Twenty-five veteran- and military spouse-owned businesses will receive funding, training and workforce support designed to create lasting employment opportunities.
ALPHARETTA, Ga. — Twenty-five veteran- and military spouse-owned businesses are getting more than financial support through a new national grant program designed to help entrepreneurs grow while creating career opportunities for others in the military community.
Hire Heroes USA announced the inaugural recipients of The Ripple Effect: Certified Veteran Employer Grants Program, a national initiative investing $250,000 in growth capital. Each selected business will receive a $10,000 grant.
But the investment does not stop with a check.
Recipients will also receive Certified Veteran Employer training, employer resources and ongoing support from Hire Heroes USA. Businesses will gain direct access to more than 20,000 military-connected job seekers, along with career fair participation and employer spotlight opportunities.
“Veteran and military spouse-owned businesses are a critical source of innovation, job creation, and economic opportunity,” said Jonathan Perri, director of social impact at Ripple. “This program, powered by Ripple’s RLUSD donation to Hire Heroes USA, is a direct investment in entrepreneurs who are committed to hiring from the military community and building businesses that last.”
The program supports small- to mid-sized U.S. businesses that are at least 51% owned by a military veteran or military spouse. Participating businesses must also demonstrate a commitment to hiring veterans and military spouses within the next 12 to 18 months.
That commitment creates the potential for a ripple effect extending well beyond the 25 grant recipients.
Veteran- and military spouse-owned businesses can serve as important bridges between military service and civilian employment. Entrepreneurs who understand military experience firsthand may also recognize the leadership, adaptability and specialized skills veterans and military spouses bring to the workplace.
“Veteran- and military spouse-owned businesses are creating jobs, strengthening local economies, and bringing invaluable leadership to communities across the country,” said James Gillen, chief development officer at Hire Heroes USA. “Through our partnership with Ripple, we’re investing in entrepreneurs who are committed to hiring from the military community and equipping them with the funding, training, and resources to build veteran-ready workplaces.”
Gillen added, “Together, we’re creating opportunities that will have a lasting impact on veterans, military spouses, their families, and the businesses they help grow.”
Hire Heroes USA says more than 120,000 clients have secured meaningful employment through its services since 2005. The nonprofit provides career coaching, professionally written resumes, mentoring, workshops, job board access and career fairs to transitioning service members, veterans and military spouses at no cost.
The Ripple Effect program brings together philanthropy, entrepreneurship and workforce development in a way that could multiply the impact of a single investment. A grant may help one business grow. That growth can lead to a new job. A new job can strengthen a military family and, in turn, the community around it.
“When we invest in people who have already given so much through service, and then help them create opportunities for others, generosity begins to multiply. That is how stronger businesses become stronger families and stronger communities,” said Bruce Petillo, founder of Heartitude.
For these 25 businesses, the grants represent an opportunity to build something larger than individual success. By intentionally opening doors to veterans and military spouses, the recipients have a chance to turn business growth into shared opportunity — one hire, one family and one community at a time.
More information about the program and its 25 recipients is available through Hire Heroes USA.