2011 October « CAMEO

Dr. Liliana Cabouli Bio

October 28, 2011

Dr. Liliana Cabouli began her career as a licensed psychologist in Buenos Aires, Argentina, in 1988. For the next nine years, she operated a private practice and worked in hospitals and the counseling center at Maimonides University.

She has a strong psychoanalytic and systemic background and specializes in applying these disciplines to family therapy, child and adolescent behavioral and emotional problems, marital therapy, bi-cultural family therapy and step-family issues.

Additionally, she works with divorced and single adults who are struggling to find meaningful relationships. When she arrived in the United States, Dr. Cabouli completed her doctorate and obtained her license in Marriage and Family Therapy.

She has worked in school settings, in the foster care system and currently has her own private practice. She is the creator of Strategic Experiential Family Therapy.

She had a radio show on Radio Hispana, AM 1470, called “Ask Dr.Cabouli” and has been a guest speaker in all the Hispanic media. She was a professor at Alliant International University.

Dr. Cabouli’s goal is to help you achieve the growth that she knows you are capable of. She has a fundamental faith in the value of human resources and in the healing power of change. She believes raw foods and herbs, acupuncture, massage and alternative medicine as the path to optimum health.

She believes that self-awareness and striving for growth are important attributes in order to live a more fulfilling and happy life. She recognizes that love and connection are essential things in life and she strives to promote these values in the lives of her clients and their families.

Filed Under: Uncategorized

Rural, Books and Banks

October 28, 2011

VIVA! Women of Color Symposium in Los Angeles on November 7. Learn more and register.

In this week’s Must Know:

Rural Report
Books and Banks – Member Kudos
The Goodies: information on important opportunities like trainings, funding, scholarship programs. This week’s highlight is an investment officer position with the California Organized Investment Network (COIN). The deadline to take the online exam and to apply for the position is October 29, 2011 at 5:00 p.m. PST. Learn more.

Rural Report

Several things have come across my desk lately about rural economies and the importance of micro. Take Siskiyou County as an example: the state and federal governments own 60% and private interest own the remaining 40%. We all know what is happening to state and federal budgets; that means budget cuts for parks and public lands. After the government, hospitals and schools were the largest employers, but they’ve downsized significantly. That leaves a few larger corporations with hundreds of employees and small businesses as the crux of the economy.

Nancy Swift, the Executive Director of Jefferson Economic Development Institute worked diligently to gather support from her representative. Last month, her efforts paid off. The Rural Microbusiness Investment Credit Act of 2011 or H.R. 2858 was introduced by Representatives Ron Kind (D-WI) and Wally Herger (R-CA). The Rural Microbusiness Investment Credit Act of 2011 would help new enterprises start and existing enterprises grow by providing a 35 percent tax credit on up to about $30,000 of new investment. We will keep you posted on its progress.

The upcoming 2012 Farm Bill also has the potential to bring resources to rural micro. The Farm Bill includes the Beginning Farmer and Rancher Development Program and the Rural Microentrepreneur Assistance Program (RMAP) in which several CAMEO members have participated. And guess what, those programs are on the chopping block. Our colleagues at the Center for Rural Affairs are working on a petition campaign to prioritize Farm Bill spending.

And finally, Aspen’s FIELD Institute has a new case study about how rural MDO’s can foster market expansion for their clients. The roles discussed range from building clients’ capacity to creating venues for sales to generating and consummating sales.

Books and Banks – Member Kudos

Former CAMEO C.E.O, Catherine Marshall, has written a book – Field Building: Your Blueprint for Creating an Effective and Powerful Social Movement. Field Building walks you through the complex tasks associated with launching and building a social movement, and provides the step-by-step guidance to ensure that your effort takes root-and takes off. It also provides real-life examples and points you to further resources you’ll need as you grow your movement. Congratulations Catherine!

CDC Small Business Finance Corporation is the second most small business friendly bank in San Diego, right behind Wells Fargo. Of course they are!

The Goodies

New opportunities for trainings, conference information, funding, scholarships, and other information that have crossed our desks since the last Must Know. A running tab of current Goodies is on the CAMEO website.

The California Organized Investment Network (COIN) is recruiting an investment officer. The deadline to take the online exam and to apply for the position is October 29, 2011 at 5:00 p.m. PST. Learn more.

