How to Find Business Loans for Veterans

Andrew Martins

Before applying for funding, learn about the various lending options for veterans and their qualification requirements.

What is a VA small business loan?

 

If you’re a former service member looking to become your own boss, it’s likely that you’ll need some business funding to start. Though you can always attempt to get a small business loan from any traditional lender, your status as a veteran affords you access to special business funding options from the SBA, commonly known as VA small business loans.

Despite what the name implies, VA small business loans have nothing to do with the Department of Veterans Affairs. Handled by the SBA’s Office of Veterans Business Development, this loan program offers several options for “veterans, service-disabled veterans, reservists, active-duty service members, transitioning service members, and their dependents or survivors.” According to the SBA, approximately $984 million in loans were approved to more than 2,600 veterans in fiscal year 2019.

Like other loans, VA small business loans are provided by a bank or other lending partner and still require regular repayment with interest. The difference between a normal business loan and an SBA-guaranteed loan is that the government agency works directly with lenders to set guidelines that reduce their risk. That lower risk for lenders typically translates to lower interest rates and longer terms for the borrower, though the exact details depend on the type of loan and your unique financial situation.

What types of VA small business loans are available?

 

Military veterans looking for a small business loan have many options. Thanks to the SBA’s various small business lending programs, veterans have access to funds backed by the administration, just as millions of their fellow citizens do.

Though the SBA has offered veteran-specific lending programs over the years, like the Patriot Express loan, those options have expired; the administration no longer offers business loans with reduced rates for veterans. Still, when it comes to small business loans for veterans, the following SBA loan types are the most common and fit many entrepreneurial situations.

Standard 7(a) loans

 

Arguably the SBA’s bread-and-butter lending effort, the 7(a) SBA loan program covers a wide range of small business needs. With a maximum amount of $5 million, this SBA loan aims more to help established small businesses than to fund burgeoning entrepreneurs, as it’s usually used for things like working capital and real estate. Since they’re backed by the SBA, these loans generally have lower interest rates and monthly payments over a longer period. The SBA guarantees up to 85% of a loan amount of less than $150,000 and 75% of loans worth more than that amount.

There used to be an SBA 7(a) program tailored to veterans known as the SBA Veterans Advantage program, which waived or reduced fees for loans worth up to $125,000 or provided up to 50% in discounts for loans worth more than $125,000, but the SBA no longer offers such benefits. The last reference of such a program at the SBA was in 2018, with no signs of renewal for the program.

 

Military Reservist Economic Injury Disaster Loan (MREIDL)

 

If you were a small business owner when you were called into active duty, you may be entitled to assistance from the Military Reservist Economic Injury Disaster Loan program. This business loan program provides financial assistance in the event that an essential worker or the business owner themselves had to return to active duty. The funding provides additional cash flow until that person comes back from their tour of duty.

Beneficiaries can obtain a loan of up to $2 million with a fixed 4% interest rate and a maximum repayment term of 30 years. The SBA requires collateral for loans over $50,000. Though it “will not decline a loan for lack of collateral,” the SBA says it will require you to “pledge collateral that is available.”

“This is a great program that very few folks know about,” Charles W. McCaffrey, former director of the Veterans Business Outreach Center for the National Capital Region and a Navy veteran, told U.S. News in 2018. “The SBA makes these loans directly, so it can be quicker.”

Microloans

 

In addition to its more traditional loan programs, the SBA provides microloans to small businesses that can’t typically qualify for other lending options. As the name suggests, microloans offer smaller amounts – up to $50,000. Though the maximum loan amount is tiny compared to other small business loan programs, microloans often have higher interest rates of 8% to 13%. In most cases, a microloan requires some form of collateral and heavy paperwork, including a business plan, various tax returns and financial projections for the business.

Who qualifies for a VA business loan?

 

Since numerous types of small business loans are available to veterans, the requirements vary by type of loan, the applicant’s personal credit score and other factors. In general, however, these are the SBA’s eligibility requirements for the 7(a) loan program:

(1) Your business operates for profit.

(2) You are engaged in, or propose to do business in, the U.S. or its territories.

(3) Your business has an owner who has invested equity.

(4) You have exhausted alternative financial resources, including personal assets, before seeking financial assistance.

(5) For a closer look into which loans might be the best fit for your small business and your eligibility for them, you can use the SBA’s free Lender Match tool.

What other business financing options are available for veteran small business owners?

In case none of the aforementioned business loan programs match your needs as a veteran business owner, numerous other programs aim to help the armed forces’ service members. Here are three of those programs.

1. StreetShares

 

With a focus on veteran-run small businesses, StreetShares helps entrepreneurs locate the best term loan, line of credit or other business financing program to keep things running. As a veteran-run organization itself, this program also offers tips and information on its website.

2. Service-Disabled Veteran-Owned Small Business program

 

Over the years, thousands of men and women have returned from conflict with various disabilities sustained in battle. To help those individuals return to civilian life and earn a living, the Service-Disabled Veteran-Owned Small Business program works to award at least 3% of all federal contracting spending to such entrepreneurs each year. Through the program, contractors can compete for specially set-aside contracts on an annual basis.

These are the criteria you must meet to qualify for this program:

(1) You must be a veteran with a disability sustained during service.

(2) The funding must be for a small business.

(3) The business must be at least 51% owned and controlled by one or more service-disabled veterans.

(4) One or more service-disabled veterans must manage the business’s daily operations.

3. Hivers & Strivers

 

Business loans and government contracts aren’t the only way to get funding as a veteran entrepreneur. If you’re looking for an investor to get your venture off the ground, Hivers & Strivers may be a worthwhile solution. This group was founded by graduates of U.S. military academies, and most of its investors are veterans themselves. It provides support at the early stage of a business’s existence, with many investment rounds ranging from $250,000 to $1 million.