In this Must Know…
- Yesterday we celebrated Juneteenth. Today, we reiterate our commitment to the work that still needs to be done.
- CAMEO Network at OFN’s Small Business Finance Forum
- Carolina Martinez is speaking at the Aspen Ideas Festival on June 28!
- Join our National CDFI Academy’s Intake, Application, and Loan Packaging/Pre-Loan Technical Assistance on June 24 at 10:00am PT.
- Join our Entrepreneurship Advantage June Virtual Meetup next Thursday, June 26, 2025 at 2:00pm PT.
- Read Reimagine Main Street’s new report on small businesses and AI.
- This week’s Goodie Highlight is California Capital’s Small Business Capital Connection event on June 26 at 9:00am PT in Sacramento, CA. They’ll share how to access state and local contract opportunities and launch the California Capital Flex Fund.
CAMEO Network at #SBFF12
Last week, CAMEO Network staff -Carolina Martinez, Adriana Williams, Caleb Ostrander, Douglas Craven, Emily Gasner, and Mark Herbert -attended OFN‘s 12th Small Business Finance Forum in Austin, Texas.
Conversations centered around doing more with less and collaborating to support entrepreneurs in this economy. We were especially excited by the momentum around identifying efficiencies, aligning perfectly with our CDFI Shared Services Center’s vision. One thing was clear: everyone is doubling down on the importance of this work and the role it plays in building resilient small business ecosystems.
CAMEO Network staff participated in two sessions. Carolina Martinez joined Caitlin McShane and Conan Knoll of EMC Communications to share communications strategies that help CDFIs and small business lenders sharpen their message and amplify their impact in an increasingly complex landscape. Adriana Williams, Senior Program Manager, CDFI Shared Services, explained how we use data for impact in our CDFI Shared Services Center in the panel “Data that Delivers: Bringing Metrics to Life across Your CDFI.”
Carolina Martinez at Aspen Ideas Festival
On June 28, 2025, Carolina will take the stage at the Aspen Ideas Festival in Aspen, Colorado to discuss how small businesses are powering the next industrial revolution.
The Aspen Ideas Festival is the nation’s premier gathering place for leaders from around the globe and across many disciplines to engage in deep and inquisitive discussion of the issues that shape our lives and challenge our times.
Intake, Application, and Loan Packaging/Pre-Loan TA
Strengthen your microlending process with our National CDFI Academy training on Intake, Application, and Loan Packaging/Pre-Loan Technical Assistance next Tuesday, June 24, 2025 at 10:00am PT. This 90-minute interactive session will cover the fundamentals of intake, prequalification, and loan packaging, while clarifying the difference between technical assistance and packaging. Learn how to streamline your process, save time, and better support borrowers on their path to loan approval.
The Goodies
For Your Clients
- Small Firm Diaries USA is a research project that aims to better understand small business finances. Participating small businesses can receive a $2,000 stipend. Learn more at the intro webinar on June 24, 2025 at 12:00pm PT.
- California IBank is hosting a webinar on June 25, 2025 at 11:00am PT to answer small business owners’ questions about the California Small Business Loan Match including the application process, loan readiness, responsible lending, and more.
- California Capital is hosting Small Business Capital Connection, where they’ll share how to access state and local contract opportunities and launch the California Capital Flex Fund, on June 26, 2025 at 9:00am PT in Sacramento, CA.
- The Lawyers Committee for Civil Rights of San Francisco is holding a free commercial lease virtual clinic on June 26, 2025 at 4:00pm PT.
Professional Opportunities
- The California Jobs First Investment Summit, taking place on June 23, 2025 in San Francisco, CA will convene investors to explore projects that will advance economic growth across California.
- The Resilient LA Delta Fund convening on June 24 and June 25, 2025 in Santa Monica, CA is a working summit to discuss innovative strategies for recovery and resilience.
Other Goodies
- Funding Opportunities: June 30, 2025 is the application deadline for the USDA’s Intermediary Relending Program and Rural Microentrepreneur Assistance Program.
- Jobs: IEWBC, the Bay Area Jobs First Collaborative, the California Budget & Policy Center, and California FarmLink announced new jobs recently. See who else is hiring!