Inland Empire Economy: Come hear some of the state’s most reputable forecasters – Christopher Thornberg, Founding Partner of Beacon Economics and Brad Kemp, the firm’s Director of Regional Research – deliver a new outlook for the U.S., California, and Inland Southern California economies. Then join a lively debate over the direction of jobs and employment in the Inland region. It all takes place on Thursday, November 3, 2011 at the Riverside Convention Center; Registration and Breakfast 7:00 a.m., Program 8:00-11:00 a.m. Register today for the CAMEO discount.

Grant Opportunity: Would you like to develop a green Micro Enterprise development training or lending program? On a competitive basis, we will select Microenterprise Development Organizations (MDOs) that serve low-income individuals that will commit to learn how to teach the “the triple bottom line” to their clients. ACE (CDFI in Georgia)and Friedman Associates will select two MDOs that serve predominantly low-income individuals, to develop a plan to build programmatic and organizational capacity in green microlending, training and/or technical assistance. Apply by November 30, 2011.

Check out Opportunity Fund’s new fundraising campaign as an example of a well-done campaign.

For your clients: CARAT is providing technology training programs for free to small businesses in California. Check out the schedules for October and November.

Filed Under: Must Know

A Rural Microbusiness Tax Credit

October 27, 2011

This post was written by the Center for Rural Affairs.

Helping Rural Main Street Businesses Prosper
H.R. 2858 – Introduced by Representatives Ron Kind (D-WI) and Wally Herger (R-CA)

The Rural Microbusiness Investment Credit Act of 2011 (PDF of the bill) would help new enterprises start and existing enterprises grow by providing a 35 percent tax credit on up to about $30,000 of new investment. Owner-operated businesses with up to five employees and $1 million of revenue would be eligible if located in rural areas with significant population loss, low average incomes, high poverty or high unemployment. Beginning farmers and ranchers would also be eligible.

Three things about the bill make it more useful than traditional investment credits for many small businesses.

The credit could be carried back to recapture taxes paid in the prior five years. That makes it more valuable to star-tup businesses and business hurt by the recession, which often don’t have the income to owe much in tax.
The credit replaces depreciation and other deductions with a 35 percent tax credit, which comes directly off taxes owed. That gives the small business in the lowest tax bracket the same incentive to invest as the large corporation in the 35 percent tax bracket.
The credit applies to a broader set of investments than equipment and plant. It covers increased investment in almost all aspects of the business, such as bigger inventories, new employees and increased advertising.

This credit is exactly what is needed for the rural economy. For many rural areas, micro-business creates most new jobs. And in hard times, micro-business is important in all of America. During the 2000-2003 recession, employment grew in Micro Enterprises 9.17 percent while falling 1.8 percent in larger firms. Micro Enterprise led America out of its last recession and can do so again with a little support.

Nevertheless, the small businesses on which much of rural America relies have long received short shrift in economic policy. Most job creation tax incentives are designed for much larger “small” businesses in high tax brackets, corporate America, and high-growth businesses seeking outside investors to inject capital for a stake in the business. This is the first tax credit designed for the micro-businesses that provide the economic backbone of much of rural America.

When Congress takes up the president’s call for job creation tax incentives, it should also take up the Rural Microbusiness Investment Credit. It would create jobs and genuine economic opportunity for the little guys in rural America. And with bipartisan support, rare in today’s Washington, Congress could actually pass it rather than just argue about it.

Filed Under: news

COIN Investment Officer

October 27, 2011

COIN is the State of California’s program to encourage insurance companies to place their capital in financially prudent investments that yield social and/or environmental benefits in low- to moderate income and/or rural communities. Reinvigorating the COIN Program is among the Insurance Commissioner’s top priorities.

COIN is recruiting an investment officer. Well-qualified candidates for the position will have many of the below attributes:

Expertise in economic development, capital markets and public policy;
Strong analytical, writing and spreadsheet skills;
Social media, web design and marketing;
Familiarity with the following investment types/products: alternative, double- and triple bottom line, clean technology, bonds, equities and cash equivalents;
Working relationships with Community Development Financial Institutions (CDFIs), emerging fund managers and credit unions; and
Awareness of supplier diversity stakeholders and such initiatives in the public, private and nonprofit sectors.

