NEW YORK CITY — 10 veteran entrepreneurs were awarded $20,000 grants at Mayor Adams’ Veterans Day Breakfast at Gracie Mansion on Thursday, Nov. 7. The grants are awarded through NYC Boss Up, a partnership amongst the New York City Department of Small Business Services (SBS), New York City Department of Veterans’ Services (DVS), the K & R Moelis Family Foundation and FJC. 

“The diversity of business types in this year’s competition was incredible and the veterans and military family members who presented as finalists thrilled the panel of judges with their drive,” said SBS Commissioner Dynishal Gross. “SBS is grateful for the opportunity Boss Up affords us to connect with veteran entrepreneurs and share resources they need to expand and operate their small businesses, which play a key role in strengthening neighborhoods across the city. I’m excited to see how these ten entrepreneurs build on this success and contribute to the city’s small business community in new and inspiring ways.”

The ten entrepreneurs are also enrolled in SBS’s small business mentorship program, which provides the awardees with resources to build and grow their businesses. 

“The financial grant, training program, and access to a growing network of Boss Up entrepreneurs and supporters is making a difference for early stage businesses so we are happy to expand this opportunity to a new cohort of Veterans and Gold Star family members,” said Ron Moelis, co-founder of the K & R Moelis Family Foundation. “We are grateful for every applicant who pitched, and thrilled to highlight and support the small businesses that won this year’s competition.”

The ten businesses were chosen from a pool of over 100 applicants who are military veterans, military spouses or members of Gold Star Families who currently own a small business in New York City. The awardees hail from four of the five boroughs, with three connected to Brooklyn. 

The Brooklyn entrepreneurs include Eric Powell of Flickinger Glassworks in Red Hook; Dr. Mecca Nelson who offers her services in Brooklyn schools and with the District Attorney’s Office; and Natasha Standard of Eqwal Footing from Clinton Hill. 

“We at EQWAL Footing are thrilled to receive support through this grant. [Boss Up’s] belief in our mission empowers us to create top-quality combat boots and pursue U.S. Department of Defense contracts,” said Standard. “We will make the most of this opportunity and look forward to sharing our successes.” 

Boss Up is a philanthropic program committed to encouraging excellence in entrepreneurship across New York City, and the K & R Moelis Family Foundation committed $200,000 to support the veterans’ cohort.