This Women’s History Month, CAMEO Network celebrates by shining a spotlight on one of our members – a woman-led organization that has been working to improve small business development in the Inland Empire and beyond for nearly 15 years.
Microenterprise Collaborative of Inland Southern California (MECISC) is a diverse coalition of over 700 banks, chambers of commerce, business associations, and nonprofits as well as university and community college business departments, business programs, services, microlenders, and city and county agencies across Riverside, San Bernardino, and eastern Los Angeles County. Founded in 2011, these community leaders came together to address the conditions preventing small and micro businesses from starting and growing, including limited access to traditional financing, lack of awareness about available resources, and insufficient support from ecosystem partners. Additionally, nonbank microlenders and microenterprise programs faced challenges in securing funding for outreach, training, and financial assistance.
MECISC has grown into a multi-county network of organizations that provide training, counseling, and microloans to small business owners and entrepreneurs. The organization also hosts public education events, fosters collaboration, and builds the capacity of service providers to meet growing demand.
In 2022, Pamela Deans became MECISC’s first Executive Director. Under her leadership, the organization hired its first employee and expanded its services beyond the Inland Empire and into Los Angeles and Orange Counties.
As a CAMEO Network member, MECISC regularly participates in our cohort-based programs, including the Climate Resiliency Cohort, the MEHKO Advocacy Cohort, and the SCALE mesh network. For its impactful work strengthening the small business ecosystem of support in inland Southern California, CAMEO Network named MECISC one of our Entrepreneurial Ecosystem Awards winners in 2024.
“This work is very special and personal,” explained Pamela Deans. “What makes me really proud is building a more connected and supportive business community for everybody.”
Last year, MECISC secured a grant through the Federal Home Loan Bank of San Francisco’s AHEAD Program, which supports economic development initiatives that empower underserved communities. This grant will enable the organization to enhance its services and have a greater impact in its local community. And this year, the Office of Senator Eloise Gomez Reyes selected Pamela Deans as one of 2025’s Women of Distinction honorees and a finalist for Woman of the Year.
Congratulations to MECISC for building a strong entrepreneurial ecosystem in Southern California!