The deadline to take the online exam and to apply for the position is October 29, 2011 at 5:00 p.m. PST. Since this is a civil service position, all of the steps outline below must be completed in order to apply. Applications from those with no prior government or civil service employment are also welcome.

Create a “Standard State Application” (form 678) with the State Personnel Board.

Take the “online examination” for “Investment Officer I (CalSTRS)”.

(Note: The Department of Insurance is “borrowing” a CalSTRS civil service classification for this position, and the “minimum qualifications” and “examination questions” are not entirely on-point with the Insurance Department’s position. But completing the examination with a 70% score is a cut-off threshold.

Apply for the job by uploading your official state application, a copy of your resume, and a cover letter describing your qualifications for and interest in the position.

Filed Under: Job Posting

Press Releases From A to Z

October 25, 2011

You have a new program, a new milestone, a report to issue, or breaking news that you want to announce to the community. You think to yourself, “It would be great if Joe Reporter covered our news and be great if we hit a couple of blogs.” Press releases are a tool of the trade for any organization with information to share.

This webinar goes through the nuts, bolts and best practices for writing press releases – when to issue a press release, how to create news, how to write a headline, which other elements to include, to whom to send, how to follow up, and more.

Watch and listen to the webinar (61 minutes)

Download the Powerpoint for Press Release Webinar, the Press Release webinar notes and a sample press release with lots of annotation.

Need more help? CAMEO’s Heidi Pickman is available to help you with your press release. Email her a word version of your press release. Please allow two to three business days for review.

About the Presenter

Heidi Pickman joined CAMEO in 2011 to develop and manage CAMEO’s communication and advocacy activities. Before joining CAMEO, she directed earned media activities for two California ballot initiatives and campaigned successfully to include clean energy provisions in the economic stimulus package of 2009. In her former career as a radio journalist, she produced national public radio programs including Weekend America and Marketplace Morning Report. She has a B.A. and M.A. in Economics from Tufts University and a C. Phil. in Economics from UCLA. She loves anything to do with Spain and dabbles in the fire arts.

Back to the Past Training archive

Filed Under: Trainings

More Friends for Micro

October 21, 2011

Save The Date: VIVA! Women of Color Symposium in Los Angeles on November 7, 2011. Learn more and register.

In this week’s Must Know:

More Friends for Micro
Member Training: Press Releases from A to Z, October 25, 2011
The Goodies: information on important opportunities like trainings, funding, scholarship programs.

More Friends for Micro

Last week Claudia and I went to Sacramento to make some new friends.

     We brainstormed ideas with Government Services, including: a project-oriented approach to build capacity for veteran-owned companies to apply for government contracts.

      A big breakthrough: The Department of Corrections expressed interest in incorporating entrepreneurship training into their rehabilitation programs for inmates and asked CAMEO to provide them with relevant curriculum. They also wish to partner with CAMEO members on seeking grants to provide entrepreneur workshops in an institution prior to inmate release. This interest stems from all the activity at the local level around “realignment” of prisoners from the state to county institutions. If you are interested in reaching re-entering prisoners, please let us know.

      Then we squeezed in lunch with Michele Gault of the California SBDC network before we went to the Assembly Committee on Jobs, Economic Development and the Economy (JEDE). Michele is interested in combining efforts to strengthen the voice of very small and small businesses on the many common issues that we face. We look forward to future partnerships with her and the SBDC network.

Also from Sacramento, Governor Brown signed AB 361 (Huffman) Benefit Corporation Legislation – another bill that CAMEO actively supported. The legislation creates a new class of corporation called B or Benefit Corporations that are legally required to pursue the creation of a material positive impact on society and the environment, while meeting higher standards of accountability and transparency. Learn more about how this legislation will change our communities, environment, and economy.

Member Training: Press Releases from A to Z

You have a new program, a new milestone, a report to issue, or perhaps breaking news that you want to announce to the community. You think to yourself “it would be great if Joe Reporter covered our news and be great if we hit a couple of blogs.” Press releases are a tool of the trade for any organization with information to share.

Join me for a webinar that will go through the nuts and bolts and best practices for writing press releases – when to issue a press release, how to create news, how to write a headline, other elements to include, who to send to, follow up, and more. We will also engage in interactive exercises to practice what we’ve learned.

