WASHINGTON – Today, the U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA) announced that the agency’s 12th annual National Veterans Small Business Week (NVSBW) celebration, originally scheduled for November 3-7, 2025, has been canceled due to the ongoing federal shutdown. The week-long recognition, which would have honored America’s 1.6 million veteran-owned small businesses, cannot proceed because of the funding lapse that has suspended key SBA programs and services.
“By refusing to support a clean funding bill to reopen the government, Senate Democrats have frozen the majority of SBA’s services, including our small business lending programs and public events like National Veterans Small Business Week,” said SBA Administrator Kelly Loeffler. “I am disappointed that SBA will be unable to recognize our nation’s veteran entrepreneurs – and that Senate Democrats continue to block pay for more than 1 million active duty military members. The Trump Administration is pursuing every option to support our troops – but until Senate Democrats reverse course, our veteran-owned small businesses and service members will continue to feel the pain of the federal shutdown.”
Each year, NVSBW brings together federal agencies, local stakeholders, and private-sector partners to recognize the leadership, innovation, and sacrifice of veteran entrepreneurs. This year’s theme, “Honoring Veteran-Owned, American Made” was designed to showcase how veteran-owned small businesses drive U.S. manufacturing, strengthen national security, and contribute more than $1 trillion in annual sales to the economy.
Those plans, along with dozens of in-person and virtual events offering training, capital access, and government contracting resources have been suspended. The cancellation underscores how widely the shutdown has disrupted services and opportunities for those who have already sacrificed so much.
The SBA remains committed to supporting our nation’s veterans. Veteran entrepreneurs represent the best of America through leadership, sacrifice, and innovation, and the SBA will continue working every day to ensure they have the tools and opportunities they need to succeed.
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About the U.S. Small Business Administration
The U.S. Small Business Administration helps power the American dream of entrepreneurship. As the leading voice for small businesses within the federal government, the SBA empowers job creators with the resources and support they need to start, grow, and expand their businesses or recover from a declared disaster. It delivers services through an extensive network of SBA field offices and partnerships with public and private organizations. To learn more, visit www.sba.gov.