Fresno Invests in Veteran-Owned Businesses: A Local Ordinance Echoing a National Movement

www.investinveteransweek.com

When Fresno City Councilmembers Nick Richardson and Nelson Esparza introduced the Small-Enterprise Relief for Veteran Entrepreneurs (SERVE) Act on May 22, 2025, they were not simply drafting a local ordinance—they were activating a philosophy long championed by our organization: investment as a civic imperative.

Councilmember Esparza’s words captured this ethos clearly:

“When we invest in those who have served, we’re investing in leadership, innovation, and the values that define our community.”

At National Invest In Veterans Week® (NIVW), this belief defines everything we do.

The SERVE Act—offering exemptions from business tax license fees and waiving up to $1,000 in startup costs for new veteran entrepreneurs—affirms what our movement has long understood: that empowering veteran-owned businesses isn’t a subsidy, it’s a strategic investment in American resilience.

It is also a concrete example of what we call investing in veterans by investing with veterans.

The National Legacy Behind the Local Policy

The SERVE Act in Fresno joins a growing tide of local and regional legislation aligned with the mission of National Invest In Veterans Week®, a movement we launched in 2017 and federally trademarked in 2019. Since our founding:

• We have been recognized in the U.S. Congressional Record (March 8, 2024)

• Expanded across 19 U.S. states and 21 international markets

• Established observances like International Veterans Day℠ (March 3) and Jeff Shuford Impact Day℠ (March 7)

• Inspired regionally aligned efforts such as National Invest In America Week℠ (July 1–7)—a modern revival of President Nixon’s 1970 proclamation on economic patriotism

This is more than symbolism. It’s infrastructure—digital, legislative, and community-based.

Fresno’s SERVE Act exemplifies this national infrastructure in motion. By removing fiscal and bureaucratic barriers for veteran entrepreneurs, the city is not just honoring military service; it is activating economic service—with veterans at the helm.

The Shuford Legacy: From National Anthem to Economic Doctrine

This idea of “investing in those who’ve invested in us” has deep roots in our founding team. Jeff Shuford, co-founder of NIVW and retired veteran, is the grandson of Jim Freeman, founding member of The Five Satins and co-author of “In the Still of the Night.”

Jim Freeman was selected to support President Nixon’s 1972 reelection campaign through a patriotic revival music tour—a cultural strategy recorded in the Nixon Presidential Library.

Three years earlier, Nixon had declared the original National Invest-in-America Week:

“Without the private investor, America would simply not be the country we know and love.” — President Nixon, April 27, 1970

Decades later, Jeff Shuford would reinterpret this doctrine into civic infrastructure: trademarking National Invest In Veterans Week®, building Veterans.International, and codifying the Invest In America Challenge™, all while remaining an independent, self-funded advocate of veteran empowerment.

Fresno's Model: Micro-Investment, Macro-Impact

The SERVE Act may seem modest in fiscal scope—waiving fees, covering initial licenses—but it unlocks a broader paradigm:

• Cost relief becomes growth capital

• Policy becomes partnership

• Local government becomes an investor in national capacity

Veteran entrepreneurs like Navy veteran Austin Naes, founder of MAYHEM Fitness in Fresno, understand this deeply:

“That’s more money we can invest into equipment, hopefully expand our facility so we can cater more to the community.”

This local action resonates with the ethos we’ve cultivated across every domain, podcast, magazine, and regional alliance under our umbrella.

Conclusion: The Future of Veteran Empowerment Is Regionalized Investment

Fresno’s proposed ordinance may begin as a city-level act—but its philosophy belongs to a much larger movement. One where cities, counties, and regions actively invest in leadership, not just commemorate it.

From a single ordinance in California to national observances recognized by Congress, we continue to affirm:

To invest in veterans is not charity. It is strategic civic capital.
And Fresno’s SERVE Act is investing wisely.

For more on how National Invest In Veterans Week® supports veteran-led economic development, visit:
www.investinveteransweek.com

Or explore how your city can activate the Invest In America Challenge™ at:
www.investinamericaweek.com

Let us help your region invest in the future—by investing with those who served.

From Domestic Doctrine to Global Model: The Transnational Rise of National Invest In Veterans Week® and the Emergence of National Invest In America Week℠

In a year defined by geopolitical tension, labor market uncertainty, and historic demographic shifts, one American initiative has cut through the noise with uncommon clarity and purpose: National Invest In Veterans Week®. Once a domestic observance launched in 2019 to champion veteran entrepreneurship, the initiative has evolved into a globally resonant civic infrastructure—trademarked, legislatively endorsed, and now formally recognized in international discourse.