When: Tuesday, October, 25, 2011, 11:00 a.m. – 12:00 p.m.
Where: The comfort of your computer

Members can register for free. If you are not a member, become one! Email Shufina English for more information.

The Goodies

Speak Up: What criteria would you require a small business supporter to have regarding technical business assistance? CAMEO is hosting a brainstorming call today Thursday, October 27 at 1:00 p.m. All are welcome. Dial in number: (916) 558-7514; Passcode: 414051. See notes from past call. Feel free to weigh in online as well. Note that other topics, such as access to capital, are covered on other calls.

White House Business Council Briefing Call: On Friday, October 28, 2011 at 10:00 a.m. PT // 1:00 p.m. ET the White House hosts a call that will cover government procurement and contracting opportunities. Dial In Number: (877) 260-8900; Confirmation Code: 217493.

For your clients: CARAT is providing technology training programs for free to small businesses in California. Check out the schedules for October and November.

Filed Under: Must Know

Week of Opportunity

October 13, 2011

Save The Date: VIVA! Women of Color Symposium in Los Angeles on November 7, 2011. Watch for your invitation!

This week, we take a rest from policy to bring you what seems like an avalanche of opportunities that could benefit micro – so here we go. In this week’s Must Know:

Take Advantage of Community Advantage Changes
COIN Advisory Board
Member Training: Press Releases from A to Z, October 25, 2011
The Goodies: information on important opportunities like trainings, funding, scholarship programs. This week’s highlight includes two calls sponsored by the White House on the American Jobs Act. Scroll down for details.

Take Advantage of Community Advantage Changes

As you may know, the Community Advantage Program is a pilot initiative aimed at increasing the number of SBA 7(a) lenders that reach underserved communities. On Tuesday, October 4, the SBA announced a number of changes in the program because of feedback and input of AEO and others.

Two major changes include: 1) a 2% increase in the interest rate ceiling to Prime + 6% and 2) $100 million of loan capital committed by 13 commercial banks that will be available to Community Advantage approved intermediary lenders for technical assistance, loan loss reserves and warehouse lines of credit. For more information you can view AEO’s presentation Taking Advantage of Community Advantage.

COIN Advisory Board

As we’ve mentioned before, CAMEO has met with the Department of Insurance and encouraged them to include representatives from micro enterprise on their advisory board. And they listened. California Insurance Commissioner is looking for people to advise COIN on the best methods to increase the level of insurance industry capital in safe and sound investments while providing fair returns to investors and social benefits to underserved communities. And the Commissioner requests applications from representatives of our field.

Let’s help the insurance companies invest in micro by sitting on the Advisory Board. Find out more and apply. Applications are due November 21, 2011. And of course let us know you applied.

Member Training: Press Releases from A to Z

When: Tuesday, October, 25, 2011, 11:00 a.m. – 12:00 p.m.
Where: The comfort of your computer

Members can register for free. If you are not a member, become one! Email Shufina English for more information.

The Goodies

American Jobs Act calls: On Friday, October 14, 2011 there are two calls about the American Jobs Act. Call #1: AEO, Small Business Majority and other CAMEO friends are co-hosting a White House briefing call on how you will be affected by the American Jobs Act at 9:00 a.m. PT // 12:00 p.m. ET. You must pre-register. Call #2: The White House is holding a series of for state-specific calls on to talk about the American Jobs act and the FY2012 Budget. The California American Jobs Act Call is a 2:00 p.m. PT // 5:00 p.m. ET. The call in numbers is: (800) 230-1074.

Free Webinar: Not for Executive Director’s Only: Strategic Planning in the New Normal”, Thursday, October 27, 2011, 2:00 pm Eastern/1:00 pm Central/11:00 am Pacific. Space is limited. Learn more and reserve your Webinar seat now.

Microfinance Speaker Series at UC Berkeley: The six-week course explores how microfinance operations have grown to become sustainable models for financial services for developing countries. Comprising advice and best practices from successful practitioners and institutions around the world, the course gives an inside look into new technology ventures targeting the industry. Led by renowned Berkeley faculty and tied to the exciting venture capital environment of the Bay Area, the series is an excellent forum to learn about up-to-the-minute challenges and debates in the world of microfinance. The course is Wednesdays from 4pm-6pm PST, starting on October 26 – December 7, 2011. The regular price of the series is $1500, but non-profit organizations only pay $500! Register for the class or email Shufina English for more information.

