!Viva Las Micro Empresas!: A branded series of training and peer support to enable members to reach and effectively serve the emerging Latino market. Last fall, 67 members participated in the first training institute in San Diego. CAMEO decided to continue with a free Professional/Peer Learning Group this year, and all CAMEO members are invited to attend. To receive instructions on participating, email Evelyn Torres at etorres@microbiz.org. Upcoming group topics and dates are:

1) Collection of powerful data. In what industries are Latino microentrepreneurs working? 3/6/08
2) Targeting funders that are taking an interest in the microenterprise development field and this sector 4/3/08
3) Language and Technology; how are we using both to reach markets. Can long distance learning serve as a tool? 5/1/08
4) Building partnerships and networks that support sustainability outside of the Latino Market 6/5/08
5) Green businesses: Exploiting green opportunities for Latino entrepreneurs 7/3/08

CAMEO will also be providing four workshops on May 21 and 22 at the AEO National Summit under the !Viva Las Micro Empresas! program brand. The titles of the workshops are: 1. Using Social Networks to Create New Markets for Latino Businesses, 2. Fundamentals of MicroCredit and More, 3. Facts and Statistics: What do we Know About Latino Entrepreneurs, and 4. Strategic Partnering for Fundraising. The goal for these workshops is to increase services by 20% to Latinos overall by year end 2008. Watch for more information to come on these exciting workshops!
Sponsored by:

CA-Self Employment Tax Initiative: Microenterprise development organizations reach out to self employed, Schedule C and C-EZ tax filers during tax season, thus offering new services and increasing clients served. CAMEO is facilitating and funding six demonstration sites, in collaboration with the Corporation for Enterprise Development's national program. The goal is to serve 450 businesses in 2008. The CA sites include:
Bay Area: MEDA and Urban Solutions
Upstate: JEDI and West Company
LA Area: Asian Pacific Islander Small Business Program
Central Valley: CSU Fresno Small Business Center
Sponsored by:

Microlending Action Plan: A Working Group of members and bank partners is developing an Action Plan around two key issues: a pool of capital to leverage new loans; partnerships between larger and smaller lenders to reach new markets. Outcomes will provide the agenda for CAMEO's work in coming yearss to increase microlending throughout the State.
Sponsored by:

Rural Development: In 2008, CAMEo will develop and execute a strategy to assist its rural members to strengthen and grow: through cultivating entrepreneurship, targeting opportunities through the Farm bill and other sources, and by increasing the use of technology.

Microlending Summit - November 2007
Sponsored By:


CAMEO held its first ever Microlending Summit hosted by the Federal Reserve Bank in San Francisco. Approximately 26 participants attended from all across the state, and included leaders in the microlending field as well as funders. From the in- depth discussions, CAMEO is working with participants to develop a comprehensive Microlending Action Plan, which will be published by March 1, 2008. Members of the Microlending group met on January 10 and February 7 to discuss the topics and the organization of the plan which will include facilitating scale-up of lending and creating equity to leverage more microlending. Meetings will continue to take place to finalize the work plan over the course of the next several months.

Eric Weaver from Lenders for Community Development emphasizes the need for lower cost capital.  Left to right: Claudia Viek, CAMEO, Arnold Bellow, NorCal, Christine Maia-Fleres, First Republic Bank, Terri Ludwig, President, and Merrill Lynch Community Development Company

View details of our other past trainings >>