Email (excerpted), Duncan McGhee, Program Manager, Veteran Entrepreneur Program, Texas Veterans Commission, June 30, 2014

1:42 p.m.

We launched the Veteran Entrepreneur Program as a pilot in April 2012.  From April 2012, until the Governor ceremonially signed the bill (SB 1476) authorizing creation of the Veteran Entrepreneur Program on Memorial Day 2013 (May 27, 2013), we assisted 849 Veterans toward entrepreneurship.  From the ceremonial signing date (May 27, 2013) through March 20, 2014, we have assisted an additional 1,297 Veterans toward entrepreneurship.  The Veteran Entrepreneur Program was funded through a contingency rider in Article IX of the General Appropriations Act (GAA), contingent upon the passage of SB 1476.

11:08 a.m.

July 2, 2014

We were appropriated $184,722 for FY14 and $172,098 for FY15.