Economic Justice Fund Repeats as CDFI Fund Grant Winner
News
Veterans have a long and distinguished tradition of entrepreneurship. More than 49 percent of World War II veterans and 40 percent of Korean War veterans owned or operated their own businesses.01
But that tradition has declined in recent years. Today, only 4.5 percent of veterans who served post 9/11 are self-employed.02 The biggest challenges veteran entrepreneurs face are the lack of access to capital, lack of professional networks, and difficulties developing relationships with mentors.03
The Economic Justice Fund is committed to ensuring that veteran entrepreneurs who have served their country with honor succeed in civilian life as well. Learn about the services we provide.
200K
service members transition to civilian life each year.04
25%
of transitioning service members want to start a business.
- “Where Are All the Missing Veteran-Owned Businesses?”, Inc. Magazine, October 2016.
- Self-Employment in the United States, U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, March 2016.
- Veteran Entrepreneurship: Access to Capital Challenges and Opportunities, Institute for Veterans and Military Families, Syracuse University, November 2019.
- Source for both statistics: The Veteran Entrepreneur Ecosystem, Bunker Labs, 2019.