In this Must Know…
- Statement: SBA Green Card Decision Is Bad for Business and the Economy
- Celebrating MEHKO Operators on Women’s History Month
- Early Bird registration is now open for our 2026 Conference: Collective Power in Action
- What’s New This Tax Season
- Join our virtual AI roundtable today at noon!
- This week’s Goodie Highlight is Main Street Launch’s webinar on Community Advantage updates on March 14, 2026 at 12:00pm PT / 3:00pm ET.
Statement: SBA Green Card Decision Is Bad for Business and the Economy
The Small Business Administration announced a new policy this week that bars green card holders from accessing SBA-guaranteed small business loans — expanding a March 1 decision blocking lawful permanent residents from SBA 504 and 7(a) loans.
This decision cuts off vital capital for a community that starts businesses at twice the rate of U.S.-born residents and fuels job creation across the country. CAMEO Network is actively working with lawmakers to restore this access.
Celebrating MEHKO Operators on Women’s History Month
This Women’s History Month, we celebrate by recognizing the vital but often invisible work done by women entrepreneurs across the country, who build and grow businesses that create economic mobility for their families and help their communities thrive.
Seventy percent of MEHKO operators are women, according to a research report released this year by COOK Alliance and CAMEO Network. This means that expanding and improving the MEHKO program across California will open up entrepreneurial opportunities for countless women and in turn strengthen our state’s economy.
One such example is Heidi Randolph, a Peruvian immigrant whose backyard restaurant in Los Angeles, Lomo Fuego, has been so successful that she has plans to open a traditional brick-and-mortar in the near future.
2026 Conference: Register and Save
Early Bird Registration is open for Collective Power in Action — our 2026 conference on November 16-18 in San Jose! For a limited time, we are offering 25% off on general admission and 50% off for CAMEO Network members (email Sandra Flores for the member discount code). This event will bring our sector together to address the most pressing issues facing small businesses, including capital access, funding and policy shifts, a new Congress, and more.
What’s New This Tax Season
Tax season is upon us, with tax filings due for S-Corps and multi-member LLCs on March 16 and for C-Corps and individual filers on April 15. Entrepreneurs should note changes from H.R. 1(OBBBA): Section 179 expensing rises to $2.5M, the SALT deduction cap increases to $40,000, and the 20% QBI deduction for pass-through income is now permanent. The Freelancers Union and the Center for Taxpayer Rights offer helpful resources for freelancers and small business owners.
The Goodies
Events and Conferences
- The Federal Reserve is hosting the 2026 National Community Investment Conference on March 23-26 in Phoenix, AZ.
- Join Main Street America on April 13-15, 2026 in Tulsa, OK for the Main Street Now Conference.
New Resources
- Read the recent op-ed in Forbes by the Sorenson Institute, “How Impact Measurement Can Unlock Funding For Historically Disadvantaged Small Business Owners.”
- NPR recently published “A shadowy industry is helping small businesses pay tariffs—at a high cost.”
Free Webinars
- Join Main Street Launch on March 24, 2026 at 11:00am PT / 2:00pm ET to learn what the SBA’s recent changes to the Community Advantage program mean for your clients.
- The Federal Reserve’s Connecting Communities is hosting “Unlocking the Voice of Small Businesses: New Insights from the 2025 Small Business Credit Survey” on April 9, 2026 at 12:00pm PT / 3:00pm ET.
Other Goodies
- Funding Opportunity: The Coalition’s Community Quarterback for Small Business Grant supports organizations that serve small businesses in under-resourced communities. Applications are due March 20, 2026.
- Jobs: The Institute for Social Transformation at UCSC, Working Solutions, and The Center at Lendistry announced new jobs recently. See who else is hiring!