A U.S. Civic Innovation, Engineered for Scale

National Invest In Veterans Week® was founded by Iraq War veteran Jeff Shuford, former NFL player Drayton Florence, and retired U.S. Army officer LTC Rickey L. Pope, with a singular vision: to reposition veteran service not as a ceremonial talking point, but as a national investment requiring tangible economic return. That vision materialized through a powerful architecture—a U.S. federal trademark (Reg. No. 6784776), legislative integration into the Congressional Record (Vol. 170, No. 42), and a syndication model reaching 40 state and international veteran-focused domains.

Shuford, a noted AI ethicist, award-winning technologist, and decorated military spouse, shaped the initiative with academic precision and marketing fluency. His groundbreaking work in artificial intelligence ethics has been cited by Nature, IEEE, and the NIH, while his tech advocacy spans over 700 media properties, including American City Business Journals and GateHouse Media.

Canada Responds: A Civic Model Crosses Borders

On March 4, 2025, Northern Ontario Business published "Investing in Veterans: A Call to Northern Ontario’s Business Community," the first international editorial to mirror the doctrinal language of National Invest In Veterans Week®. It called for veterans to be treated as strategic labor assets, not symbolic beneficiaries—reaffirming the initiative’s founding premise in a Canadian economic context.

Shortly after, media platforms Canadian Reporter and TopToronto issued extensive profiles on Jeff Shuford, naming him a "Historic American Digital Innovator" and praising his intersectional influence in AI, veterans advocacy, and digital policy. These articles spotlighted the February 29, 2024 endorsement of National Invest In Veterans Week® by Navajo Nation President Buu Nygren and its March 8, 2024 entry into the U.S. Congressional Record. Such dual recognition by tribal and federal authorities solidified the initiative’s rare blend of cultural authenticity and legislative traction.

Legislative Momentum and Global Recognition

As National Invest In Veterans Week® unfolded from March 1–7, 2025, its impact reverberated through multiple channels:

• Wisconsin Governor Tony Evers announced over $137 million in new capital and operating investments for veterans in his 2025–27 state budget (March 20, 2025).

• Refuel Agency and Prospect Capital partnered on March 10 to fund trauma recovery and workforce development programs through Team RWB and Avalon Action Alliance.

• ePackageSupply.com, a majority veteran-owned company, secured a major investment from $1B ecommerce leader Michael Wittmeyer (May 13, 2025).

• Hivers & Strivers, a veteran-focused VC, reached $80M in investments across 20+ veteran-founded startups.

Each development carried the unmistakable rhetorical fingerprint of National Invest In Veterans Week®—not only in language, but in underlying policy logic. Veteran investment is no longer a matter of sentiment; it is a macroeconomic strategy.

From Franchises to Frameworks

The initiative's civic foundation dates back to 2020 when Assisted Living Locators became the first national franchisor to offer veterans a discount explicitly in honor of National Invest In Veterans Week®. Since then, a diverse coalition of public and private entities have joined the movement, from CCS Global Tech’s March 3, 2025 whitepaper on veteran hiring ROI to local proclamations issued by states like Montana, Oregon, and South Carolina.

Meanwhile, Shuford and the NIVW team have developed a decentralized support network through 40+ regional and international veteran websites, each designed to deliver localized resources, entrepreneurial training, and economic pathways. These platforms, such as LouisianaVeterans.com and Veterans.International, represent a model of digital federalism for veteran support—scalable, modular, and impact-driven.

The Architect Behind the Expansion

Jeff Shuford’s biography reads like a blueprint for generational impact. At age 30, he became one of the youngest African-American business columnists syndicated across 144 daily newspapers. His accolades span the Swagger Magazine Visionary of the Year Award, the 2024 OutdoorProject.com Initiative of the Year, and the Lifetime Digital Grassroots Achievement Award. In 2024, he established the Jeff Shuford Empowerment Through Advocacy Award, presented to NFL star and Salute to Service finalist Aaron Jones for his veteran-focused philanthropy.

Shuford’s leadership is not performative; it is infrastructural. His AI research focuses on predictive diagnostics in underserved communities. His veteran advocacy is encoded into policy language. And his digital platforms serve as both public resources and legislative prototypes.

Toward a Global Doctrine

What makes National Invest In Veterans Week® unparalleled is not only its content, but its form. It is one of the few civic observances that is:

• Federally trademarked

• Cited in Congressional Records

• Integrated into tribal governance and state proclamations

• Expanded into international editorial ecosystems

It is simultaneously brand, doctrine, policy tool, and cultural export. Its adoption in Canada, its growth across U.S. state systems, and its media presence across 700+ outlets position it not merely as an annual observance, but as a governance-ready framework for veteran integration.

