Funding opportunities to help veteran-owned small businesses grow
If you’ve been a service member in the U.S. military and have an entrepreneurial spirit, small business grants for veterans can help you start or grow your venture.
Check your eligibility for these grants and join the ranks of nearly 1.6 million veteran-owned businesses that provide jobs to over three million Americans.
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A grant is a financial award given to support the development of businesses owned by veterans. Unlike small business funding from loans, grants aren’t paid back, which means you can invest every dollar to advance your business goals.
These are some of the top grants designed with former active duty vets in mind.
Warrior Rising is an assistance program that supports veterans and their families starting in entrepreneurship or looking to expand. Applicants usually must complete Warrior Rising’s training programmes (like Warrior Academy and Warrior University) before being eligible for grant awards. Deadlines and award amounts vary year to year — check the programme’s website for the next application window.
The Stephen L. Tadlock Veteran Grant provides valuable small business grants for disabled veterans and veteran-owned small businesses with a modest team of two to 100 employees. It offers microgrants that distribute $1,000 to 20 recipients annually to fund business activities. If your revenue is under $5 million, this grant could provide a financial boost to keep your business on track.
The Military Entrepreneur Challenge (MEC) is a grant program from the Second Service Foundation. It features speed coaching and a private pitch session with a judging panel for a chance to win a small business grant for veterans. Register online, participate in coaching, submit your small business grant application, and if accepted, prepare to impress with a compelling two-minute business pitch.
For veterans pursuing a calling in agriculture, the Farmer Veteran Fellowship Fund is tailored to those in the early stages of a farm or ranch business. It offers awards from $1,000 to $5,000. You must join the Farmer Veteran Coalition to qualify, and membership grants access to a community and resources that can help support your business.
The Hiring Our Heroes Small Business Grant program opens annually for veteran- and military-spouse-owned small businesses. Five winners receive one-time cash grants (four at $10K, one at $25K) to support growth, with eligibility focused on businesses of 3-20 employees and under $5 million in annual revenue.
The StreetShares Foundation’s Veteran Small Business Award is listed among the top grants for veteran-owned businesses, typically offering awards in the range of $4,000–$15,000 based on the cohort. Key criteria include having 51%+ veteran ownership and demonstrated community or veteran-market impact.
If you manage your own business, NASE Growth Grants offer $4,000 quarterly to help you expand operations. Veterans can benefit from a 15% discount on annual membership and apply for a grant as soon as they join. This org can help businesses secure funds for marketing, advertising, staff and other business needs.
Each year, the U.S. Chamber of Commerce’s CO-100 (formerly America’s Top Small Business award) honours 100 small businesses across the U.S. for innovation, growth and community contribution. If your for-profit business has fewer than 250 employees or less than $20 million in revenue over the past two years, you could compete for the grand prize: A $25,000 grant to scale your operations. Multiple finalists will receive smaller awards, while all honourees gain national exposure and a year’s membership in the Chamber.
Veteran-owned businesses may apply under the standard eligibility requirements. They can use this as a platform to showcase their entrepreneur story—though it’s not exclusively a veteran grant.
The Square Cornerstone Grant offers $10,000 and mentorship to small businesses using Square that have fewer than 20 employees and less than $2 million in revenue. It supports entrepreneurs from underserved communities, including veterans, but isn’t exclusive to them. Veteran-owned businesses are encouraged to apply, especially if they can show how the funding will help overcome barriers or expand operations.
As a veteran entrepreneur, you have access to state-specific funding options designed to strengthen small businesses in your local area, including:
Other small business funding opportunities include finding lenders if you qualify for a small business loan. These loan programs include:
To explore additional small business grants for veterans and non-veterans alike, Grants.gov is a database of over 1,000 federal funding programs from the Department of Labor, the Department of Veterans Affairs, the Department of Commerce and more.
Another resource is GrantWatch, featuring over 1,300 business grants (and has supported over 300,000 grant funders). Similar to Grants.gov, GrantWatch is open to a broad audience, but its search tool lets you filter veteran-specific opportunities. Browsing is free, but a paid subscription is required for full access.
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Amy Beardsley, insurance expert and contributing writer at NEXT Insurance, is a content marketing writer who specializes in small business coverage. Leveraging her background in the legal field, Amy brings a deep understanding of laws, regulations, and compliance requirements to her work. As a content marketing writer since 2016, she has contributed to publications like Legal & General, Berkshire Hathaway Specialty Insurance, Insurify, and NerdWallet. Her work has also appeared in CNBC, Kiplinger, and US News. When she’s not writing, Amy enjoys playing cards with her family and experimenting with new recipes.
