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State initiative looks to turn Veterans into Entrepreneurs

By Vanessa Johnson
September 28, 2012 Updated Sep 28, 2012 at 6:27 PM CDT

BARTONVILLE, Ill. -- After serving the nation overseas, Illinois is looking to serve Veterans who dream of entrepreneurship.
 

Friday, officials from the Illinois Department of Veteran Affairs hosted a small business summit.
 

Mission: Veterans 2 Entrepreneurs is a statewide initative to introduce veterans of the resources available to them.

There is a lack of awareness, many in the veteran community are unaware of the procurement opportunities and preferences they are awarded by the state," says Rodrigo Garcia, Asst. Dir. Illinois Dept. of Veteran Affairs. "Not only do we have the veteran business program that awards 3% of all state contracts, there is also the small business set aside program. That sets aside 10% of state contracts to small businesses."

Friday's event included crash courses on business plans. Disaster relief assistance, and tips on how to secure business grants and loans on a state and federal basis.
 

Click here for more information on Mission: Veterans 2 Entrepreneurs.

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