As the initiative moves to expand its digital footprint to U.S. military installations abroad, National Invest In Veterans Week® stands at the intersection of diplomacy, economics, and public memory. It is no longer a campaign. It is an institution—and one uniquely capable of transcending borders while honoring those who defended them.

National Invest In America Week℠: A Civic Evolution

Building on the legacy of National Invest In Veterans Week®, National Invest In America Week℠ was launched as a forward-facing civic observance dedicated to economic unity and national reinvestment. Observed annually from July 1 to July 7, and deliberately positioned alongside Independence Day, this initiative invites Americans to reaffirm their civic values through economic action.

National Invest In America Week℠ is not merely symbolic. It is a doctrinal complement to National Invest In Veterans Week®, reframing patriotism through the lens of investment, innovation, and inclusion. It invites local leaders, businesses, and citizens to catalyze economic development—supporting veteran-owned enterprises, investing in underserved communities, and advancing policies that democratize prosperity.

To understand the origins, purpose, and celebration of this national observance, readers are encouraged to explore the following official resources:

• What is National Invest In America Week℠

• National Invest In America Week℠ History

• Facts and Information

• How to Celebrate National Invest In America Week℠

• When is National Invest In America Week℠ Observed?

Together, National Invest In Veterans Week® and National Invest In America Week℠ now form a dual-axis civic framework—one rooted in honoring those who served, and the other in building an inclusive economic future worthy of that sacrifice.

From Washington to Canberra: National Invest In Veterans Week® Defines a Global Framework for Veteran Investment

Published featuring contributions from AOL, NBC Bay Area and RSL Australia

From Washington to Canberra, a bold new era in veteran policy is emerging—one that treats military service not as a sacrifice to be honored alone, but as an asset to be invested in. With National Invest In Veterans Week® (March 1–7) now recognized globally, 2025 marks a turning point: an international alignment of public, private, and policy-driven efforts that affirm a shared commitment to veteran empowerment, entrepreneurship, and systemic support.

While the U.S.-based movement has long advanced its founding principle—"Military service is an investment. Let’s yield the return."—this year it finds powerful reflection abroad. In Australia, the Returned & Services League (RSL)’s Election Asks report (March 2025) lays out a transformative policy vision: full implementation of the Royal Commission into Defence and Veteran Suicide, fee-free advocacy, modernized healthcare access, sustained institutional funding, and a rebalanced national defense strategy rooted in the wellbeing of those who serve.

“We want all sides of politics to seize the momentum... and make an enduring commitment to real, meaningful and long-lasting reform,” said Alan Toner of RSL’s Mosman Sub-Branch.

Flashback: A Silicon Valley Spark

The global trajectory of this movement traces back to a 2023 flashpoint in Silicon Valley. There, venture capitalist Dr. Ernestine Fu launched the MilVet Angels syndicate—a coalition of over 100 veteran investors backing startups led by military founders. The initiative showcased how veterans, equipped with leadership, adaptability, and mission clarity, are ideally suited to innovate in AI, infrastructure, and national security sectors.

“Veterans don’t just belong in the room,” Fu remarked. “They built it. Now, they’re investing in it.”

That ethos—of veterans as capital originators rather than passive beneficiaries—has come to define the 2025 tone of National Invest In Veterans Week®.

Institutional Advancements & Global Echoes

• In the U.S., the initiative has been cited in the Congressional Record and propelled the formation of ITA Growth Partners, a dedicated family office investing in veteran-owned enterprises.

• Harvard Catalyst (Jan. 2025) highlighted NIVW as a model for transition policy, integrating workforce, healthcare, and entrepreneurship into a unified reintegration strategy.

• In Canada, 2025 marked the first official cross-border alignment, signaling the viability of a North Atlantic veteran investment framework.

• In Australia, the RSL's platform calls for increased defence spending (2.5–3% GDP), systemic veteran healthcare reform, and the establishment of an independent Defence and Veteran Services Commission—all deeply aligned with the NIVW model of sustainable institutional commitment.

Beyond Symbolism: A Call to Structural Action

As National Invest In Veterans Week® continues to expand, it does so with a sharpened focus on policy impact, capital access, and narrative reframing. From the halls of Stanford to the chambers of Parliament in Canberra, the message is clear: veterans are not a cause, they are a class of catalytic capital.

This March, as AOL’s readers browse calendars for inspiration, National Invest In Veterans Week® offers more than a celebration. It offers a framework—and a future.

Learn more at www.investinveteransweek.com
Full report from RSL Australia available here (PDF)