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Notices
of Funds Available
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DiscounTech is the technology product distribution service just for nonprofits.
DiscounTech is a service of TechSoup, the technology website for nonprofits. For a small administrative fee, nonprofits can order software and other essential technology products. DiscounTech brings together generous contributions from leading technology providers for the benefit of the nonprofit sector.
The enhanced Microsoft Software Donation Program is now LIVE at http://www.techsoup.org/discountech.cfm?id=357. We hope you will begin thoughtfully planning for your donation request, which can be made once every 2 years, to access a great set of Microsoft software titles.
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Renaissance
Entrepreneurship Center Business Planning Class Graduates:
do you need broadband access to expand your business?
Renaissance is happy to announce a grant offered by
COVAD to graduates of our business planning class -
they are offering one year of free access plus $500
cash to use in whatever way you like. The major catch
is that you can't already have broadband service for
your business.
There are only 5 such grants available, so please email
me your interest ASAP – to kavita@rencenter.org.
Please provide the name of your business, a brief description
of your products and/or services, how long you have
been in business, and how this broadband access would
help your business grow.
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Product
Donation to Non-profits
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Tech Soup Stock offers a large selection of hardware and software at very discounted prices to non-profit organizatons.
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CARAT
Community Partner News
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An
archive of past community partner news items is available
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Congratulations to Renaissance Entrepreneur Center on becoming an eBay Techquity Local Partner!
The Techquity Program is an collaboration between the Association for Enterprise Opportunity (AEO) and the eBay Foundation that will provide funds to microentrepreneurs for the purchase of technology equipment and to microenterprise organizations for operating the project and providing technology training to their clients. A Request for Applications was distributed in June 2005 in five states: California, Florida, Nebraska, New York and Utah with the understanding that only four microenterprise development organizations would be selected as Local Partners for the first year of the project.
Renaissance was on of the four Local Partners selected for the program:
- New Community Development Corporation - Omaha, NE
- New York Association for New Americans - New York, NY
- Renaissance Entrepreneurship Center - San Francisco, CA
- Utah Microenterprise Loan Fund - Salt Lake City, UT
More information about the eBay Foundation Techquity Program and the Local Partners is available on the AEO website at www.microenterpriseworks.org.
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Community
Partners Receive Funding Through TA Initiative from Comerica
Bank-California
CARAT Community Partner's Pacific Asian
Consortium for Employment (PACE), Valley Small Business
Development Corporation, Vermont Slauson Economic Development
Corporation, and Renaissance Entrepreneurship Center were
recipients of funding from Comerica Bank-California through
Comerica's Technical Assistance Initiative. The purpose
of the grant is to assist these organizations in their
efforts to provide technical assistance to low-income,
minority-, disabled- and/or women-owned businesses within
their community. This is the second year in a row these
organizations were selected to receive these funds from
Comerica. Comerica has committed $240,000 in grant funds
to this program.
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Bayview Business Center
The Bayview Business Center is now offering a variety of classes for start-up and existing businesses. For a full schedule of classes held at
The Bayview Business Center
3801 Third Street, Suite 240
San Francisco
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OFFICE
SPACE AVAILABLE
In a Supportive Entrepreneurial
Community of Small Business Owners
Starting at $350/month.
275 Fifth Street
San Francisco, CA 94103
Located 3 blocks from the Powell
Street Bart Station and on the 27 MUNI, Renaissance is
conveniently located near downtown shops, restaurants
and the Moscone Convention Center. We are located in a
HUB Zone (Historically Underutilized Business), making
businesses eligible for special programs geared to bring
business opportunity to Minority, Women, and Locally owned
businesses. Share resources, vendor referrals, and ideas
with other entrepreneurs.
- Reception services
- Telephone and voicemail services
- Incoming and outgoing mail delivery
- Seamless wireless network through
a T1 Internet connection spanning over 10,000 sq. ft
- Conference and meeting rooms
- Copier/ Fax machines
- Furnished offices
- Security
- Parking in Building (additional)
- On-site classes/workshops on
planning, marketing and financial issues as well as
access to small business consultants (additional)
- Kitchen Area and over 2,000 sq.
ft. of shared common space
- Utilities included
Current Tenants include:
- Event Planning Services
- Human Resources/Staffing Companies
- Graphics and Web Design Businesses
- Information Technology and Computer
Software Businesses
- Training and Public Speaking
Services
- San Francisco Office of a National
Non-Profit
Renaissance Entrepreneurship Center
is a 501(c) 3 not for profit organization providing comprehensive
small business training and support services. In addition
to the services provided, Renaissance creates a synergistic
environment in which tenants share business resources,
create working partnerships and do business together.
