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SBA Opens 6 New Veterans Outreach Centers

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Each year, the U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA) helps more than 200,000 veterans, service-disabled veterans, and National Guard and Reserve service members, and military spouses start and grow their small businesses.?  The SBA will be adding six Veterans Business Outreach Centers (VBOC) to the existing 13, bringing the nationwide total to19.

Each VBOC will provide entrepreneurial training, comprehensive business assessment, and mentoring to active duty service members, veterans and service-disabled veterans, National Guard and Reservists, and military spouses interested in starting a small business.

The new VBOCs will be located as follows:

  • Center for Women & Enterprise (CWE), Providence, RI
  • University of Hawaii, Honolulu, HI
  • Georgia Southern University Research & Services Foundation, Statesboro, GA
  • Cochise County Community College District, Sierra Vista, AZ
  • University of Texas at Arlington, Arlington, TX
  • MiraCosta College, Oceanside, CA

Existing VBOCs are located as follows:

  • Veterans Business Outreach Center at Mississippi State University, Starkville, MS
  • Big Sky Economic Development Authority, Billings, MT
  • WBDC Chicago, Chicago, IL
  • Community Business Partnership, Springfield, VA
  • Hampton Roads Veterans Business Outreach Center, Norfolk, VA
  • Veterans Business Outreach Center at Gulf Coast State College, Panama City, FL
  • Veterans Business Outreach Center at Fayetteville State Univ., Fayetteville, NC
  • VetBiz Central, Inc., Flint, MI
  • University of Texas Rio Grande Valley, Edinburg, TX
  • New Mexico Veterans Business Outreach Center, Albuquerque, NM
  • Veterans Business Resource Center, St. Louis, MO
  • Business Impact NW, Seattle, WA
  • Veterans Business Outreach Center – Region IX, Sacramento, CA

VBOC locations were selected based on “Boots to Business” program demand, military installation, and transitioning population data.

VBOCs support transitioning service members as they begin self-employment or entrepreneurship. Part of the VBOC funding is used to cover costs involved in doing outreach to increase participation in the Boots to Business entrepreneurship training program on military installations in the U.S. and its territories.

Veterans business development is available in each state at SBA District Offices and at VBOCs located throughout the U.S.  To learn more about additional opportunities for veterans available through the SBA, visit www.sba.gov/vets.

Veterans Business Outreach Center

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The Veterans Business Outreach Center (VBOC) Program is designed to provide entrepreneurial development services such as business training, counseling and mentoring, and referrals for eligible veterans owning or considering starting a small business. The SBA has 15 organizations participating in this cooperative agreement and serving as Veterans Business Outreach Centers (VBOC).

Services Provided by the Centers

Pre-Business Plan Workshops

VBOCs conduct entrepreneurial development workshops dealing specifically with the major issues of self-employment. An important segment of these workshops entails the usage of the Internet as a tool for developing and expanding businesses. Each client is afforded the opportunity to work directly with a business counselor.

Concept Assessments

VBOCs assist clients in assessing their entrepreneurial needs and requirements.

Business Plan Preparations

VBOCs assist clients in developing and maintaining a five-year business plan. The business plan includes such elements as the legal form if the business, equipment requirements and cost, organizational structure, a strategic plan, market analysis, and a financial plan. Financial plans include financial projections, budget projections, and funding requirements.

Comprehensive Feasibility Analysis

VBOCs provide assistance in identifying and analyzing the strengths and weaknesses of the business plan to increase the probability of success. The results of the analysis are utilized to revise the strategic planning portion of the business plan.

Entrepreneurial Training and Counseling

VBOCs, working with other SBA resource partners, target entrepreneurial training projects and counseling sessions tailored specifically to address the needs and concerns of the service-disabled veteran entrepreneur.

Mentorship

VBOCs conduct, as appropriate, on-site visits with clients to ensure adherence to their business plans. Additionally, VBOCs review monthly financial statements to determine whether a revision of the business plan is warranted or that desired results are being attained.

Other Business Developmental Related Services

VBOCs also provide assistance and training in such areas as international trade, franchising, Internet marketing, accounting, etc.

Center Locations and Areas of Coverage

Region I

Region II

Region III

Region IV

Region V

Region VI

Region VII

Region VIII

Region IX

Region X

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