WASHINGTON, Aug. 24, 2023 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- The U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA) announced today that it will celebrate National Veterans Small Business Week (NVSBW) for the tenth consecutive year. The week-long event will take place Oct. 30-Nov. 3, 2023, and includes in-person and virtual events highlighting the nation’s nearly two million Veteran-owned small businesses. 

“This year marks our tenth celebration of National Veterans Small Business Week, but America’s veteran entrepreneurs have made a difference for our communities and nation’s economy for decades,” said Administrator Isabella Casillas Guzman. “Supporting veterans is a priority for the Biden-Harris Administration, and this week is an important opportunity for the SBA to connect them with the resources we offer to help them start and grow their own successful businesses.” 

Throughout the week, SBA, resource partners, and local organizations across the country highlight various aspects of the entrepreneurial journey for veteran and military spouse small business owners. Topics include transition assistance, entrepreneurial training, government contracting, disaster assistance, and access to capital resources. Events are currently being added to the event list on sba.gov/nvsbw. 

The SBA has a long history of supporting veterans and their families and has focused on improvements for the veteran small business community in the past year. In January, the SBA launched its Veteran Small Business Certification program to help veterans certify their businesses to compete in the federal marketplace. In June, the SBA modernized its loan program, an active approach to improve and expand capital for small businesses, especially Veteran-owned small businesses. Most recently, the SBA launched its new business training program, Military Spouse Pathway to Business, to further support military spouses on their entrepreneurial journey. 

NVSBW is hosted by the SBA’s Office of Veterans Business Development and first began in 2013. 

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About the Office of Veterans Business Development 
The SBA’s Office of Veterans Business Development (OVBD) works through SBA’s extensive resource partner network, which includes Small Business Development Centers, SCORE, Women’s Business Centers, and 22 VBOCs located throughout the nation. VBOCs are also the 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. 

About the U.S. Small Business Administration 
The U.S. Small Business Administration helps power the American dream of business ownership. As the only go-to resource and voice for small businesses backed by the strength of the federal government, the SBA empowers entrepreneurs and small business owners with the resources and support they need to start, grow, expand their businesses, or recover from a declared disaster. It delivers services through an extensive network of SBA field offices and partnerships with public and private organizations. To learn more, visit www.sba.gov. 

Kirk McElwain
U.S. Small Business Administration
202-205-6175
Kirk.McElwain@sba.gov