For more information, contact Lee
James, 415.541.8580 or Lee@rencenter.org.
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Small Business Development & International Trade Center of Southwestern College
Ken M. Clark, Small Business Services Coordinator, Small Business Development & International Trade Center of Southwestern College, in south San Diego County was selected the U.S. Small Business Administration San Diego District Office 2003 Financial Services Advocate for San Diego and Imperial Counties. Ken was nominated by Michael McCraw, President and CEO, California Southern Small Business Development Corporation. Ken M. Clark is a CARAT Certified TA provider. Previously named the 1998 Minority Business Advocate for the SBA San Diego District covering San Diego and Imperial Counties.
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Oakland Business Development Corporation
OBDC has had a long-standing history of success since its beginning in 1979. As many of you know, their mission and purpose is to support and grow small business in the City of Oakland and the surrounding communities through a variety of programs. They provide direct financing and management and business assistance to start-up and existing businesses. Here are some statistics of what they have recently accomplished: During the 2002 fiscal year:
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OBDC made 58 loans for a dollar total of $2,664,402.
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Of that total, almost $1.5 million was made to businesses using their in-house loan products.
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38% of OBDC’s loans were made to African American residents, 29% to Caucasian, 16% to Hispanic, 14$ to Asian and 3% to businesses self-described as Other.
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62% of OBDC’s loans were made to women-owned and operated businesses and 38% to male businesses.
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Almost 50%of the loans were made to start-up businesses that will create employment opportunities to Oakland residents.
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 NDC Academy 2007
Arlington, Virginia
May 7-9, 2007
We have complete details on our website. Click here for more.
For the printable NDC Academy 2007 brochure, click here.
NDC invites you to attend the NDC Academy 2007. This 3-day event focuses on development tools for building communities. Half-day courses will be offered in concurrent tracks on development tools including:
- New Markets Tax Creditso
- New Markets Tax Credits Roundtable with Invited NMTC Program Expertso
- CDBG Financing Toolso
- Low-Income Housing Tax Creditso
- Rural Development.
We will also offer overview courses on business development and job creation, housing development, and real estate finance programs.
Attendees will have the opportunity to meet other participants, program authorities, NDC finance experts and elected representatives at our opening night reception on Capitol Hill. We are also pleased to announce our keynote speaker Norm Rice, the former mayor of Seattle and head of the Federal Home Loan Bank of Seattle.
We hope to see you there!
National Development Council
927 Dudley Road
Edgewood, KY 41017
Tel: 859-578-4850
Fax: 859-578-4860
www.nationaldevelopmentcouncil.org
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Guidestar Resources for Non-Profits: Community Foundations
Take advantage of community foundation information at your fingertips! Visit www.guidestar.org/ for information on how community foundations, grants, and other resources for non-profits.
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Chico hosted the kickoff of a statewide program
LAURA URSENY Business Editor
Chico hosted the kickoff of a statewide program that is expected to provide a clearinghouse for local, state and federal assistance to communities, organizations and businesses. Paul Venosdel of the U.S. Department of Agricutlure's Davis office handed over a one-time $49,000 federal check to two north state entities last week in order to help launch the program.
Dan Ripke of Chico State Univerisity's Center for Economic Development and Betty Riley of Auburn-based Sierra Economic Development District accepted the grant that will launch Rural-CAN Rural California Action Network.
Focused only to help California's rural areas, the network's purpose is to stand ready to provide assistance to communities, governments, private and nonprivate corporations, federally recognized tribal groups, and cooperatives with members who are primarily residents and that conduct activities for mutual benefit of the members.
In order to do that, the program hopes to improve coordination and cooperation between federal, state and local government entities and organizations.
"This is a brand-new idea," said Venosdel, state director of the U.S. Department of Agriculture, which has a rural area assistance division."This is an effort to help build things, to put financial resources into local efforts."
