Find out which federal agencies fund micro-business development.
2014 Federal Legislative Priorities for Micro-business Development
Priorities for advocacy at the federal level include:
- Revise the Core Performance Measures in the re-authorization of the Workforce Investment Act (WIA) to ensure access to funds for self-employment training and business technical assistance.
- Work to maintain and expand SBA funding for technical assistance.
- Work to expand SBA guarantees for non-bank CDFIs which would greatly increase capacity of CDFIs who serve micro-business.
- Continually press for California CDFIs to get a fair share of funding through the CDFI Fund; help CAMEO members become more competitive for awards.
- Promote technical assistance services as a key risk mitigator in microlending among all regulators and SBA.
- Promote micro-business development as a key strategy for economic success in California among all Senate and Congressional representatives.
- Track and monitor priority policy issues relevant to micro-business development to ensure that CAMEO and its members are fully aware of all federal advocacy opportunities.
- Track USDA’s new Rural Micro Enterprise Assistance Program to ensure California receives its fair share.
2013 Federal Legislative Priorities for Micro-business Development
In 2013, our hands were tied in the federal arena as Congress came to a halt. FY2013 funding was essentially FY2012 funding minus a 5% sequester. We did strengthen relationships with the Federal Reserve and SBA. CAMEO co-sponsored a roundtable with Emergent Research on the importance of the self-employment trend in DC.
2012 Federal Legislative Priorities for Micro-business Development
Last year, much of our federal advocacy was on maintaining funding for micro-business programs in the federal budget, both for business technical assistance and microloans. At the beginning of the budget debate we were looking at $15 million for PRIME and Microloan TA. We ended up with $23.5 million. We consider this a great success in the face of the current climate. Download a comparison of FY2012 Budget to FY2010 Budget.
In 2012, we found eleven micro-business related federal bills that are floating around Congress – bills to encourage self-employment, bills that provide tax credits for investment, bills that offer access to capital for organizations and clients. CAMEO will weigh in on them with varying amounts of effort and CAMEO will call on friends and members to participate in advocacy efforts. The issues we have decided to prioritize can be downloaded.
