The StreetShares Foundation

The StreetShares Foundation is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization that exists to inspire, educate and support the military entrepreneurial community. Launched on Veterans Day 2016, the StreetShares Foundation’s programs provide access to capital opportunities, educational content, mentors, coaching and networking events built to serve military community entrepreneurs nationwide. Our grant program, the Veteran Small Business Award, provides a boost of sought-after financial support to help veterans who lack the financial means to start or grow their small businesses. Through the Veteran Small Business Award, the StreetShares Foundation is mobilizing military community entrepreneurs to grow their businesses, create jobs, and maximize their social impact on the military community.

The StreetShares Foundation community is comprised of a diverse group of military community entrepreneurs and their supporters. We have educated over 5,000 entrepreneurs through our programs and educational content initiatives, and have built a community of more than 85,000 members and supporters. Through entrepreneurship, the StreetShares Foundation community has worked to address a number of social challenges facing the military community including health care, mental health, waste management, children and families, unemployment, underemployment, transition, homelessness and disaster relief. The StreetShares Foundation provides capital to make this impact possible.

VETERAN SMALL BUSINESS OWNERS
There are approximately 2.5 million veteran-owned small businesses in the United States, representing 9.1 percent of all U.S. businesses and employing nearly 6 million Americans annually (SBA, 2017). According to a recent study conducted by Syracuse University’s Institute for Veteran and Military Families, the three most common challenges veteran entrepreneurs face are limited networks, difficulty developing mentorships and access to capital. The StreetShares Foundation’s programs solve all three of these challenges.

The StreetShares Foundation exists to create opportunities for military community entrepreneurs by providing access to capital, educational content, coaching, mentoring, inspiration and community.

GET INVOLVED
Join the StreetShares Foundation community today! Get involved by volunteering for one of our events, sponsoring the Veteran Small Business Award, the StreetShares Foundation grant program, become a small business coach or mentor, or partner with us to provide opportunities for education and access to capital for military community entrepreneurs nationwide.

Veteran small businesses make up approximately 9 percent of all American firms and employ 5.8 million Americans according to the SBA.

It’s our mission to create opportunities for these veteran small business owners through inspirational success stories, educational content, mentoring, coaching, networking events and grants to provide a boost of financial support to grow their business.