In this Must Know…
- Take Action: Sign letter to support of full disbursement of FY25 CDFI Fund Awards.
- Four CAMEO staff members will be presenting at the NALCAB Conference in Nashville on September 15-16.
- Join our Microlending Essentials (MILES) classes on October 6-10.
- Must Know is going on summer break August 18-22.
- This week’s Goodie Highlight is Small Business Majority’s letter urging Congress to extend ACA premium tax credits for small business owners.
Take Action: Support Full Disbursement of FY25 CDFI Fund Awards
As of yet, CDFIs still have not received their FY 2025 appropriation. CAMEO joined our colleagues at Opportunity Finance Network in their efforts to urge the U.S. Treasury to fully obligate FY25 CDFI Fund appropriations.
Some are concerned that the Treasury may not award all FY25 funds after the FY26 President’s Budget projected lower spending this year, potentially limiting critical resources for CDFIs. Sign OFN’s letter in support of full funding.
CAMEO is also working with our representatives in Congress to ensure these critical funds are deployed in our communities.
CAMEO at NALCAB Conference September 15-16
On September 15-16, CAMEO staff will present at the NALCAB Conference in Nashville:
- Sept 15 – Rethinking Small Business Lending Through Community, Character and Trust – Heidi Pickman, VP of Engagement & External Relations
- Sept 16 – MILES Ahead: Building Strong Underwriting Practices for Impact-Driven Microlending (Parts 1 & 2) – Emily Gasner, Chief Program Officer, and Douglas Craven, Director of CDFI Programs
- Sept 16 – Safeguarding Small Business Client Data from Online Threats – Adriana Williams, Senior Program Manager of CDFI Shared Services
Learn more and register for the NALCAB Conference. If you are going, look for us and say hello!
Join our Microlending Essentials (MILES) Courses
Join us October 6-10 for Microlending Essentials (MILES), a microlending underwriting class for the CDFI and business-coaching nonprofit community. This introductory training covers: global cash, credit history, debt-to-income, bank statement, and more. Participants also underwrite and write credit memos for two actual microloan applications.
We are offering special discounted rates for CAMEO members and the SCALE network. Reach out to Dara Dado at ddado@cameonetwork.org for more information.
The Goodies
Take Action
- Sign Small Business Majority’s letter to Congress urging to extend the ACA’s enhanced premium tax credits, which help nearly 3 million small business owners and employees lower out-of-pocket healthcare costs. Sign by August 21, 2025.
For Your Clients
- BMO’s Women in Business Grant is officially open for applications from now through August 19.
- Covered California announced an average rate increase of 10.3% for 2026 which increases healthcare costs for more than 450,000 small business owners with the coverage.
Free Webinars
- Join the next CA Policy Forum webinar on August 26, where top nonprofit attorneys will provide clear, actionable guidance to help you navigate federal pressure or legal threats to your organization.
Other Goodies
- New Resource: The Defending Equity Initiative provides pro bono support to organizations under immediate threat based on their activity supporting diversity, equity, inclusion, immigrants, and progressive values.
- Jobs: NCRC, UC Berkeley, and IEWBC announced new jobs recently. See who else is hiring!