Military Spouse Chamber of Commerce

10/28/2026

🎄✨ MAKE THIS HOLIDAY SEASON MARYFUL! ✨🎄

The holidays are right around the corner, and if you're dreaming of a beautifully decorated home, festive gathering, or a space filled with holiday magic, NOW is the time to book your décor services! ❤️🏡

The Military Spouse Chamber of Commerce is thrilled to welcome Maryful Memories Design Studio, founded by Mary, as a newly Military Spouse Certified Owned Business! 💙

From creating inviting spaces for your celebration, to bringing your seasonal vision to life, thoughtful décor can transform your space into a place where memories are made. Whether you're preparing for holiday entertaining, decorating for the season, or creating a festive atmosphere for family and friends, now is the time to start planning!

📍 Serving the Northern Virginia (NoVA), Washington, D.C., and Maryland region, Maryful Memories Design Studio is ready to help make your holiday season feel extra special.

🎁 Don't wait until the last minute! Holiday calendars fill quickly, so reach out to Mary today to discuss your décor vision and book your services.

✨ Join us in congratulating Mary on becoming MSCC Certified and support a military spouse-owned business this holiday season!

🔗 Website: https://www.maryful.com/
📸 Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/maryfuldesigns/

💙 Make your holidays memorable. Shop small. Support military spouse-owned businesses!

10/25/2026

October 26 | National Day of the Deployed 💛

Today, we honor the brave U.S. military service members who serve our nation while deployed away from home, and the families who stand strong behind them.

Deployment is more than a service member’s sacrifice. It’s the missed birthdays, holidays spent apart, milestones celebrated from a distance, and the everyday moments military families navigate while supporting their loved ones from afar. Their strength, resilience, and unwavering commitment deserve recognition, too. 💙

📖 Did you know? National Day of the Deployed began in North Dakota in 2006 when Governor John Hoeven issued the first proclamation at the request of Shelle Michaels Aberle, who wanted to honor her cousin, U.S. Army Lt. Col. David Hosna. By 2011, the observance had spread nationwide, reaching all 50 states.

Today, we recognize every deployed service member, every military spouse holding down the home front, every child missing a parent, and every family counting down the days until reunion.

💬 Join us in honoring our deployed heroes! Tag a deployed service member, recognize a military family, or share a message of encouragement in the comments. Let's remind those serving far from home that their sacrifices—and the sacrifices of their families—are never forgotten.

To our deployed service members and the families who love them: We see you. We appreciate you. We stand with you. ❤️

Learn more here:
Angels
https://soldiersangels.org/the-story-behind-the-day-of-the-deployed/com
https://www.military.com/deployment/national-day-deployed.html

10/19/2026

🍂🍁 A NEW SEASON FOR WELLNESS! 🍁🍂

As summer comes to a close and cooler fall days—and winter chills—approach, it’s the perfect time to refocus on wellness, restoration, and taking care of yourself!

💙 The Military Spouse Chamber of Commerce (MSCC) is excited to welcome Vitality Restorative Medicine as a newly Military Spouse Certified Owned Business! 🎉

Vitality Restorative Medicine offers personalized wellness services designed to support individuals on their health and wellness journeys, including:

✨ Hormone Optimization — Supporting wellness through personalized hormone care.
🌿 Metabolic Support — Helping individuals focus on metabolic health and overall well-being.
💧 IV Therapy & Recovery — Wellness services focused on hydration and recovery support.
💪 90 Day Health Restoration — A structured program designed to help individuals work toward their health and wellness goals.

As the seasons change, let this be your reminder to prioritize yourself, invest in your well-being, and build healthy routines that carry you through the colder months ahead. 🍂

Join us in congratulating Vitality Restorative Medicine on becoming MSCC Certified! We’re proud to celebrate another military spouse-owned business making wellness a priority.

💙 Ready to learn more? Explore their services and discover how Vitality Restorative Medicine can support your wellness journey.
🔗 https://vitalityresmedicine.com/

10/16/2026

💰 GRANT OPPORTUNITY: Richard D. Donchian Foundation

Is your nonprofit working in education, economic development, employment, leadership development, youth development, or business integrity?

