Today, the U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA) launched a new business training program tailored to military spouses entitled “The Military Spouse Pathway to Business Program.” The program supports the recent White House Executive Order 14100, which strengthens economic opportunity for military and Veteran spouses, caregivers, and survivors.
“The Biden-Harris Administration is working hard to create more economic opportunities for military families, backed by the recent release of the President’s Executive Order and the First Lady’s Joining Forces initiative,” said SBA Administrator Isabella Casillas Guzman. “At the SBA, we are investing in our Veterans and military families by creating pathways to entrepreneurial success to ensure they can be a part of the small business boom that has helped spur job creation and innovation across the nation. America’s military spouses have served our country, and the SBA is ready to support them with customized programs and layered support resources so they can pursue their dreams of business ownership.”
Military Spouse Pathway to Business classes will be hosted nationwide, in-person and virtually, throughout the calendar year. Military spouses with a strong business idea or considering entrepreneurship are encouraged to sign up. Participants will learnkey steps for evaluating business concepts and receive the foundational knowledge required to develop a business plan.
SBA District Offices and SBA Resource Partners offer these courses, which empower our nation’s talented military spouse entrepreneurs by providing the same counseling and training, access to capital, federal contracting, and disaster assistance available to service members and Veterans.
“The course is designed similarly to SBA’s Boots to Business and Boots to Business Reboot courses offered by the SBA but takes into account the unique experience of military spouses,” said Timothy Green, Acting Associate Administrator for the Office of Veterans Business Development. “Military spouses have been and are still encouraged to attend those programs; however, the Military Spouse Pathway to Business program gives military spouses a dedicated curriculum, peer group, and schedule that may be better suited for them.”
This course introduces military spouses to a broad spectrum of entrepreneurial business concepts such as market research, economics, legal considerations, and finances. Each class will offer additional resources available to military spouses for accessing startup capital, receiving technical assistance, earning contracting opportunities, and more.
Military spouses interested in taking the course can sign up for an in-person or virtual class or reach out to their local Veterans Business Outreach Center or SBA District Office to obtain more information.
To learn about SBA programs and resources for military spouses, visit www.sba.gov/milspouse.