Small Business Administration Offers Veteran Certification Program

11:40AM / Saturday, January 14, 2023Print Story | Email Story

WASHINGTON — The U.S. Small Business Administration began accepting applications through the Veteran Small Business Certification (VetCert) program as part of the Biden-Harris administration's commitment to expanding access to resources for Veterans and other underserved populations.

The improvements in the customer experience for Veteran entrepreneurs and business owners made by VetCert will build upon the $25 billion in government contract spending with service-disabled veteran-owned small businesses in fiscal 2021.

"The SBA's new Veteran small business certification program is designed with our commitment to deliver exceptional support for our skilled entrepreneurs from America's military community," said Administrator Isabella Casillas Guzman. "Supporting these Veteran entrepreneurs with access to government contracting will ensure they can continue their valued service to the American people, whether working in manufacturing, retail, R&D, or helping us build critically needed infrastructure to promote America's long-term growth, job creation, and wealth generation."

The transfer of veteran certification responsibility from the Veterans Administration to the SBA aligns with the Biden administration's focus on stronger interagency collaboration. The two agencies working closely together to accomplish a complex task benefits not only the Veteran community but the nation as a whole.

"When federal agencies work together toward a common goal, great things can be accomplished," said Larry Stubblefield, deputy associate administrator for the SBA's Office of Government Contracting & Business Development. "The collaboration between the SBA and the VA means that veterans, who have dutifully served our country, will be well served on their entrepreneurial journey and Veteran business owners will have additional opportunities in the federal marketplace."

The program will be the agency's primary certification vehicle for all veteran-owned small businesses, important classifications that enable those businesses to qualify for sole-source and set-aside federal contracting awards. Certified VOSBs are eligible to compete for sole-source and set-aside contracts at the Department of Veterans Affairs, while certified service-disabled veteran businesses can compete for sole-source and set-aside contracts governmentwide.

The agency began accepting applications on Jan. 9, 2023. A one-time, one-year extension to the current VA-certified veteran small businesses began as Jan. 1, 2023.

The SBA is implementing several improvements to streamline the certification experience for veteran entrepreneurs. These include:
Providing veterans with a central support platform for their small business certification needs.
Providing reciprocal certification for businesses with remaining eligibility in the women-owned small business (WOSB) and 8(a) programs.
Creating a more business-friendly approach by streamlining the application process and aligning ownership and control requirements across the VetCert, 8(a), and WOSB programs.

All changes to the certification process, along with new eligibility requirements may be viewed here.

For the latest information on the Veteran Small Business Certification program, visit www.sba.gov/vetcert, reference the program's FAQs, or email vetcert@sba.gov.

Tags: small business, veterans,

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Lanesborouh Planningers Look to Clarify Signage Bylaws

By Breanna SteeleiBerkshires Staff
05:18AM / Thursday, February 26, 2026

LANESBOROUGH, Mass. — The Planning Board looks to reword the town's sign bylaws after a recent contentious tussle over a business sign because of the way the bylaw could be interpreted.

Chair Courtney Dondi addressed the room beforehand, asking the attendees in the room to stay respectful.

"I know that our town is experiencing some tension around certain bylaw discussions, change, uncertainty, and complex zoning language can understandably cause frustration. This board does not create conflict. We manage processes," she said. "One of our responsibilities is to ensure that existing and proposed bylaws are revered, be reviewed thoughtfully, legally and transparently, which all take time.

"We serve the entire town, not one group over another. Tonight, we will follow our agenda and maintain order so that every voice has the opportunity to be heard."

Planner Joe Trybus later expanded on her comments to explain the board doesn't make the rules.

"People always think it's the town and I just want to make clear to everybody that we do not make rules, we do not do anything like that," he said. "You come in, you have a suggestion, we talk about it. If this board agrees on doing something like that, we will write a bylaw to bring to the annual town meeting so everybody in this town can vote on it."

Inspired Creations owner Paula Messana said during public comment how she was told to take down a flutter flag because it was not allowed by the town bylaw.

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