The Richard D. Donchian Foundation (RDD Foundation) provides grants to nonprofit organizations working across several areas of community impact—and applications are accepted throughout the year on a rolling basis. 📚🤝💼

💵 GRANT AMOUNT
New applicants can generally request:
$2,500–$10,000

The Foundation may consider larger requests in exceptional circumstances, but larger grants are primarily reserved for existing grantees. New applicants requesting significantly more than $10,000 may be declined as outside the Foundation's guidelines.

📅 DEADLINE
Rolling — No fixed annual deadline

Applications are compiled and reviewed ahead of the Foundation's quarterly board meetings, so organizations can apply throughout the year.

✅ ELIGIBILITY
• Be a U.S. 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization or otherwise specifically exempt from the requirement
• Have an active board of directors with policymaking authority
• Demonstrate sound financial management
• Have a project that aligns with one of the Foundation's areas of interest
• Demonstrate plans for funding beyond the current grant period
• Ideally demonstrate partnerships or collaborative efforts with other organizations

🌎 Geographic consideration: The Foundation's grantmaking is primarily focused in the Northeastern United States, although grants may occasionally be made in other U.S. regions and abroad through U.S.-based 501(c)(3) organizations or sponsors.

The Foundation organizes requests into three primary categories:
📚 Education & Literacy
🤝 Humanitarian Efforts
🌱 Ethics & Personal Development

📋 APPLICATION REQUIREMENTS
• Organization background and mission
• Geographic focus and major programs
• Number of employees, volunteers, and board members
• Current annual budget
• Revenue/funding information
• IRS Determination Letter
• Project title and detailed description
• Amount requested
• Project budget
• Funding already committed and other funding being pursued
• Measurable outcomes/metrics for the project

⚠️ IMPORTANT: The RDD Foundation does not use letters of inquiry or a pre-screening process. The grant application itself is the appropriate first step.

The Foundation also lists several areas it generally does not fund for new applicants, including individuals, endowments, playgrounds, camps, retreats, health/medical research or treatment, disabilities, general fundraising drives, and certain food-insecurity requests.

👉 LEARN MORE & APPLY:
https://rddonchian.org/

The Richard Donchian Foundation

10/14/2026

🍰🎉 HAPPY NATIONAL DESSERT DAY! 📅 October 14, 2026🎉🍪

Life is sweeter when we support military spouse-owned businesses! 💜

From custom cakes and cookies, to popcorn and chocolate-covered treats, handcrafted chocolates, bakeries, dessert boxes, and more, military spouse entrepreneurs are serving up something special in communities around the world! 🧁🍫🍩

From cottage bakers, to farmers markets, towedding venues, and businesses making an impact, the Military Spouse Chamber of Commerce (MSCC) is celebrating National Dessert Day by inviting YOU to help us spotlight the incredible military spouse-owned businesses making life a little sweeter! ✨

👇 LET'S MAKE THIS A SWEET BUSINESS CONNECTION!

🍰 OWN A MILITARY SPOUSE-OWNED BUSINESS?
Drop your business name, website, and social media links in the comments! If you sell desserts, treats, or anything that satisfies a sweet tooth, we'd especially love to see you. But every military spouse-owned business is welcome!

📣 KNOW A MILITARY SPOUSE ENTREPRENEUR?
Tag them below so we can show them some love!

❤️ WANT TO SUPPORT MILITARY SPOUSE BUSINESSES?
Share this post, explore the businesses in the comments, and consider shopping small and shopping military spouse-owned!

Every tag, share, comment, and purchase helps increase visibility for entrepreneurs building businesses while navigating the unique challenges of military life. Together, we can turn a sweet celebration into meaningful connections and new opportunities! 🤝

🍪 Military spouse entrepreneurs, it's your time to shine! Drop your business in the comments and let the community discover you!

10/11/2026

𝙏𝙝𝙞𝙨 𝙬𝙖𝙨 𝙗𝙞𝙜𝙜𝙚𝙧 𝙩𝙝𝙖𝙣 𝙖𝙣 𝙚𝙫𝙚𝙣𝙩 ~ Ryan Hunt
It was a reminder of what happens when we choose to build the ecosystem together.

At Military Influencer Conference 2026, Stephanie Brown, CEO & Founder of the Military Spouse Chamber of Commerce and The Rosie Network, had the opportunity to join Veteran Social Networking Summit Live: “Beyond Networking: Building the Veteran Ecosystem Together”—and what a powerful conversation it was.

Thank you to MIC – Military Influencer Conference for hosting a space where these conversations could happen and where leaders, entrepreneurs, advocates, nonprofits, creators, employers, veterans, military spouses, and changemakers could connect.

