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Action Today on State Money for Micro & Staffing Changes

In this Must Know…

  • Take Action: Money for Micro Business
  • Staff Changes
  • Our Annual Member Meeting, June 5-6
  • Join us for MicroLending Essentials on April 16-17, 2018 at the SBA offices in San Francisco.
  • The Goodies – This week’s highlight is a moment of silence for the 50th anniversary of the death of Reverend Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Scroll down for more.

Take Action: Money for Micro Business

Bumping this to the top because of its importance and timely deadline.

I’ve mentioned many times that the Governor’s FY 2018-2019 budget includes $20 million for small business technical assistance. In order to get the money out, it needs to be associated with a program that can distribute the money. Assembly Members Quirk-Silva and Cervantes introduced AB 2463, Small Business Assistance Act of 2018.

One last shout out for your letters of support! We are doing three letters: one for the bill and two for the budget committees of the Assembly and the Senate. Please do all three. This 15 minutes will be the best 15 minutes you’ve spent to support the microbusiness sector in a long time! Many thanks in advance.

Both Carolina and I were in Sacramento this week knocking on doors to promote the investment!

Staff Changes

I’m going to let Carolina handle this one…

It’s my great pleasure to announce that Heidi Pickman was promoted to the position of Associate Director.


Heidi was CAMEO’s Communications and Policy Director for over seven years. She consistently demonstrated commitment to her work and used her talent with words to raise awareness for the industry and persistently advocate on behalf of our members – as shown with this year’s State investment in small business assistance organizations. Heidi always has shown initiative, going above and beyond of what’s expected of her. I’m confident that this same level of dedication and commitment will continue in her new position.

As Associate Director, Heidi will be more closely involved in the formulation of new programs and working more closely with you, maintaining an open communication about your needs and expectations. She’ll continue to lead our communications and advocacy strategies.


I am also delighted that Andrew Cole will expand his role as the Operations Manager. Andrew served for five years as Program Coordinator, supporting our programs, working with members on the annual Census and coordinating technical support for the MMS project participants. Besides having a witty sense of humor that keeps us chuckling, Andrew has a knack for data analysis and excellent writing skills, both of which will serve him well in his new role.

As Operations Manager, Andrew will coordinate the office operations, program reporting and grant writing.

Please congratulate Heidi and Andrew on their new roles, and wish them luck for all their future undertakings.

Because of these changes, we are hiring a Marketing and Communications Associate! Please forward the announcement to all qualified candidates!

Our Annual Member Meeting, June 5-6

Find our more information about lodging, a draft agenda, and more on our Annual Member Meeting website.

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!

We Remember: Martin Luther King, Junior’s “I Have a Dream” Speech was delivered at the March on Washington for Jobs and Freedom in 1963. We still have much work to do with a wealth gap of 13x for African American households as compared to whites and 11x for Latino households. CAMEO believes that business ownership is a key to closing the wealth gap and the key to economic freedom for families. We continue to work towards that goal and are committed to increasing business ownership for all entrepreneurs across the spectrum and especially for those populations that traditionally lack resources to start and grow their businesses.

Update on Federal Budget: For those of you interested in CDBG funds, they were allocated at $3.3 billion for FY 2018, which is $300 million above the FY17 level.

Yelp for Funders: Foundations need feedback loops, and nonprofit need tips on grantseeking. In other words, we all need GrantAdvisor.org to succeed. And you can help with 7 minutes of your time.

Member Kudos: Congrats to Accion San Diego who received the Advocacy Award for Small Business Outreach Efforts, Training and Lending Assistance to Underserved Communities from SBA’s San Diego District Office.

Happy Financial Capability Month: Join the conversation online by using #FinCapMonth to connect with peers in the financial capability field. Read Prosperity Now’s blog post. Submit your financial capability resources, findings and events.

New Report: Aspen’s FIELD program released a new report, “The Price of Access: How Scale-Focused Microlenders Are Pricing for Growth.” The report explores how microfinance institutions are pricing their smallest loans at higher interest rates in order to expand their reach. The resulting revenue allows them to meet the needs of more underserved entrepreneurs.

New Report: Thumbtack surveyed more than 14,000 small business owners 55 and older across the United States, to evaluate the business friendliness of their local governments, what motivated them to start their own small business and how their experience impacts their business success.

For Your Clients: The California Hispanic Chamber of Commerce (CHCC) is holding Cannabis 2.0 Workshop series in Oakland on April 11, 2018 and Los Angeles on April 20, 2018. The program includes a coaching/networking luncheon, panel discussions, networking opportunities, and more.

Future of Work MeetUps: California Forward is hosting a series of Future of Work Meetups to talk about how artificial intelligence, the rise of gig economy platforms, and a new wave of automation will further change the future of work and the skill sets required to thrive in the workforce. Sign up for one of the regional events coming up in April: Chico, Monterrey, Kern, Inland Empire, Los Angeles, Orange County and Fresno.

State Survey: The California Governor’s Office of Business and Economic Development (GO-Biz) in partnership with the California Community Colleges Centers of Excellence for Labor Market Research (COE) is leading an effort to help education and workforce training providers create or improve programs to respond to California’s needs for a skilled cybersecurity workforce. Please join us in our effort to conduct a substantive cybersecurity labor market analysis for California by filling out the survey and passing it on.

Professional Conference (for you and your clients): The 8th annual La Cocina Conference will expand and force some intentional, exciting and considerate conversations around food as engines for economic development in our communities. On April 16-18, La Cocina invites chefs, placemakers, policy activists, writers, academics and consumers who believe that social justice must be a part of our dining culture to gather at the Golden Gate Club in the Presidio, San Francisco. Early bird tickets are available but there is a limited amount.

Moving Main Street Forward: AEO’s microbusiness and microfinance conference is a must-attend event for professionals providing capital, technical assistance and other forms of trusted guidance to Main Street and microbusiness owners. The agenda will be packed with inspiring keynotes, thought-provoking plenaries and compelling breakout sessions designed to engage attendees in bold and provocative conversations on using inclusion, innovation and investment to move Main Streets across the country forward. See you in Detroit, Michigan, April 30 to May 2, 2018. Check out the newly released agenda! Thanks to the generous support of Moving Main Street Forward sponsors, AEO has released a limited number of registrations for just $399! These will run out quickly, so don’t delay — claim your spot today! Also, CAMEO has a limited amount of scholarship available, contact Heidi Pickman for more information.

For Your Clients: Register now for the #SmallBusinessWeek Virtual Conference on May 1-3, 2018! The U.S. Small Business Administration and SCORE Association will host a free, 3-Day Virtual Conference during National Small Business Week. The Virtual Conference offers all the best parts of an in-person conference, but without the hassle of traveling. Watch 12 educational webinars, get free business advice from mentors, pick up free information and resources from sponsors and network with fellow business owners.

Professional Conference: Join the California Hispanic Chambers of Commerce (CHCC) for their Legislative Conference on May 16, 2018 in Sacramento. The conference provides a platform for Hispanic business leaders and Chamber members to engage in the legislative process. The Legislative Conference attendees participate in educational forums, networking opportunities, and gain insight on how to activate local members, and stakeholders on initiatives impacting their business community. A state procurement matchmaking session will be added to this year’s conference with California State Agencies.

For Your Clients: Join Small Business California for their 2018 Education Day on May 22, 2018 in Sacramento. Small business owners from around the state will hear from leading experts on relevant issues such as: Workers Compensation, Medical Marijuana in the Workplace, State Contracting Opportunities, CalSavers Retirement Savings Program, PAGA Lawsuits, Universal Healthcare or Single Payer Plans, Employment Development Department, and more.