy, then Warrior University) that feeds into invite-only pitch events, where selected veteran entrepreneurs can win funding up to roughly $20,000. Also open to military spouses and family members.
Funding isn't automatic or guaranteed — it's the outcome of a competitive pitch process after completing the free training.
Start Warrior AcademyHivers & Strivers
An early-stage venture capital fund exclusively for veteran-led companies — typical checks run $250,000–$1M, with roughly $80M deployed across 20+ portfolio companies since 2009.
This is equity investment, not a grant — Hivers & Strivers takes an ownership stake in exchange for capital, the way any VC fund does.
Learn about their processStraight answers
Grants, loans, and equity — sorted out
No. VAB doesn't administer, fund, or guarantee any grant or investment program — this page is an honest index of real external programs so you don't have to dig for them one at a time. What VAB does offer directly is business banking, lending (including SBA 7(a)), and business insurance for veteran-owned companies.
A grant doesn't have to be repaid — that's what makes programs like the StreetShares Foundation award genuinely free money. A loan (including every SBA program on this page) has to be repaid, usually with interest, even when the fees or guaranty costs are reduced for veterans. Hivers & Strivers is neither — it's equity, meaning they get a stake in your company instead of repayment.
They're the same underlying certification, but the name and the administering agency changed. The VA's Center for Verification and Evaluation handled it until the program transferred to the SBA on January 1, 2023, and self-certification was eliminated. If you're researching this, look for "VetCert" or "SBA Veteran Small Business Certification" — a lot of older content online still uses the retired VA name.
Command Post Academy is VAB's own business education program for veteran entrepreneurs, and SBA's free Veteran Business Outreach Centers (listed above) run the same kind of coaching independently of VAB. Either is a reasonable place to start before a competitive program like Warrior Rising or Hivers & Strivers.
Need capital while you wait?
Grant decisions and pitch competitions take months. VAB's own business loans — including SBA 7(a) with the Veterans Advantage fee waiver, and Startup Capital for pre-revenue businesses — don't.