In this Must Know…
- Celebrating Black History Month: Spotlight on First Community Capital
- Take Action: Call Congress
- Join our 2025 CAMEO Network Summit on May 28-29, 2025 in Sacramento, California!
- Upcoming Trainings for CDFIs
- CAMEO Network is hiring!
- Join our In-Person LA Listening Session on February 20, 2025 at 2:00pm PT.
- This week’s Goodie Highlight is CCCI’s “2025 California CDFI Summit & Advocacy Day” on March 18-19, 2025 in Sacramento.
Celebrating Black History Month: Spotlight on First Community Capital
This Black History Month, CAMEO Network is celebrating by shining a spotlight on one of our members: First Community Capital (FCC), a Black-led CDFI that has been working to support under-resourced small businesses in its community since 2019.
FCC was created to address the financial barriers faced by small businesses in Southern California. The organization provides accessible, responsible, and community-focused lending to entrepreneurs and low-and moderate-income small business owners who have difficulties accessing traditional financing.
In 2024, CAMEO Network named First Community Capital one of our Entrepreneurial Ecosystem Award winners for its contribution to helping small businesses grow and thrive, building entrepreneurial ecosystems that can become the new paradigm for economic development strategies across the nation.
Read more about First Community Capital on the CAMEO Network Blog.
Take Action: Call Congress
The federal government has issued a lot of updates in the last couple of weeks. It is important to call your members of Congress to let them know how the federal government’s actions have impacted your small business clients and your community at large. Focus your discussions around the vital role small businesses play in communities and the broader economy.
Our voices continue to hold power, so let’s use them!
2025 CAMEO Network Summit
Join our 2025 CAMEO Network Summit on May 28-29, 2025 in Sacramento, California!
Don’t miss out on two impactful days of learning, networking, and advocacy with CAMEO Network.
On Day 1, we’ll focus on hands-on learning, networking, and power-building exercises. On Day 2, we’ll advocate at the State Capitol for the issues that matter most to small businesses.
Upcoming Trainings for CDFIs
CDFI Essentials, CAMEO Network’s signature year-long training for emerging microlending and small business lending CDFIs, kicks off its 2025 cohort on February 18.
The National CDFI Academy’s Strategic Management Framework Course Series, which supports micro and small business lenders to understand the components of a robust strategic management framework essential to a strong performing CDFI, takes place from March 20 to April 10, 2025.
The Goodies
Free Webinars
- Join AMIBA’s virtual roundtable, “Making Procurement a Priority: Policies for Strong Local Economies” on February 13, 2025 at 10:00am PT.
- ICYMI: Watch the recording of CalNonprofits’ recent webinar, “Preparing the Nonprofit Sector for Trump 2.0.”
Professional Opportunities
- OFN’s Small Business Finance Forum session proposals are due February 12, 2025.
- Join California Coalition for Community Investment’s “2025 California CDFI Summit & Advocacy Day” on March 18-19, 2025 in Sacramento.
Other Goodies
- For Your Clients: Covered California has opened a special enrollment period for uninsured residents, including self-employed entrepreneurs, in Los Angeles and Ventura Counties. Eligible residents have until March 8, 2025 to enroll into coverage.
- Jobs: SBAN, Alliance for Community Development, and TMC Community Capital announced new jobs recently. See who else is hiring!