Overview
Lending to small and micro businesses is a challenging undertaking for a nonprofit organization and requires the development of dozens of systems and capacities, one of which is quality underwriting. Few trainings exist for staff on the fundamental skills for consistent, quality microloan underwriting, so we developed one!
Also, when coaching and training staff understand underwriting basics, they can help their clients be more successful at applying for loans.
CAMEO offers Microlending Essentials (MILES), a microlending underwriting class for the CDFI and business-coaching nonprofit community several times a year. This introductory training covers multiple analyses: global cash, credit history, debt-to-income, and bank statement. Participants also underwrite and write credit memos for two actual microloan applications.
This is for CDFIs and nonprofits only.
About the instructors
Caleb Ostrander, CDFI Program Manager and Training Specialist; and Douglas Craven, Director of CDFI Programs, will be the instructors from our CDFI Program Team. Combined they have more than 25 years of CDFI micro and small business lending expertise.
We realize office situations vary with some attendees in their offices and others working remotely and this class requires more preparation and engagement than the typical webinar. Let us know if you need help getting ready. We are also available for questions throughout the course for any support you need.
What makes this training unique and valuable?
We emphasize that effective underwriting is not just about approving loans – it’s about anticipating economic shifts, like tariffs or a potential recession, and helping organizations build active loan portfolios that are resilient to changing market dynamics.
- We provide a practice underwriting criteria grid that introduces participants to the fundamental structure that every lender should use to guide decision making.
- We provide a credit memo form that 1) walks participants through each step of the underwriting process; 2) compares each deal’s particulars to sample underwriting criteria; and 3) provides a format for presentation to a loan committee.
- We introduce the elements of a loan program needed to run a quality loan program – the infrastructure, capacities, and policy pieces.
- We explore the various roles of a loan committee in the microlending approval process.
- We delve into the differences in ‘point of view’ between business coach and loan underwriter roles.
- We consider how an organization’s target market impact loan product design, underwriting criteria, and loan processing.
- We discuss mission, scale, impact, and technology – prompting participants to consider their future direction and choices.
Topics
- Microlending Overview
- Underwriting Criteria
- Credit Memo Introduction
- Application and Eligibility
- Required Documents
- Amortization
- Credit Report
- Credit History and Current Debt
- Global Cash Analysis
- Bank Statements
- Profit and Loss Statement
- Debt to Income Ratio
- Projections
- Collateral, Character, Character
- Write three Credit Memos
- Make Loan Recommendations
- Present Credit Memos
- Group Discussion
Participants apply these topics to actual microloan applications, using supporting documents and writing up credit memos for each.
Class Dates
We are offering this five-part class online: 10:00am – 1:00pm PT, Monday, October 5 through Friday, October 9, 2026.
Cost
CAMEO Members: We are offering a special discounted rate for CAMEO members of $650 per person. Please note, your organization needs to be current on its CAMEO organizational membership dues at time of registration in order to access this discount. Your organizational leaders have been sent the member discount code.
Non Members: For those whose organizations are not CAMEO members, the cost is $1,300 per person.
Please only purchase a maximum of FOUR tickets per organization to give others an opportunity to take the class.
To learn more about CAMEO’s membership benefits, visit: https://cameonetwork.org/cameo-membership/join-cameo/
Refund Policy
Only 50% of the amount paid will be refunded up to 7 days in advance of the first day of the course (September 28, 2026). Please email Caleb Ostrander at costrander@cameonetwork.org.
Testimonials from our March 2026 cohort:
” The CAMEO staff did a great job at explaining the importance of having a structured lending process from application to underwriting. This class helped me better understand how other mission based lenders go about their lending processes and procedures. I will take what I learn back to my organization and see how we can implement some of what I learned in this class.” – Lee, Hmong Org
” This course has given me the confidence to give a more in-depth coaching experience to small business owners. It has also allowed me to better understand and support other departments in my organization.” – Danny, LEDC MN
Testimonials from our October 2025 cohort:
” Attending the Microlending workshop was such a valuable experience. The session was not only informative, but also empowering – it broke down complex lending concepts into practical steps that I can apply in my line of work. The presenters were engaging and knowledgeable and the interactive discussions helped me understand real-world challenges and solutions. Thank you, CAMEO for this wonderful opportunity.”
“Amazing super practical course with an amazingly knowledgeable instructors. Thanks so much! This is going to benefit our organization by tightening up and giving immediately practical information, especially working through case studies as the base of teaching the concepts.”
Testimonials from our February 2025 cohort:
“It was amazing to have folks in the room who are already lending. It was valuable to learn from them coupled with the great facilitation.”
“Three of my key takeaways were: 1. Interacting with the perspective of a group is vital to learning. 2. Training in how CDFI’s can coach badly stated applications is a very much needed course. 3. It’s also vital to train CDFI’s to go beyond formula criteria and look for the hidden value of the applicant.”
Testimonials from our October 2024 cohort:
“This week’s Microlending Essentials training was invaluable. It deepened my understanding of how small loans are processed from a underwriter’s point of view and how the can drive real growth for businesses in our community. I’m excited to apply these insights to help more entrepreneurs access the funding they need to succeed.” – Ruth, New Economics for Women
“This program was not only educational, it was fun! The instructors are extremely knowledgeable (and friendly). I learned a lot which will be directly applied to my career. Looking forward to attending more CAMEO Network programs.” – Sally, Women’s Business Center at JEDI
Testimonials from our May 2023 cohort:
“Microlending Essentials is an excellent course! It is definitely a great introduction for those unfamiliar to the world of underwriting and it’s a vehicle through which existing skills can be sharpened! The instructor/student interaction is an added plus for all levels.” – Anita, Working Solutions
“The Microlending Essentials was a great opportunity to review the basic terms and trends of this work. I enjoyed doing the practice of the case studies and having conversations with the other group participants. Understanding that no application has a black and white answer, rather it implies doing great research and development of lending guidelines for the organization, depending on your mission lenses, I learned that building a grid and process for the applicant can make the difference for providing an exceptional experience in the loan journey.” – Anonymous
Testimonial from our February 2023 cohort:
“Just got promoted to the Program Director position so this training was amazing; it helped me understand how the underwriting process for a loan is. I could realize how we can better our own microloan program.” – Anonymous
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For any questions regarding the class content discussed above, please email Caleb Ostrander at costrander@CAMEOnetwork.org.