Inland Empire Economy: Come hear some of the state’s most reputable forecasters – Christopher Thornberg, Founding Partner of Beacon Econoimcs and Brad Kemp, the firm’s Director of Regional Research – deliver a new outlook for the U.S., California, and Inland Southern California economies. Then join a lively debate over the direction of jobs and employment in the Inland region. It all takes place on Thursday, November 3, 2011 at the Riverside Convention Center; Registration and Breakfast 7:00 a.m., Program 8:00-11:00 a.m. Register today for the CAMEO discount.

For your clients: CARAT has funding from the California Emerging Technology Fund (CETF) to provide technology training to small businesses in California. This is stimulus project funding through the US Department of Commerce, National Telecommunications and Information Agency (NTIA). CARAT is collaborating with partners in six regions in California to administer the targeted technology training program for free. Check out the schedules for October and November.

Job Opportunities: MEDA, Renaissance Entrepreneurial Center and Global Partnerships are hiring. Check out the job listings offered by members and others in our industry.

Filed Under: Must Know

Protected: Federal Lending Symposium

October 10, 2011

Filed Under: Uncategorized

William Ortiz

October 10, 2011

Success story from Mission Economic Development Agency in San Francisco.

William Ortiz, owner of Gentle Parking produced by medasf on Vimeo.

Filed Under: Success Story

MEDA, PACE are pilots for Citi-Aspen Credit Building Project

October 7, 2011

The Aspen Institute announced in September the launch of the Asset Building Through Credit pilot program, a research effort that will study a multi-dimensional approach to building credit and financial opportunities for aspiring low-income entrepreneurs. The pilot program will study whether financial education and coaching combined with an innovative secured credit card platform can increase credit scores and expand the small businesses of more than 600 low-income entrepreneurs in five markets nationwide. The study is funded by a $750,000 grant from the Citi Foundation.

In connection with the study, Aspen Institute’s FIELD program (Microenterprise Fund for Innovation, Effectiveness, Learning and Dissemination) is making grants to five nonprofit microenterprise organizations that will provide financial coaching and education, along with access to a secured credit card, to microentrepreneurs whose credit profiles need strengthening to qualify for business financing. The Aspen Institute will also provide training, technical assistance, and a series of ongoing peer learning activities to support the pilot. A thorough evaluation and assessment of the program will determine if the approach is effective and scalable.

Two of the five nonprofits are CAMEO members!

Mission Economic Development Agency (MEDA): San Francisco-based MEDA has worked to assist low-to-moderate income Latino families for build assets since its inception in 1973. MEDA’s Business Development Program provides comprehensive technical assistance and training services and incorporates financial education with a focus on savings, debt and credit. In 2010, MEDA developed a targeted financial education and credit coaching program that will support its efforts to offer secured cards to its customers.

Pacific Asian Consortium in Employment (PACE): with a long-standing history serving Pacific Asian and other diverse communities in Los Angeles county, the Business Development Center at PACE was founded in 1994. PACE’s Financial Education and Asset Building Program (FE/AB) has provided a wide variety of training and individual counseling targeted at building credit since 2003.

Other organizations include: Champlain Valley Office of Economic Opportunity Inc. (CVOEO) and Central Vermont Community Action; Latino Economic Development Corporation (LEDC); and Women’s Brooklyn Enterprise Center (WBEC). The initiative is based on a successful program led by Justine PETERSEN, a St. Louis-based microlender that has been offering secured cards to its microenterprise clients for almost two years.

In today’s economy, a good credit score is an important financial asset that allows small business owners to access resources and, in many instances, reduce operating costs. Over the past two years, high U.S. unemployment levels have led to an increase in the number of credit applications from individuals who are motivated to start their own businesses but whose damaged or thin credit histories make it challenging for even community-based nonprofit microlenders to provide loans. Research has shown that the best way to expand financial capability and build (or rebuild) an individual’s credit score is to pair appropriate financial products with education and counseling.

Filed Under: news