Second Service foundation

Frequently Asked Questions

The Second Service Foundation is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization that supports military entrepreneurs through coaching, resources, and capital, as well as an innovative mentorship program.

Military Entrepreneur Challenge

The Military Entrepreneur Challenge (MEC) is the Second Service Foundation’s coaching, networking, and pitch competition event for military-connected entrepreneurs. We have several regional MEC events across the country throughout the year, providing much-needed start-up capital and pro bono legal services for small businesses, and a national MEC event that culminates at the end of the year at the annual Military Influencer Conference. 

No, you can attend the speed coaching event and stay to see the live finale of the Military Entrepreneur Challenge. Check out our event pages for more specifics about the schedule and registration for each event.

Complete the Military Entrepreneur Challenge Application

Please see our Partners page for the current Military Entrepreneur Challenge sponsors. If you are interested in sponsoring the Military Entrepreneur Challenge, please complete the form on our Partners page. 

Pitch Competition - Military Entrepreneur Challenge

Complete the Military Entrepreneur Challenge Application

  • Applicants must be at least 21 years of age at the time of application.
  • Applicants must be a veteran, Reservist, National Guardsman, or transitioning active-duty Military Member of any of the United States Armed Forces, the spouse of a Military Member, or the surviving spouse or child of a Military Member who died on active duty (i.e., a “Gold Star” family member). 

  • Applicants must be low-income and otherwise lack the financial means to start, or grow, an early-stage business or nonprofit.
  • Applicants must own at least 51% of the business entity described in the application.
  • Business entities, as defined in these rules, include sole proprietorships, legally incorporated LLCs, S-Corps or C-Corps (or formal partnerships) created under the laws of any U.S. jurisdiction.
  • If the Applicant is applying in conjunction with a nonprofit organization, the Applicant must be the organization’s senior executive director or equivalent in order to be eligible for the grant.
  • The nonprofit or business entity will also be evaluated on its positive social, community, educational, military-transition, veterans’ employment, health and wellness, or veterans’ mental health/spiritual impact on the American military and veteran community in addition to or in conjunction with the business or nonprofit functions.
  • The application and grant award process will take place on the Second Service Foundation’s website. Applicants will complete their application and submit their business one pager.
  • Applications will be evaluated by the Second Service Foundation judges across a number of criteria. 
  • Applicants will be notified a minimum of one week prior to the event if they are selected to pitch at the pitch competition. Applicants that are selected to pitch are required to sign the provided “Intent to Compete.”
  • Applicants acknowledge they have been selected for one of limited Semi-Finalist positions and, in good faith, intend to compete in the competition. Failure to compete after certifying intent can lead to future disqualification from the Second Service Foundation events.

The following are the criteria we look for in deciding which entrepreneurs receive funding:

 

  • Social impact on the military community
  • Personal story and business idea/potential
  • What customer need is being filled (product/market fit)
  • Team and company history
  • How the entrepreneur plans to use the award and the potential impact on their business.
  • The Second Service Foundation delivers an annual report to program sponsors on program impact based on continuous measurement and tracking of key outcomes to be identified in joint consultation. These outcomes include: 
    • Revenue increase for small business program beneficiaries 
    • Jobs created by small business program beneficiaries 
    • Veterans and military spouses hired by small business program beneficiaries 
    • Social impact on the military community
  • Pitch Competition Participants will be evaluated based on: personal story and business idea/potential, potential impact/use of award funds, product-fit, team/history, and social impact of the business on the military and veteran community. 
  • Pitch Competition Participants will be reviewed by judges. Our judges are comprised of the Second Service Foundation staff, the Board of Directors, sponsors, and industry experts. The judges will determine the Semi-Finalists of the Military Entrepreneur Challenge grant. 
  • The recipients of the grant are chosen from the Semi-Finalists of each award period and are determined by public vote on the Second Service Foundation website or at an in-person pitch competition event.

Grants and other prizes vary based on event. Please see our event pages for specific grant amounts and other sponsor donated services. 

 

Grant Winners must complete all compliance to claim award money within three (3) months of competition completion, otherwise the grant will be forfeit.

Speed Coaching - Military Entrepreneur Challenge

Yes, you can attend the speed coaching event and stay to see the live finale of the Military Entrepreneur Challenge. Check out our event pages for more specifics about the schedule and registration for each event.

The Second Service Foundation, along with our partners Samuel Adams Brewing the American Dream program, the D’Aniello Institute for Veterans and Military Families, and Holland & Knight LLP, put on our Military Entrepreneur Challenge events.

Small business owners will have the opportunity to participate in up to three high-impact coaching sessions with elite professionals, executives, and skilled entrepreneurs in areas such as sales and distribution, packaging, finance, legal, accounting, technology, fundraising, marketing, strategy, operations, and more.

Bring your questions, packaging, logos, and products for the best coaching possible!

You will have the opportunity to meet with and learn from a variety of experts, executives, and skilled entrepreneurs in various subjects. Former coaches have mentored on the topics of finance, marketing, legal, accounting, entrepreneurship, fundraising, technology, and more.

Yes! We are always looking for additional business owners and coaches to get involved. You can complete our interest form and we will be in touch about future events. 

Online Classes and Programs

We are working to expand our program offerings to include online classes and programs. To see our current offerings, visit our virtual classes page.

About The Second Service Foundation

The Second Service Foundation is a 501(c)3 nonprofit organization run entirely on donations and grants. 

Our federal tax ID number is 81-3261192, and you learn more about ways you can support our mission on our Get Involved page. 

The Second Service Foundation, along with our partners Samuel Adams Brewing the American Dream program, the D’Aniello Institute for Veterans and Military Families, and Holland & Knight LLP, put on our Military Entrepreneur Challenge events.

The Second Service Foundation is a collective of veteran and military spouse digital nomads, who gather at our events several times a year. 

 

Our mailing address is:

Second Service Foundation, 6510-A S Academy Blvd., Box 314, Colorado Springs, CO 80906

Privacy Act Statement (5 U.S.C. 552a): The information you provide will not be disclosed outside of the SBA, except with your consent, and as otherwise allowed by the Privacy Act of 1974, 5 U.S.C. §552a, or unless the information is subject to disclosure under the Freedom of Information Act. 5 U.S.C. §552. The Privacy Act authorizes SBA to make certain “routine uses” of information protected by that Act, which are set forth in SBA’s Systems of Records Notice 11 – Entrepreneurial Development

 

Management Information System, 74 FR 14889, 14901 (https://www.govinfo.gov/content/pkg/FR-2009-04-01/pdf/E9-7050.pdf). 

 

SBA has instituted procedures to protect confidentiality and only aggregate and summary data will be provided in public reports to the Congress and the White House. Providing your Social Security number is voluntary. SBA uses your Social Security number to verify whether you received SBA assistance (financial or otherwise). You are asked to voluntarily provide your Social Security number to assist SBA in distinguishing you from other individuals with the same or similar name, or other personal identifiers. Not providing your Social Security number will not affect any right, benefit or privilege to which you are entitled. This request is permitted under EO 9397.