Earlier This Year, Senator Rosen Urged The Small Business Administrator To Establish The First-Ever Such Center In Nevada
WASHINGTON, DC – Today, U.S. Senator Jacky Rosen (D-NV), a member of the Senate Small Business and Entrepreneurship Committee, announced that the U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA) has authorized awards of up to $1.7 million over five years to establish the first-ever Veteran Business Outreach Center (VBOC) in Nevada. The announcement comes after Senator Rosen urged the SBA Administrator to establish a VBOC in Nevada, which is home to more than 200,000 veterans and approximately 23,500 veteran-owned businesses. Before Senator Rosen’s involvement, Nevada was one of the states without a single VBOC, which serve as important one-stop shops, providing business resources and support to transitioning servicemembers, veterans, and military spouses interested in starting or growing a small business.
“I’m thrilled that the Small Business Administration is opening Nevada’s first-ever Veterans Business Outreach Center,” said Senator Rosen. “Until now, the lack of a center in Nevada has deprived our veterans and transitioning servicemembers of key resources to start or grow a small business. As this new Veteran Business Outreach Center comes to fruition, I will continue working with the Small Business Administration to ensure it provides robust support to Nevada veterans and servicemembers, helps grow our economy, and employs Nevadans.”
“This is terrific news as this federal grant will help to boost veteran entrepreneurship and support veteran-owned businesses,” said Fred Wagar, Director of the Nevada Department of Veterans Services. “We congratulate and thank our Congressional delegation for supporting the economic goals of our Nevada lawmakers and Governor Lombardo who remain focused on ensuring our veterans and military members have the tools they need to thrive and succeed.”
“On behalf of the Southern Nevada Veterans Chamber of Commerce, I am extremely pleased to learn that the SBA’s Veteran Business Outreach Center (VBOC) will be established in our wonderful state and our local southern Nevada community. This program has been long needed for our transitioning military, veteran, and military family community in the southern Nevada region,” said Lester Lumbad, President and Founder of the Southern Nevada Veterans Chamber of Commerce. “We greatly appreciate the support that was offered by Senator Rosen in our proposal application for the VBOC’s launch in our community, and we plan to return that gesture of support and encouragement three-fold through any support that the Southern Nevada Veterans Chamber of Commerce can offer to the VBOC’s community efforts.”
Senator Rosen has been a leader in the Senate supporting Nevada’s veterans and servicemembers as they transition to civilian life. She has introduced bipartisan legislation to create a new startup tax credit to help veterans who establish small businesses in underserved communities. Senator Rosen has also introduced bipartisan legislation to create, maintain, and operate Student Veteran Centers at universities and colleges across the nation to help student veterans transitioning from military to civilian life.
NOTE: After this release was issued, SBA awarded the funding for Nevada’s VBOC. This release was updated to reflect the amount of funding Nevada was set to receive for its VBOC program, per the Small Business Administration.
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