National Economic Opportunity Fund

Take a look at the new Weblog which chronicles the day to day experiences of NEOF President James Mingey as he travels around the country helping Veterans start small businesses.

4/30/2007: Representative Richard Neal supports special NMTC designation for Service Disabled Veterans

In his introduction to a New Markets Tax Credit extender bill, Representative Richard Neal asked the Secretary of the Treasury to consider designating Service Disabled Veterans as a targeted population under the NMTC program. To read the full text of his remarks, CLICK HERE.

4/25/2007: NEOF Managing Director James Mingey provides Congressional Testimony

James Mingey, President & CEO of NEOF, testified before the House Committee on Appropriations, Subcommittee on Commerce, Justice, Science, and Related Agencies on behalf of The Veterans Corporation. To read his written testimony, CLICK HERE.

3/19/2007: The Veterans Corporation introduces new Business Forum for Veterans

Visit the ConnectVets Business Forum to begin connecting to other Veterans Entrepreneurs!

NEOF's Veteran Programs

The National Economic Opportunity Fund creates opportunities for Veteran and Service-Disabled Veteran owned businesses. These include:

Veterans Help Desk

Providing Assistance to Veteran Owned Businesses to access to capital Nationwide

Community Investment Banking

Providing Opportunities for Veterans to Make A Difference in Thier Communities

Mortgage Banking

Providing Specialized Training for Veterans Interested in a Career in Mortgage Banking

Government Contracting

Providing a Joint-Venture Resource for Selling Telecommunication, Telehealth, and Personnel Services to the Government

Recent studies have shown that Veterans and Service-Disabled Veterans do not have adequate access to capital. These studies emphasized that providing veterans, particularly service-disabled veterans, with adequate access to capital would significantly impact new job creation in the United States .

In Chattanooga, TN, construction has recently begun on a 20,000 square foot real estate project that will house a Veteran Small Business Opportunity Center. This will be a privately funded help desk that provides business development assistance for Veteran and Service Disabled Veteran entrepreneurs. It will include a state of the art Service-Disabled Veteran owned call center, along with space for emerging Veteran owned businesses.

Veteran Financial Programs

In addition to its locally based programs, NEOF has developed a relationship with the Veteran's Corporation to manage a Small Business and Micro-Loan Program for Veterans and Service-Disabled Veterans. In this program, NEOF's priority is to incubate a variety of small businesses, especially franchise businesses, which will be owned and operated by Veterans and Service-Disabled Veterans. NEOF acts as a "Help Desk" and is the exclusive manager of financial programs for the Veteran's Corporation. The primary function of this program will be to provide access to capital through financial institutions such as Accion.

Advocacy for Veterans

The National Economic Opportunity Fund is working with legislators across the country to help obtain a "targeted population" designation for Service Disabled Veterans under the CDFI Fund's New Markets Tax Credit program. Below are some of the letters that members of congress have sent to the Treasury in support of New Market Tax Credits for Service Disabled Veterans: