- Tribute to Independent Entrepreneurs – Part II
- Data Collection Demystified, A Webinar
- Signs of Hope
- The Goodies – This week’s highlight is a downloadable version of “Tech Tools: Bringing Business Assistance into the Future.” Learn how several of your peers are developing products and services to respond to our rapidly changing world.
Tribute to Independent Entrepreneurs – Part II
As this week is all about independence, I thought I’d look at how we can help independent entrepreneurs in our advocacy. CAMEO actively has worked to integrate self-employment institutional change in the workforce over the past five years. And last year we weighed in on tax policy when we went to Washington, DC. It’s a tough nut to crack and we’re glad to have some allies. Our colleagues at Samaschool came out with a policy agenda with two main objectives:
- Independent work readiness training is available to all, promoting equal access to information on successfully using gig economy work to earn supplemental income, gain resume-building experience, or grow as self-employed entrepreneurs.
- Independent work pays livable wages, offers avenues to access benefits, and is conducted in safe environments.
Many of their efforts align with what CAMEO has been working on and provides new opportunities for us to engage.
- Ensure Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act (WIOA) programming is inclusive of independent work.
- Support independent work training and access in the reauthorization of the Higher Education Act (HEA).
- Align career and technical education to include independent work as a pathway to employment.
- Offer independent work training through public workforce systems.
- Adapt existing entrepreneurship programs to include information on gig economy marketplaces.
We look forward to working with Samaschool and others to ensure that independent entrepreneurs thrive!
Data Collection Demystified, A Webinar
Register for Data Collection: Make the Case for Funding and Get It Right From Intake To Reporting on Thursday, July 19, 2018, at 2:00 pm.
It’s your favorite time of the year! Data Collection Time! If it’s not, why not? Your impact data proves your value to your funders and constituents and helps you to build the best organization possible. Fantastic!
The actual nuts and bolts of gathering data can be difficult if you don’t build them into your program from the beginning. To help you with this year’s data collection process, we’ve brought together the experts to explain the benefits of good data collection and demystify the process.
- Sharon Miller, CEO of Renaissance Entrepreneurship Center, will illustrate the benefits that her organization has received from an emphasis on good data collection.
- Kate Shepherd, also from Renaissance, will explain how to incorporate data collection into your daily client support.
- Joyce Klein from FIELD at the Aspen Institute discusses what to do with that data when you’ve got it, and how your organization’s data can help make the case for the sector as a whole.
Register for Data Collection: Make the Case for Funding and Get It Right From Intake To Reporting
Thursday, July 19, 2018, at 2:00 pm
Signs of Hope
On this holiday week, here are some words of hope that may inspire you to take action once you’re back at your desk.
Local economic development rules. A new book “Our Towns” paints a portrait of renewal at the local level as compared to the gridlock of our federal government. The author says that “in several areas – civic engagement, returning talent, the growth of tech start-ups, downtown revitalization, an openness to immigrants and thriving libraries – local America seems to be flourishing.”
7 hopeful things to remember from NonProfit AF.
Your advocacy efforts work.
- The FY 2018-19 California budget has a whole lot of good things included in it for local economic development including $23 million for small business technical assistance.
- Senate Bill 946, the Safe Sidewalk Vending Act passed through the Assembly’s Local Government Committee last week with a 5-1 vote. It is now headed to the Assembly floor sometime in August.
- SB 551 moves to Assembly Appropriations where the bill will likely not be heard until after the July summer recess.
- California passed privacy legislation aimed at giving consumers more control over how companies collect and manage their personal information.
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!
CAMEO Webinar: Technology is changing EVERYTHING. Including business assistance. Our members are having innovative responses to the changing landscape. Learn how several of your peers are developing products and services to respond to the rapid changes in the economy and society. Listen to “Tech Tools: Bringing Business Assistance into the Future.”
For Your Clients: Small Business Majority and Nav invite you to join us for a free interactive webinar to help you navigate your retirement options and discover wealth building tactics for your small business. Join them for “Grow Smart: Wealth Building Tactics for Small Business Owners” on Tuesday, July 10 at 11:00 am PT
Funding Opportunity: AEO will open applications for The Tapestry Project on July 17, 2018. The project includes two opportunities: 1) Tapestry Project Innovation Registry (TPIR) will register your project to help broaden the reach of your organization’s work to funders, investors and other potential collaborators; and 2) the Tapestry Project Action Lab will support collaborative funding contracts, with awards of up to $50,000, organized around a shared business development objective that addresses the interlinkage of the three barriers for Black businesses reaching their potential. Click on the website for more details including an informational webinar on July 23, 2018.
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.
Professional Conference: Join Prosperity Now’s 2018 Prosperity Summit on September 5-7, 2018 in Maryland.
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.
New Report: The SBA Office of Advocacy Research release “Why Do Businesses Close“, using U.S. Census Bureau data, and found that over the last 25 years, about 7-9 percent of employer firms close every year and a slightly higher share open. Many reasons for closing are personal.