There are a tremendous amount of government programs, but it's hard for users like communities to know about them, Venosdel said. Rural-CAN would supposedly provide the bridge between programs and users, Venosdel said.
"The biggest hurdle to rural areas is to find out where funding programs are available. The access may be there, but it's cumbersome," he explained. Riley, who wrote the grant proposal, said that 75 percent of California's counties are rural, yet assistance to them is available but hard to locate.
Rural-CAN is replacing the defunct California Rural Development Council, but should be more in tune with rural needs, Ripke said. Noting problems in the past, Rural-CAN is not intended to establish projects on its own or become a bureaucracy.
"It will support and facilitate the needs of the members, in this case, the existing development organizations and agencies already working in the rural areas," said the proposal.
While the grant funding is one-time only, Venosdel said there are an assortment of federal and state funding sources that can be tapped for projects.
The idea also is for development organizations and entities to share ideas and successes throughout California's rural areas. Venosdel said this and other funding is further proof of federal support for rural areas.
"Here in California, the administration is seen an increase in total dollars, from $240 million in 2001 to $400 million in fiscal 2004," he said. Ripke said communities and individuals will access Rural-Can through Riley's office.
BACKGROUND: There is not a single directory or information source that combines local, state and federal resources designed for rural areas.
THE NEWS: A new stateside program launched in Chico and involving the Center for Economic Development at Chico State University hopes to bridge that gap.
WHAT'S NEXT: The center and an Auburn-based economic development entities will be starting to compile resources.
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Website
Highlights Manufacturers Contributions to U.S. Prosperity
Too many Americans are unaware of their dependency
on manufacturing for their high standard of living,
and policymakers are often indifferent to the implications
of losing U.S. leadership in global manufacturing.
So says the National Association of Manufacturers
(NAM). To address these issues, NAM has created a
new Web site campaign to highlight significant facts
about modern manufacturing. The goal is to arm manufacturing
leaders with the information that they need to help
elected officials, the press and educators better
understand the enormous contribution of manufacturing
to U.S. prosperity. The Campaign for Growth and Manufacturing
Renewal www.nam.org/s_nam/sec.asp?CID=229&DID=227
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EDA Reauthorization Signed by President Bush
President Bush signed Senate Bill S.1134, the Economic Development Administration Reauthorization Act of 2003, into law.
" This is a great day for EDA, the Commerce Department and the American people," said Commerce Secretary Donald L. Evans. "EDA's reauthorization adds fuel to the economic and job creation engines in our rural and urban areas. I am proud of EDA, its professional staff and the substantial work they have performed to strengthen our economy."
The reauthorization legislation contains valuable enhancements, critical to EDA's continued success, and will provide EDA and its valued partners across the nation with the economic development tools necessary to achieve President Bush's goal to leave no demographic or geographic area behind in the pursuit of more fully participating in the American Dream.
" The Economic Development Administration (EDA) is proud of the broad-based, bipartisan support for this important legislation that led to its swift Congressional passage," said Assistant Secretary for Economic Development David A. Sampson. "This news opens a new and exciting chapter for EDA and its mission to lead the federal economic development agenda by promoting innovation and competitiveness, preparing American regions for growth and success in a worldwide economy."
Additional information on how EDA investments are helping distressed communities create a positive and sustainable economic future can be accessed at: http://www.eda.gov
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Live Web
Chats on the SBA
The U.S. Small Business Administration
is sponsoring a live web chat feature on its Spanish language
Website, www.negocios.gov.
Live web chats are scheduled to take place on a monthly
basis. A series of special guests will be invited each
month to discuss topics such as: steps to starting a small
business; how to finance a small business, how to improve
your credit; personal finance issues; and many others.
For details on the live web chats please
visit www.negocios.gov.
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| CCEDA's
Northern Office Relocated
The Northern California CCEDA office
has relocated to:
1430 Franklin Street, Suite
101
Oakland, CA 94612
The phone number, fax number, and
e-mail addresses remain the same.
