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Connect With CAMEO and Photo Contest

In this week’s Must Know

  • Connect With CAMEO, videos and more
  • Facebook Cover Photo Contest
  • The Goodies: This week’s highlights include: the Inland Prosperity Conference hosted by the Inland Empire and Coachella Valley Women’s Business Centers on January 19, 2013 in Ontario, CA; and The Union Bank Foundation RFP.

Connect With CAMEO

We are so excited! CAMEO has a new video: CAMEO Connects: Self-employment and entrepreneurship translates to jobs, local economic development and community. You’ll find it on the CAMEO YouTube Channel, along with Impact Stories, and Client Testimonials. Please subscribe to our channel and help spread the micro message.

Other ways to connect with us:

And speaking of Facebook…

Facebook Cover Photo Contest

Be the face of Micro! The time has come to update CAMEO’s Facebook page. Help us choose a new cover for our page by posting photos that you think best represent the micro sector. Comment on the other photos. The expert panel (CAMEO staff) will consider photo originality/uniqueness, composition, quality, content, relevance to micro, and comments by your peers. Deadline is January 24 at 5pm. The winner(s) will be featured in the following Must Know and have the satisfaction that their photo graces the CAMEO Facebook page and represents the sector.

The Goodies

New opportunities for trainings, 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 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!

For Your Clients: The Treasury issued new home office deductions rules.

For Your Clients: The Small Business Majority has compiled the federal tax deductions and other clean energy incentives for small businesses.

Take Action: Tired of a dysfunctional Senate? The U.S. Senate is scheduled to vote on reforming its filibuster rules on January 22. The ‘Talking Filibuster’ Reform Rule would require Senators to hold the floor in order to filibuster a bill. When that stops there would a vote requiring only 51 (instead of the current 60) Senators to reach cloture (end debate and move toward a vote.) The success of every legislative effort supported by CAMEO rests on reforming the filibuster rule. Please call Senator Dianne Feinstein at 202.224.3841 and Senator Barbara Boxer 202.224.3553 and tell them.

I would like the Senator to vote in favor of the Udall-Merkley Resolution # 4 that requires a Talking Filibuster. And I want the Senator to support the Constitutional option for this vote.

Conference Call: Small Business Majority and the Small Business Administration are hosting a series of FREE Business Leader Briefing calls. The remaining one is: Capital Access on January 31 at 10:00 am PT.

Member Conference: The Inland Empire and Coachella Valley Women’s Business Centers host the Inland Prosperity Conference on January 19, 2013 in Ontario, CA. Tickets are $47. Learn more and register.

Grant opportunity: The Union Bank Foundation announced two special funding initiatives for nonprofit providers of small business technical assistance and homeownership counseling. Requests for proposals on these initiatives with details on the application process can be found on the Union Bank website. The final deadline is February 28th. A Q&A conference call for interested applicants will take place on January 25th as follows:

  • Small Business Technical Assistance (Dial in #866-504-7651; Conference Code: 2378198286) at 10 am PT.
  • Home Ownership Counseling (Dial in #866-504-7651; Conference Code: 2378198286) at 2 pm PT.

Renaissance Online Business Prep Class: Attention service-starved areas, the webinar-based classes are scheduled from 6:30 to 9:30 p.m. PST one evening a week for 12 consecutive weeks, with two optional 30-minute individual telephone consultations. Clients are expected to participate in every webinar and complete about 3 hours of homework weekly. The next one starts on January 26, 2013. Learn more and register for the Renaissance Online Business Prep Class.

Free Webinar: Friedman Associates hosts Green Business Practices for Low-Income and Minority Entrepreneurs on Tuesday, January 29th at 11:00am Pacific // 2:00 pm Eastern. What does “green” business mean? How do we inspire aspiring entrepreneurs and small business owners to embrace sustainable business practices on a limited budget? This webinar serves as a tool both for small business counselors and their clients seeking to build their understanding of the Green Economy.

Free Webinar: CFED releases the 2013 Assets & Opportunity Scorecard to find out how your state fares in helping its residents achieve financial security on Wednesday, January 30, 9:00 am PST // 1:00 pm EST. Register.

Low-Cost Micro Training: Indiana Association for Community Economic Development presents Developing Microenterprise Initiatives Training on February 14, 15 in Indianapolis, IN. Presented by NeighborWorks, the Developing Microenterprise Initiatives training will emphasize: 1)Identifying the key components of successful microenterprise programs; 2) Maintaining and growing a microenterprise program; 3)Identifying the sources of funding available to develop and sustain microenterprise assistance programs; and 4)Understanding the importance of prudent underwriting for successful microenterprise loan programs. Cost is $55. Learn more and register.

Agricultural Risk Management Workshop: AgriLogic Consulting, in coordination with the USDA Risk Management Agency, will be hosting educational workshops throughout the state of California targeting local Hispanic, women, and new agricultural producers. Check the workshop schedule and find out more information. The are also looking for speakers.

CDFI Conference: The 2013 CDFI Institute will be held on February 28 – March 1 at the Capital Hilton in Washington,DC. The agenda includes the 2014 federal budget, expansion to rural areas, and private sector sources of capital.

Grant Opportunity: The U.S. Department of the Treasury’s Community Development Financial Institutions Fund (CDFI Fund) released Notices of Funds Availability (NOFA) for the fiscal year (FY) 2013 funding rounds of the Community Development Financial Institutions Program (CDFI Program) and Native American CDFI Assistance Program (NACA Program). The CDFI Fund expects to provide up to $165 million in Financial Assistance and Technical Assistance awards for FY 2013 (funding is subject to Congressional appropriations). Learn more and apply (search for CDFI) by February 28, 2013.

AEO Conference: AEO’s national conference, Tilt Forward, will be May 5-8, 2013 in St. Louis, Missouri. If you’re not an AEO member, CAMEO members receive a $75 discount with the code SMA2013. If you’re an AEO member, registration fees are 50% of the full conference price – another reason to join.

AEO and FIELD Membership Discount: You save $100 on AEO membership and $100 on a one-year MicroTracker Premium Plan subscription – that’s a total value of $500 for only $300! Learn more about the AEO/FIELD Membership Bundle. This is a must-buy, if you are not already an AEO member!

AEO Member Benefit: AEO has partnered with AmSher to provide AEO members a solution for debt collection. Learn more about this debt-recovery solution.