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Today the U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA) issued a release inviting funding proposals from state, local and tribal government agencies, institutions of higher learning and non-profit organizations to “provide ‘Boots to Business’ entrepreneurship training to service members, military spouses, and veterans.”
The SBA’s Office of Veterans Business Development (OVBD) is hosting the competition, which will allow the SBA to administer the global Boots to Business program. Providing “entrepreneurial education and training to military service members and spouses,” the program consists of an Introduction to Entrepreneurship two-day classroom course and a Foundations of Entrepreneurship eight-week, instructor led online course.
“More than 50,000 active duty service members and military spouses have completed Boots to Business and are leading the charge to create the next great generation of veteran entrepreneurs,” said Barbara Carson, Associate Administrator, SBA Office of Veterans Business Development. “I look forward to working with SBA grant awardees to introduce service members and military spouses to the vocation of small business ownership.”
The SBA has announced that it expects to award one to four cooperative agreements from this grant announcement. A maximum amount of $2.5 million is available in annual funding for up to five years. The original award is for 12 months and at the end of the initial grant period, the SBA has the choice to continue the grant on a yearly basis, up to an additional four years.
The SBA states, “Among other criteria, successful applicants will have a demonstrated history of providing quality entrepreneurship and/or business management training to transitioning service members or veterans.”
Eligible, interested parties can submit their proposal for Program Announcement No.B2B-2017-01 here by 11:59 EST on February 17, 2017. For more information, contact John Lira at john.lira@sba.gov.