In this Must Know…
- Annual Member Meeting Early Bird and Agenda!
- Faces of Entrepreneurship Award Winners
- Take Action: Net Neutrality and State Update
- We are hiring a Marketing and Communications Associate! Applications accepted on a rolling basis (and we’ve got some good candidates, so if you know someone who is interested have them apply soon.)
- The Goodies – This week’s highlight is the US SBA has released the Request for Proposal for the PRIME Grant. The deadline is June 1, 2018. Speaking of the SBA – Happy National Small Business Week!
Annual Member Meeting Early Bird and Agenda!
Join us on June 5-6, 2018 in Sacramento for Carolina’s first annual meeting, capacity building, networking, fun, and advocacy for the sector Register for Thriving in Transition before this Friday, May 4 to take advantage of the early bird pricing!
Internally at CAMEO, it’s been a year of transition and external forces are rapidly shifting. So we thought it fitting to organize this year’s meeting around the theme – Thriving in Transition. We asked you to submit session proposals and many of you did. A big thanks goes out to those of you who did. For those of you who didn’t, start thinking now for next year. The sessions we chose will explore transition in three areas:
- Training the New Era Workforce of Independent Entrepreneurs
- Nuts and Bolts
- Innovation in Response
Visit our webpage for Thriving in Transition to learn more about the sessions, an updated agenda and logistics.
Faces of Entrepreneurship Award Winners
Thanks to all of the organizations who submitted nominations – the number and the quality of businesses nominated speaks to the great work of our members. After much deliberation, we are so excited to announce this year’s Faces of Entrepreneurship winners. Send a big congratulations to:
- Alicia Villanueva , Alicia’s Tamales Los Mayas (nominated by MEDA – Mission Economic Development Agency ) and
- Andrew McDowell, With Love Market & Cafe (nominated by Crowdfund Better).
We’ll be hearing more about them in the weeks to come. Meanwhile, check out their websites to learn about the great work they do as entrepreneurs. Award winners are selected based on type of business, region, demonstrated growth and job creation, and contributions to their community.
Take Action: Net Neutrality and State Update
Last December, the FCC dismantled net neutrality protections for businesses and consumers. The rules prevented internet service providers from blocking certain content, throttling speeds, and prioritizing access to consumers to businesses willing to pay higher fees. Now businesses from all industries and sizes are at risk.
In California Senator Scott Weiner introduced SB 822 to restore net neutrality protections to thousands of businesses and intensify pressure on federal lawmakers and large ISPs to revisit restoring protections nationally. The bill passed out of committee and now heads to appropriations. Signal your support of net neutrality by signing a letter to the California legislature.
This week the Senate announced it will move on May 9th to force a vote to block the FCC’s repeal of net neutrality. You can show your support for net neutrality by joining Fight for the Future’s campaign “Red Alert” or signing Small Business Majority’s letter to Congress.
Other friends involved in supporting net neutrality include Main Street Alliance and the American Sustainable Business Council (ASBC.) If you want to learn more about net neutrality and the business impacts, join ASBC’s webinar on May 8, 2018 11:00a-12:00pm PDT.
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!
Funding Opportunity: The US SBA has released the Request for Proposal for the PRIME Grant. The deadline is June 1, 2018.
Happy National Small Business Week! Read “Entrepreneurs shine during National Small Business Week” by Linda McMahon, SBA Administrator. Register 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.
Member Kudos/New Report: Accion in the U.S. and Opportunity Fund recently released a groundbreaking report that examines the impact of mission-based small business lending services on borrowers’ businesses, their household financial security, and their overall quality of life.
Member Kudos: Congrats to Pacific Community Ventures who has been awarded a $500,000 investment from Citi Foundation’s Community Progress Makers Fund to provide fair and affordable capital to small business owners who can’t access it from the traditional financial system.
Professional Development/For Your Clients: Apply for BBVA Momentum, a five-month program that provides training, strategic support, potential access to funding, networking, visibility. If you think the time has come to scale-up your business and make a positive impact on the lives of more people, this is your opportunity. The deadline to apply is May 7, 2018.
Free Webinar: Join OFN on Tuesday, May 8, 2018 from 12:00–1:00pm PT for “Best Practices in Effective Loan Policies“. CDFI lenders know the importance of having sound loan policies to guide loan decisions and support strong repayment. And yet, loan policies often seem to miss the mark in matching CDFIs’ strategic priorities and risk parameters.
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.
Funding Opportunity: The application is now available for Community Volunteer Income Tax Assistance (VITA) Matching Grant Program. The deadline is May 31, 2018.
Professional Development:The Federal Reserve Board is accepting applications from individuals who wish to serve on the Community Advisory Council (CAC). The CAC advises the Board on issues affecting consumers and communities and complements two of the Board’s other advisory councils—the Community Depository Institutions Advisory Council and the Federal Advisory Council—whose members represent depository institutions. Applications are due June 15, 2018.
Professional Conference: Join Opportunity Finance Network for the Small Business Finance Forum on June 26-27, 2018 at the JW Marriott in Chicago, IL.
New Report: The SBA released their state small business profiles, download California’s.
New Report: The Federal Reserve Banks of San Francisco, New York, Dallas, and Richmond issued the 2017 Small Business Credit Survey: Report on Disaster-Affected Firms. This is the first in a series of reports this year examining the results of an annual survey of small business owners. 61 percent of affected firms had revenue losses ranging from $1-$25,000, and 35 percent had revenue losses over $25,000.
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.