Your message—Unite. Amplify. Elevate.—was felt throughout the room.

A huge thank you to Ryan Patrick Hunt and the Veteran Social team for creating the space, bringing people together, and challenging all of us to think beyond traditional networking.

Thank you as well to the incredible collaborators and panelists who brought their experiences, perspectives, and passion to the conversation.

And to everyone who attended: thank you for showing up. Thank you for sharing your stories, insights, ideas, challenges, and time. These conversations matter because the military-connected ecosystem is built by the people who are willing to participate in it, strengthen it, and make it better.

10/09/2026

🚨 GRANT OPPORTUNITY: Visa Foundation U.S. Small Business Growth & Innovation Program 🚨

Is your nonprofit organization helping small businesses start, grow, adapt, and build resilience?

The Visa Foundation has launched a new $2 million open-call grant program designed to strengthen nonprofit Entrepreneurial Support Organizations (ESOs) providing direct services to small and micro businesses across the United States. 💼

💰 GRANT AWARDS: $100,000–$250,000
Up to 12 eligible organizations are expected to receive flexible, 12-month grants to expand their capacity and increase their impact on small businesses.

🎯 WHO IS ELIGIBLE?
✅ Be a U.S.-based 501(c)(3) public charity
✅ Primarily conduct work in the 50 states, Washington, D.C., or U.S. territories
✅ Have an annual operating budget between $1 million and $10 million
✅ Directly provide business support services to operating small and micro businesses
✅ Have two years of audited financial statements and/or IRS Form 990s
✅ Current board-approved operating budget showing anticipated 2026 and 2027 revenues and expenses
✅ Information about the organization's direct services and impact on SMBs
✅ Proposed use of grant funding
✅ Evidence of organizational capacity and outcomes

Fiscally sponsored organizations may also apply if they meet the remaining eligibility requirements. Standalone 501(c)(3) local chapters of national organizations may also be eligible.

💡 WHAT TYPES OF WORK DOES THIS SUPPORT?
📚 Business training & education
🤝 Coaching & technical assistance
💻 Digital tools & technology adoption
🌱 Business growth & resilience support
👥 Peer learning
💰 Resources that help operating SMBs become more competitive

Priority consideration may be given to organizations with measurable impact, strong relationships with the communities they serve, and demonstrated ability to help small businesses navigate changing market needs—including AI, digital tools, and technology adoption.

📊 IMPORTANT FIT REQUIREMENTS
The program defines small and micro businesses as independently owned, currently operating businesses that are actively selling products or services. Businesses would typically have 50 or fewer employees and $1.5 million or less in annual revenue.

Organizations primarily serving aspiring entrepreneurs or idea-stage businesses may be less competitive. Applicants are also expected to demonstrate meaningful outcomes and generally reach at least 200 SMBs per year.

Only one application per EIN/organization may be submitted.

📅 APPLICATION DEADLINE:
October 21, 2026 at 12:00 PM PT
⏰ No late applications will be accepted.

📣 FUNDING DECISIONS: By January 2027
📆 GRANT PERIOD: 12 months beginning January 2027

👉 LEARN MORE & APPLY:
https://www.rockpa.org/visa-foundation

Visa Foundation is investing $2M in U.S. nonprofits that support small and micro businesses. Apply for a grant of $100K–$250K by October 21, 2026.

10/08/2026

📍 NORTHEAST REGION MILITARY SPOUSE ENTREPRENEURS — LET’S CONNECT!

Will you be in the Cambridge/Boston area on Thursday, October 15?

Our MSCC Northeast MSCC Region Chapter Lead, Alyssa Dion, will be in Cambridge while attending the PenFed Foundation for Military Heroes event and has some free time Thursday afternoon/evening.

She’d love to connect with fellow military spouses, military-connected entrepreneurs, business owners, and MSCC community members, network, share ideas, and build relationships within the military spouse business community who are in the area!

📅 Thursday, October 15
📍 Cambridge, MA — Harvard Square area
☕️ Potential meetup locations include Harvard Square, Harvard Art Museum, or another nearby spot

Whether you're an established entrepreneur, just getting started, or simply looking to connect with other military-connected professionals, come say hello! 🤝

Interested in joining Alyssa? Send us a message or comment below so we can help coordinate the meetup!