National Veteran Owned Business Association

that we are that pipeline that connects veterans and corporations. “With the current pandemic situation, so many small to mid-size businesses are really struggling. So, the most important thing we can do is try to continue to help these veteran- owned businesses keep their business afloat. There are numerous corporate loan and grant programs that we’ve helped facilitate for some relief funding for veterans. We’ve done some dedicated training and provided resources on PPP loans and emergency disaster loans. But the most important thing we can do is help these veteran businesses win contracts from the organizations that want to buy from them so they can continue to keep their employees employed and keep their operations running despite the fact of the pandemic. “We also want to continue to educate the veteran community that there’s this opportunity out there. If a veteran identifies as a veteran- owned business, it’s almost a guarantee that they’re trying to compete for federal government contracts. That marketplace is lucrative, especially with the three percent requirement -even three percent of what the federal government spends is never less than $15 billion, annually. But it’s very difficult to get in a position to sell to the federal government; it’s not a small customer, it doesn’t do micro- purchases. Also, the federal marketplace pales in comparison to the private sector marketplace, so there’s way more opportunity to sell to corporate America. They’re not mandated to do it, but they understand that their supply chain should be inclusive of their customers and when they have good-quality veteran businesses as part of their supply effort, it helps impact their shareholder value. So, they’re very serious about wanting to buy from veterans and they want to make sure that vets are who they say they are, which is something that’s critical. And that’s why we exist.” prospective customers. Our VP of Development is primarily responsible for making sure that our corporations understand that we’re out there, and what value there is in supporting an organization like ours. And my responsibility is making sure that we serve as that conduit, advocating that any corporation that does anything for any group, includes vets, making sure that they understand that certifying those businesses is important, and making sure that we have the financial means to continue to provide all these services. Ninety-plus percent of our revenues are coming from corporations that pledge to include veterans. And if they say they want to buy from vets, we want to make sure