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Self-Employment & Small Business Ownership

Resources to help you become self-employed or start and grow a small business.

Lists upcoming conferences for small, veteran-owned businesses throughout the United States.

Offers a week long conference to share advice, counsel and insight to help veteran-owned and minority businesses stay competitive in the marketplace. The conference will take place on August 26-28, 2009 at the Omni Shoreham Hotel in Washington, D.C.

Showcases new initiatives and solutions to the financing issues faced by minority and veteran-owned businesses. The conference will take place on May 11-12, 2009 at George Washington University in Washington, D.C.

Provides participants with basic grant proposal writing skills, ability to identify potential funding sources, and will allow time to begin writing a grant application. Next class is on May 24-25, 2009 in South Dakota and registration is required.

Lists answers to frequently asked questions and topics on starting a small business.

Information from the General Services Administration (GSA) regarding opportunities for service-disabled Veteran-owned businesses to sell to the federal government.

Provides members of the Reserve or National Guard who are also small business owners preparing to mobilize with important information and an accompanying CD-ROM that will help prepare your business and your employees for your absence.

Offers a comprehensive business planning guide to assist self-employed Reserve and National Guard members prior to, during and following mobilization and de-mobilization.

Directory of business development officers in Small Business Administration (SBA) District Offices who help Veterans prepare and plan for entrepreneurial pursuits.

Helps small businesses understand their legal requirements, and locate government services supporting the nation's small business community.

Discuss, share and get insight from your fellow business owners as well as industry and government experts. Find the information you need to start, grow and run your business.

Verifies and lists Veteran-owned businesses; provides contracting opportunity notices; lists specialists who will help with start-up, finance, training, procurement and business development; and provides other entrepreneurial services.

Provides an on-line system that allows Veterans to register their minority company with the Minority Business Development Agency's database. Registration opens doors to being able to access contract opportunities, post opportunities and seek business partners.

Offers cutting edge, experiential training in entrepreneurship and small business management to soldiers, sailors, airmen, and marines returning from Iraq and Afghanistan with disabilities.

Describes the affirmative action obligations of federal contractors regarding the hiring and promoting of qualified special disabled Veterans of the Vietnam era and selected other Veterans who served on active duty. See answers to frequently asked questions about the federal contractor program.

The Veterans Transition Franchise Initiative (VetFran) allows veterans to acquire a franchise at a discounted rate that is established by the franchisor.

Offers free online training on starting and growing a small business.

Guides small business owners returning from an active tour on how to reestablish their business. Includes planning resources and information.

Offers business planning toolkits and resources to assist self-employed Reserve and National Guard members prior to, during and following mobilization and de-mobilization.

Provides comprehensive information on a variety of topics for Active Duty, Veterans and their families from employment issues such as pay, benefits and retirement to health care and personal family issues including finances, consumer issues and identity theft, and much more. Also offers a free newsletter for the federal and military communities and their families.

Provides information, resources and referrals about self-employment and small business ownership opportunities for people with disabilities. The Job Accommodations Network's toll-free number (1-800-526-7234).

Provides funds to eligible small businesses to meet its ordinary and necessary operating expenses that it could have met, but is unable to meet, because an essential employee was "called-up" to active duty in their role as a military Reservist.

Provides funds to eligible small businesses for ordinary and necessary operating expenses that it is unable to meet because an essential employee was "called-up" to active duty in their role as a military Reservist.

Offers Veteran entrepreneurs a comprehensive site to start and grow a business. Includes small business tool kits and educational opportunities.

Sponsored by the Association for Service Disabled Veterans (ASDV), this conference provides information and interactive sessions on issues that are important for service disabled Veterans who are small business owners.

Program provides loans for Veterans and members of the military community wanting to establish or expand small businesses.

A nonprofit association dedicated to educating entrepreneurs and the formation, growth and success of small business nationwide. Provides business mentoring, course and workshops and other resources for Veteran entrepreneurs. SCORE is a resource partner with the U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA).

Provides technical assistance, resources and training to individuals throughout the country who are interested in pursuing self-employment. Site offers a Web cast series in which successful entrepreneurs share their secrets for success and online seminars on topics including self-employment for individuals with disabilities.

Provides links to self-employment resources for military spouses, including home-based businesses, loans and more.

Information on the SDV/CROP that helps to create strong relationships between Service Disabled Veteran Enterprises (SDVE), federal, state and local governments to stimulate economic growth.

General Services Administration (GSA) program helps service-disabled Veteran-owned small businesses work with the federal government.

Provides very small loans to start-up, newly established or growing small businesses. Under this program, SBA makes funds available to non-profit community-based lenders which, in turn, make loans to eligible borrowers.

Develops and runs programs for all Veterans, including service-disabled Veterans, reserve component members and their dependents or survivors.

Promotes the growth of women-owned businesses through programs that address business training and technical assistance, and provides access to credit and capital, federal contracts and international trade opportunities.

Click on your state from the map on the page to find contact information for your local SBDC. SBDCs offer one-stop assistance and resources to help people start and grow small businesses.

Includes information and resources that will help you at any stage of the business lifecycle.

Provides resources for small business owners and employees that are National Guard and/or Reserve Members who have been called up to Active Duty.

Offers contracts and grants to small businesses owned by service-disabled Veterans.

Helps entrepreneurs with disabilities, microenterprise development organizations and vocational rehabilitation agencies with financial products, customized training, technical assistance, policy recommendations and linkages to resources.

Provides invaluable information on how to navigate the bureaucracy of benefits and programs available to Active Duty military, National Guard, Reservists, Veterans and their family members. This free 599-page guide covers issues from educational help to vocational rehabilitation, from housing to citizenship.

Information on using the Montgomery GI Bill education benefits to pay for the training needed to start a small business.

Learn how to use education benefits to start or enhance a small business. Contact your local Small Business Development Center for guidance in starting a business.

Provides a list of resources, including government agencies, that can help Veterans start and grow small businesses.

Learn about business opportunities, financing, business coaching, federal contracting opportunities and other information to help you start a small business. See the Center's outreach conference schedule for an event taking place near you.

DoD Office of Small Business Programs provides information for Veteran-owned and service-disabled Veteran-owned small businesses interested in doing business with the DoD.

Online seminar that discusses what the Veteran needs to know and understand in the transition from the military lifestyle to that of a business owner with a disability. For more online training resources see the brochure Self-Employment Webcast Series.

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The American Veterans & Service Members Survival Guide
Provides invaluable information on how to navigate the bureaucracy of benefits and programs available to Active Duty military, National Guard, Reservists, Veterans and their family members. This free 599-page guide covers issues from educational help to vocational rehabilitation, from housing to citizenship.
GovAmerica - Free Federal, Military & Family Guides
Provides comprehensive information on a variety of topics for Active Duty, Veterans and their families from employment issues such as pay, benefits and retirement to health care and personal family issues including finances, consumer issues and identity theft, and much more. Also offers a free newsletter for the federal and military communities and their families.
Assistance for Service-Disabled Veteran-Owned Small Businesses
Information from the General Services Administration (GSA) regarding opportunities for service-disabled Veteran-owned businesses to sell to the federal government.
Self-Employment Resources for Military Spouses
Provides links to self-employment resources for military spouses, including home-based businesses, loans and more.
START-UP/ USA - Self-Employment Technical Assistance, Resources & Training
Provides technical assistance, resources and training to individuals throughout the country who are interested in pursuing self-employment. Site offers a Web cast series in which successful entrepreneurs share their secrets for success and online seminars on topics including self-employment for individuals with disabilities.