The U.S. Small Business Administration has announced $3.5 million in grant awards to support outreach organizations focused on veterans’ small businesses. The grants will provide funding to create new Veterans Business Outreach Centers in seven states, including Alaska, California, Colorado, Iowa, Nebraska, Nevada and South Carolina. This will strengthen training and counseling services for aspiring and existing veteran and military spouse small business owners. There are nearly 2 million veteran-owned small businesses in the United States, employing over five million people and generating over $1.3 trillion in annual revenue. With this expansion of the veteran-focused network of small business centers, the SBA aims to help more transitioning service members, veterans, National Guard and Reserve members, and military spouses start and grow their businesses and advance the economy, the organization said in a news release. The VBOC program will now be expanded from 22 to 28 locations, fully servicing all 50 states, the District of Columbia, Puerto Rico, U.S. Virgin Islands, Guam and American Samoa.