Kenneth B. and Stephen L. Tadlock Veteran Small Business Grant
Founders First CDC
$1,000
$1,000 micro-grant to 20 veteran employer-based small business owners nationwide; 2026 short application opens September 2026.
Founders First CDC's Kenneth B. and Stephen L. Tadlock Fund makes $1,000 micro-investments to 20 U.S. military veterans running employer-based small businesses across the country. The fund was created to honor U.S. Navy Veteran Stephen L. Tadlock and supports veteran founders with non-dilutive capital. The 2026 short application opens in September 2026.
- Funding type
- Grant
- Level
- Foundation
- Amount range
- $1,000 – $1,000
- Realistic amount
- $1,000 fixed award
- Deadline
- Short application opens September 2026
- Status
- upcoming
- States
- Nationwide
Who qualifies
- U.S. military veteran
- Owner of an employer-based small business
- Business operates in the United States
- For-profit business
Who is not eligible
- Non-veteran-owned businesses
- Solo businesses with no employees (must be employer-based)
- Nonprofit organizations
What it covers
Eligible expenses
- Working capital
- Marketing and customer acquisition
- Technology or equipment
- Hiring or contractor support
- Operations and growth initiatives
Ineligible expenses
- Personal expenses
- Debt repayment
- Activities unrelated to the business
How to apply
-
1
Pre-register on the Formstack form
Visit the Tadlock Fund page and complete the short pre-registration form to receive updates when the 2026 application opens.
~0.5 hrs
-
2
Await the September 2026 application opening
Founders First CDC will open the short application in September 2026 and share next steps with pre-registered veterans.
-
3
Complete the full application when live
Submit the full application, including business details, veteran status documentation, and intended use of funds.
~1.5 hrs
Pre-register early via the Formstack form on the Tadlock page — Founders First typically communicates application details first to pre-registered veterans and uses employer-based status as a hard filter.
Deadline & timing
Full application timeline is released after the September 2026 pre-registration window; monitor foundersfirstcdc.org/stephen-tadlock and the Formstack pre-registration form.
Required documents
- Proof of veteran status (DD-214 or similar)
- Business information demonstrating employer-based operation
- Use-of-funds narrative
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Alternatives computed from the live GrantCompass catalog on August 24, 2026 — all 165 open grant programs · filter the database.
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Researched and verified 2026-08-24 against the official program source. GrantCompass is an independent funding-discovery tool and is not affiliated with any government agency. Always confirm details on the official program page.