SBA Boots to Business (B2B) and B2B Reboot
U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA)
Free training program
Free business education for the military community
Free entrepreneurship education program for transitioning service members, veterans, and military spouses. B2B delivers a 2-day in-person Introduction to Entrepreneurship course at military installations through the Transition Assistance Program (TAP). B2B Reboot is the follow-on path available to all veterans and spouses regardless of installation access — delivered online with self-paced and instructor-led options. Both paths include a 9-week online How to Start a Business course for deeper development. No cash award — the value is structured training and connections to SBA resources.
- Funding type
- Program
- Level
- Federal
- Amount
- No cash award. The program is entirely free to eligible participants. SBA funds the program through cooperative agreements with VBOC partner organizations at approximately 200+ military installations nationwide. Follow-on referrals connect graduates to SBA lending programs and veteran-specific capital sources.
- Realistic amount
- No cash transferred to participants. The value is structured training, curriculum materials, and warm handoffs to SBA le…
- Deadline
- Rolling — B2B cohorts are tied to installation TAP schedules. B2B Reboot available online year-round.
- Status
- active
- States
- Nationwide
Who qualifies
- Active duty service members (all branches) participating in TAP within 180 days of separation
- Veterans of any era with honorable or general discharge
- National Guard and Reserve members
- Military spouses (regardless of whether spouse is currently serving)
- No minimum revenue or business age requirement — pre-launch and early-stage welcome
- No incorporation requirement — individuals and sole proprietors eligible
What it covers
Eligible expenses
- Not applicable — no cash award
- Program covers: curriculum materials, online course access, and instructor time at no cost to participants
Ineligible expenses
- Not applicable — program does not provide funding
- Does not cover: living expenses during transition, startup capital, equipment, inventory
How to apply
-
1
Identify your access path
Active duty within 180 days of separation: register through your installation's TAP office for the 2-day in-person B2B course. Veterans and spouses not on active installation: access B2B Reboot online through your nearest VBOC or sba.gov/vboc.
~0.5 hrs
-
2
Complete Introduction to Entrepreneurship (2 days or online equivalent)
Attend the flagship 2-day course covering feasibility analysis, business model basics, customer discovery, and SBA resource overview. B2B Reboot covers the same curriculum in a self-paced or instructor-led online format.
~16 hrs
-
3
Enroll in the 9-week 'How to Start a Business' online course
Free follow-on course covering business planning, market research, financial projections, legal structure selection, and SBA loan introduction. Delivered through the SBA's learning platform.
~27 hrs
-
4
Connect with a VBOC counselor for one-on-one follow-up
Graduates are encouraged to work with their local Veterans Business Outreach Center for personalized business plan review, financial statement analysis, and warm introductions to SBA lending programs.
~3 hrs
B2B Reboot is often overlooked — veterans years post-discharge can still access the full curriculum online, not just transitioning soldiers. The real ROI is the VBOC warm handoff that follows: graduates who engage a VBOC counselor post-course have significantly higher SBA loan approval rates.
Deadline & timing
B2B courses are offered as part of the Transition Assistance Program (TAP) at military installations on a rolling basis tied to each installation's schedule. Active duty and transitioning members register through their installation's TAP office. Veterans and military spouses access B2B Reboot online at any time through their nearest VBOC or the SBA website. No competitive application — first-come, first-served enrollment.
Programs that stack well
Related programs
Last reviewed 2026. GrantCompass is an independent funding-discovery tool and is not affiliated with any government agency. Always confirm details on the official program page.