Phone: 510-251-8065
Fax: 510-251-8068
Email:
luescott@cceda.com
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The SBDC Technology Advisory Program
is opening a unique and effective service: The Technology
Boot Camp for Small Businesses. The one-day, full-immersion
boot camps will help small businesses understand and embrace
the value of information technologies and their business
implications. Designed specifically for business with fewer
than 10 employees, the boot camp examines the most common
business scenarios facing companies of their size, and how
they can adopt information technology to succeed, create
and sustain growth. It provides a full review of information
technologies in four areas: accounting and bookkeeping,
operations and inventory management, marketing and sales,
communications and infrastructure.
For more information visit www.sbdctap.com/bootcamp
or request more information by contacting Elaine Uang
at Elaine@sbdctap.com
or by phone at
408-494-0212.
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| FREE
RESOURCE: Nonprofit Necessities CD-ROM
This technology toolkit is designed
to help nonprofits plan and implement technology programs.
It includes articles, worksheets, and step-by-step guides
on technology topics such as infrastructure goal setting
and planning, and how to start and implement technology
programs. It's free to Bay Area nonprofits and schools.
Send an email to
cd@compumentor.org
and let them know your name, organization, mailing address,
and the quantity you would like to receive.
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| New
Alliance
CARAT has partnered with the Small
Business Technology Assistance Program to promote their
services and distribute their newsletter. The program
is available to assist small business TA providers in
delivering technology related services to their clients.
Visit www.sbdctap.com
and view their publication, Small Business Technology
Review at www.sbdctap.com/magazine/cn.
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| ETP
Training Help for Manufacturers and Others
Employment Training Panel (ETP)
programs assist companies financially with their employee
training and retraining needs. Created in 1982, ETP is
a significant economic development tool, working in partnership
with businesses, labor and government by providing funds
for the training of California's workforce.
The program's objective is to ensure
that businesses remain economically viable and competitive
in our global economy. To do so, ETP reimburses employers
$85 million annually for job training - an average $1200
for each trainee.
ETP's primary focus is on companies
that face out-of-state competition, such as manufacturers
and food processors. Funding is also available for training
institutions and companies located in areas of high unemployment.
The training targets front-line
workers, skills-building career ladders for entry-level
workers, and management training for small business owners.
The program also funds management training for owners
of very small businesses.
Since 1995, ETP has funded training
contracts totaling over $2 million that paid for training
for nearly Solano 1100 workers.
For more information, contact SEDCORP
or check out the ETP website, www.etp.ca.gov.
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| Microsoft
Training Seminars
The Microsoft Corporation offers
training seminars for business owners at many locations
around the country. Descriptions of these "Microsoft
Business Solutions Seminars" can be found at www.microsoft.com/usa/events/default.asp.
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SBA
Offers Free, Online Entrepreneurship Course
The
SBA also offers a FREE, Online Entrepreneurship Course
for small business owners and aspiring entrepreneurs.
The 11-session interactive course was developed by My
Own Business, Inc., a Los Angeles based non-profit firm,
to develop and provide educational materials on entrepreneurship.
Some of the 11 segments offered are: Deciding on a Business,
The Business Plan, Basic Computer and Communication Tools,
Organization and Insurance, Accounting and Cash Flow,
How to Borrow Money and Opening and Marketing.
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East
Bay Resource Center for Nonprofit Support
The
East Bay Resource Center for Nonprofit Support
serves the East Bay's richly diverse nonprofit
community by providing free training workshops,
free technical assistance, and a nonprofit business
and funding research library in beautiful downtown
Oakland. Located in City Hall Plaza, the Library
is free and open to the public Monday through
Friday, 12noon to 5pm. The Center is wheelchair
accessible and walking distance from the 12th
Street BART station. Ample off-street parking
is available. The Resource Center proudly acknowledges
that its programs are made possible through
the generous support of Alameda County, the
East Bay Community Foundation, the San Francisco
Foundation, Union Bank, The Clorox Company Foundation,
many generous individuals and a dynamic group
of nonprofit management assistance partners.
The
East Bay Resource Center is located at 1203
Preservation Park Way, Suite 100, Oakland, CA
94612, Phone: 510.834.1010 Fax: 510.834.5663,
www.rescenter.org.
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California Resources and Training - CARAT
Selma Taylor, Executive Director
1333 Broadway, Suite 604, Oakland, CA 94612
Phone 510/267.8994 Fax 510/835.1332
Email comments and questions to 
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