Tech Tools Webinar; Communications Tools for You; Take Action!

In this Must Know…

Tech Tools: Bringing Business Assistance into the Future, A Webinar

At last week’s annual meeting, several organizations presented on technology tools that they have developed and they were very well received. As many of you could not make it to Sacramento, we decided to bring them to you virtually.

Register for Tech Tools: Bringing Business Assistance into the Future
Thursday, June 21, 2018 at 2:00pm (that’s today!)

  • Debi Roder from Small Business Majority to learn about Venturize.org, their free online resource hub for small businesses that need help accessing responsible capital and becoming loan ready.
  • Estefania Cardona from Centro Community Partners will talk about their latest app that connects business owners with CDFIs and does oh, so much more.
  • Paola Castellanos from Pacific Community Ventures will explain how BusinessAdvising.org, a Match.com-plus for business owners and pro-bono business advisors, uses technology to facilitate mentoring and business success.

CAMEO’s Communications Resources for Your Programs

We mentioned a few weeks ago that we hired a new Communications and Marketing Associate. Daniela Fernandez-Ulen is a couple weeks on the job and doing a great job. One of the first things she did is put together a survey to get feedback on our annual meeting, conferences in general, and communicating about the sector. Even if you did not go to the annual meeting, please take a few minutes to answer the questions about conference-going and communicating with your peers.. The sections are easily marked for your convenience.

Daniela is also working on our website! If you have events that you would like to post on our event calendar or a job description, Daniela is now your go-to person. Download a how-to add your events to our calendar section. She’ll also be posting blogs and creating content – send her your ideas.

And finally, Daniela will be working on our social media pages, promoting all the good stuff that is happening in the sector. Follow us on Facebook and join our Twitter conversation.

Policy Update


CAMEO has long been a proponent of responsible small business lending. We absolutely support truth in lending and accurate disclosures for commercial loan products. We are heartened that Senator Glazer has put forth a much-needed bill that intends to give small businesses more information about the variety of financing that is out there. However, we believe that the currently amended version of SB 1235 falls short of this goal, may even harm some businesses, and complicate the small business lending landscape.

Comparing different types of these loan products is a complicated issue that needs careful thought. It is more important that we do it right than do it right now. Legislating proper disclosure for loan products with different characteristics needs to be fully vetted. If you would like to submit a letter expressing these views, download the template and send to

  • Assemblymember.limon@assembly.ca.gov
  • Assemblymember.chen@assembly.ca.gov
  • William.Herms@asm.ca.gov

Budget

In case you haven’t heard, the budget was passed and yes, it included a $23 million investment in small business technical assistance. We are one governor’s signature away from this historic investment in small business technical assistance. (Yes this means ONE more letter!) Stay tuned! A big thank you to Assembly Members Quick-Silva and Cervantes who championed this historic investment and to Toni and her staff for their herculean efforts. And to all of you who wrote letters!

And on the federal budget side, there is a bill in the House (HR 3) to rescind $22.78 million from Bank Enterprise Awards (BEA) and $141.76 million in funding for the Capital Magnet Fund (CMF). Both programs are administered by the CDFI Fund. Fortunately the Senate voted against taking back that money. Thanks to all of you who weighed in through the CDFI Coalition’s efforts to stop the President from eliminating the CDFI Fund.

Call Senators Feinstein and Harris to thank them for opposing rescissions to CDFI Fund programs.

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!

Got Federal Funds: The US General Services Administration has changed their policies regarding the online System for Award Management. As of April 27th, all users must submit a notarized letter naming an Entity Administrator to the Federal Services Desk in order to activate their sam.gov registration. Any organization applying for federal or state funding through grants.gov is required to have a current registration with sam.gov in order to submit their application, so make sure to check your account! More information, including a template for the notarized letter, click the link.

Member Kudos: Congratulations to the following San Francisco Business Times Women of Influence that have been important supporters of CAMEO’s work:

  • Nandita Bakhshi, CEO & President, Bank of the West
  • Jenny Flores, Head of Community Affairs and Corporate Social Responsibility, Bank of the West
  • Gaye Erkan, President, First Republic Bank
  • Rosana Han, Senior Vice President, Head Of Community Reinvestment, First Republic

Member Kudos: Congrats to Aubrey Stone, President and CEO of California Black Chamber of Commerce! He will be recognized on the Assembly Floor on Monday, June 25 for his dedication to economic empowerment.

Member in the News: Luz Urrutia, the CEO of Opportunity Fund, wrote about Small business loans in jeopardy in the Capitol Weekly.

Free Webinar: Businesses for Responsible Tax Reform invites you and your clients to a slate of webinars in the coming month to help small business owners understand what the tax law means to them. It’s been nearly six months since the tax law was passed, but many small business owners still have little idea how the law will actually impact their business because the IRS has yet to issue rules about how key components will be implemented. Join one of the following webinars: Monday, June 25 at 6:00-6:30pm PT; or Monday, July 2 at 6:00-6:30pm PT.

Free Webinar: CalNonprofits recently released the updated Nonprofit Compliance Checklist, and invite you to a follow-up webinar, “Hot Topics to Keep Your Nonprofit Out of Hot Water” with Erin Bradrick, Senior Counsel with NEO Law Group, on Thursday, June 28, 2018 11:00am-12noon.

Professional Conference: Save the date for OFN’s 2018 Western Regional Meeting July 18 in Denver at the Federal Reserve Bank of Kansas City – Denver Branch.

Grant Opportunity: With the support of JPMorgan Chase, NALCAB – National Association for Latino Community Asset Builders will provide grants of $40,000 – $50,000, technical assistance, and training to up to ten non-profit organizations for a period of 18 months to develop and implement data- and community-driven action plans for equitable development. Plans will prevent involuntary displacement and increase access to wealth generating assets for low-income communities through strategies including, but not limited to, affordable housing and/or commercial real estate development, policy development and advocacy, affordable housing and/or small business lending, housing services and programs, small business development, and community engagement. Download the Request for Proposals: Equitable Neighborhood Development Planning. The deadline is August 5, 2018.