SBA Office of Veterans Business Development (OVBD / VBOC)

The federal government's front door for veteran entrepreneurship, run by the U.S. Small Business Administration. Congress created the Veterans Business Outreach Center (VBOC) program to help veterans take full advantage of business ownership; SBA funds a national network of 31 VBOC organizations serving all 50 states, plus "Super" VBOCs now expanding in high-veteran-density regions. VBOCs provide no-cost entrepreneurial development — business plan development, counseling, mentorship, and Boots to Business training run with installation Transition Service Managers — and, critically for financing, they help veterans navigate SBA's resource-partner network and refer them to a community partner, lender, or SBA loan program. This is the honest first stop for a veteran asking "where do I get a business loan": the VA does not make business loans, but SBA-backed products do — 7(a) loans up to $5 million, Express loans up to $500,000 with fast decisions, microloans of $50,000 or less for startups, and the Military Reservist Economic Injury Disaster Loan (MREIDL) for businesses that lose a key employee to active-duty call-up. VBOCs also connect veterans to CDFI lenders for early-stage capital. Free.

• Visit SBA Office of Veterans Business Development (OVBD / VBOC)