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California Made and Micro Census!

California Made

From Go-Biz:

California Made (CA Made) is a new state labeling program designed to encourage consumer product awareness and to promote the purchase of products manufactured in California. The program is administered by the Governor’s Office of Business and Economic Development (GO-Biz). CA Made provides the following services to approved products:

  • A license to use the CA Made label on products, packaging, and point of sale merchandising.
  • Placement of the product and company biography on the CA Made website, which will be hosted by GO-Biz.
  • Information on services from program partners.
  • Marketing via GO-Biz’s social media sites (e.g. Twitter, Facebook).

The cost to be able to use the labeling program is $100-150, depending on how many products you produce. The marketing benefits that come with the program are definitely worth the cost for your clients. Products have to be 51% made in California. Examples of products may include clothing, furniture, software, art, household goods, handmade items, and toys.

Please make sure your clients know about this opportunity.

Micro Census is Open


For the past few years, CAMEO has partnered with FIELD at the Aspen Institute to conduct a census of California’s microbusiness programs using the microTracker platform.

It’s important to stand up and be counted. CAMEO members that fill out the Census by September 16, 2016 will receive $100 toward lunch for staff members, like Arcata Economic Development Center (see group selfie of Ross Welch and staff at Stardoughs) and others did last year. Email Andrew when you’ve completed your ‘free lunch’ as well as help with filling out the Census.

Note that you need to create a new account with a new user ID and password.

You rely on CAMEO to advocate on behalf of the sector. We rely on you for your data. This data fuels our advocacy and supports our members at the state and national level. The better data we have, the stronger our case is, and the easier it is to express the vital role MDOs play in the small business sector. Download a sample form to help you gather your data together.

The Goodies

New opportunities for training, conference information, funding, scholarships, and other information that have crossed our desks since the last Must Know. I have posted a running tab of current Industry Goodies on the CAMEO website that lists items that were in past emails. Check it out to make sure you’re not missing anything, like grants whose deadlines are still alive!

Free Fundraising Tool: Take the Leaky Bucket Assessment for Effective Fundraising. By taking this Assessment, a nonprofit will have a better understanding of their fundraising resources and see where they stand in relation to other nonprofits.

For Your Clients: Small Business Majority is hosting Access to Capital 101: Funding Options to Start and Grow Your Business every other Wednesday, the next one is September 7. They present an overview of alternative lending options including community development financial institutions, SBA’s loan guarantee program and reputable online options, key questions to consider when seeking funding, the Small Business Borrowers’ Bill of Rights and helpful tools and resources.

For Your Women Business Clients: Fund and Fuel Your Dreams is a 2-day event on September 8-9 where you will get hands-on, expert training on how to raise money for your business. You will leave with a step-by-step plan and resources to take the plan forward. It is also a place to connect with like-minded mission-driven, heart centered women entrepreneurs in a supportive fun environment!

Attention CDFIs: The Department of Treasury (Treasury) is seeking your comments on the CDFI Program’s forms and applications. Federal agencies are required to give stakeholders the opportunity to comment on the agency’s forms and information gathering processes. Treasury is soliciting feedback on the Financial Assistance Application and the Technical Assistance Application. Comments are due by September 12, 2016.

Professional Development Opportunity: You’re invited to join the CFED Assets & Opportunity Network and Center for Financial Security for a new four-part virtual Listening & Learning Series on Financial Coaching & Counseling. The last one is on Wednesday, September 14 from 12:-1:30pm PDT. The A&O Network has also released Financial Coaching Census.

PayDay Lending Rules: The Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB) has proposed a rule aimed at reshaping the market for payday loans and other short-term credit. The proposal would require lenders to ensure that the consumer has the ability to repay the loan, provide notice that the lender is withdrawing funds from the consumer’s account and cease automatic withdraws if the consumer’s account is overdrawn. Comments on this proposal are due September 14, 2016.

Asset Building: Bay Area AFN presents Consumer Engagement. Join a conversation with leading experts and practitioners who will introduce and describe consumer engagement as an effective strategy to move consumers to desire the very tools and services that will help them build financial assets, skills and confidence. Register for the Wednesday, September 14, 2016 from 2:00-4:00pm PDT at the United Way of the Bay Area, 550 Kearny St #1000, San Francisco, CA 94108.

SUSTYbiz16 Conference: The upcoming elections will impact the future of sustainable business. ASBC’s 5th Annual Summit, September 25th-27th brings together a remarkable cast of political pundits, advocacy groups and business leaders to help see past the clutter of the 24-hour news cycle. It will be an exciting few days as we visit the Obama White House, lobby Congress, applaud this year’s SUSTY Award recipients and enjoy fascinating conversation among sustainable business leaders.

Inland Empire 2035 Economic Forecast Conference: Join UCR School of Business Administration on September 29, 2016, 8:00-11:30am Riverside, CA at Riverside Convention Center, 3637 5th St, Riverside, CA 92501. Use discount code cameo16 for a $25 discount. Register for the conference.

OFN Conference: Registration is now open for Opportunity Finance Network’s annual conference – Rethink. It takes place October 24-27, 2016 in Atlanta, GA.

Conference: Save the Date for the 6th Annual Asset Building Symposium – Fostering Economic Equity in a Changing Bay Area on November 3, 2016.

New Report: Opportunity Fund released a very important research report, “Unaffordable and Unsustainable: The New Business Lending on Main Street.” Until now, we have been relying on stories to explain what’s happening with online lending. Now we’ve got some data on the loans and cash advances being offered to small businesses by short-term, high-cost alternative lenders. Cliff notes on findings: 94% interest rates; average payment is 1.78x income -YIKES.