In this Must Know…
- Summer School Part I Recap
- AB 1325 (MEHKO) was signed into law!
- Federal Appropriations Update
- This week’s Goodie Highlight is the Senate Small Business Committee recent report, “Women’s Small Business Ownership and Entrepreneurship.”
Summer School Part I Recap
Yesterday we held the first session of our four-part series for the Climate + Small Biz Summer School.
Joining us was Neda Arabshahi, VP of the Inclusiv Center for Resiliency and Clean Energy. She led a conversation on how climate change disrupts life and its economic impact on communities. Then she showed us the data on the growing investment into solar energy and how small business owners are uniquely positioned to help deliver on the promises of the Inflation Reduction Act. Finally, we talked about how we as small business development organizations can leverage our networks to make sure disadvantaged communities participate in the green economy.
Don’t forget to sign up for Parts II-IV of the Climate + Small Biz Summer School. The recordings for all sessions will be available in the Members Only section of CAMEO Academy in September.
MEHKO Bill Is Now Law
Gov. Newsom’s signing of AB 1325 is great news for California’s entrepreneurs. The legislation, which increases the number of meals per week that can be sold by Microenterprise Home Kitchen Operations (MEHKOs) from 60 to 90 and doubles their annual gross revenue cap from $50,000 to $100,000, will expand economic opportunity for California’s home cooks.
Home kitchens offer an affordable entry-point to business ownership for disadvantaged populations. Watch Carolina’s interview with Telemundo 48 to learn more about the passage of this law.
Federal Appropriations Update
The Senate Appropriations Committee passed all 12 of its government funding bills, which need floor action for passage. Overall, SBA program funding has held steady, which is good news especially being so close to an election year. A big exception is the CDFI Fund. The House Appropriations Subcommittee proposed a $46 million cut to the program while the Senate is likely to stick to the spending levels in the debt ceiling deal. We need your help! Use OFN’s Policy Action Center’s tools to send a letter to your senators to support $341 million for the CDFI Fund for FY2024.
The Goodies
New Reports
- The Senate Small Business Committee released a report “Women’s Small Business Ownership and Entrepreneurship” which highlights the many challenges that women entrepreneurs face.
- Measure of America’s Well-Being in Rural California 2023 report paints a picture of well-being and access to opportunity across race, place, and gender in rural California today.
Professional & Funding Opportunities
- Join AEO for a special panel discussion of their upcoming report, “Breaking Barriers to Capital Access for Returning Citizens” that will shed light on the many barriers faced by formerly incarcerated entrepreneurs.
- Credit Builders Alliance will provide loan capital and grants to nonprofits providing consumer loans to LMI immigrants in their communities. Applications close August 10, 2023.
For Your Clients
- Check out Start Small Think Big’s Marketing Resource Guide for entrepreneurs.
- The Bipartisan Infrastructure Law Small Business Contracting Symposium takes place August 23, 2023 in Rancho Cordova, CA.
Other Goodies
- Member News: Check out “Beyond Courage: One Family’s Will to Survive,” a book based on the life and experiences of VSEDC’s Namoch Sokhom as a Khmer Rouge survivor.
- Jobs: RUNWAY, JEDI, and the Treasury Department announced new jobs recently. See who else is hiring!