Oregon Microenterprise Network

June 2011  

From Our Director
 

Spring has finally arrived, along with hints of Summer!  With it, we are reminded of Oregon's entrepreneurs that keep our economy fresh, vibrant, and growing.  Entrepreneurship represents one of Oregon's historical competitive advantages, whether we are talking about clean tech innovations or new immigrant-owned service businesses.  OMEN's members are keeping this lifeblood flowing in our communities, from business loans in Klamath Falls to technical assistance and IDAs for business growth in Enterprise, to grand openings in Northeast Portland.  OMEN is proud to support your work as you expand economic opportunity in your communities - small business makes BIG things happen in Oregon!

 

OMEN Congratulates SBA Winners

The SBA's May 12th, 2011 Small Business Gala recognized three of Oregon's small business champions that OMEN would like to spotlight and congratulate on their recognition:

  • Guy Faust, SBDC Service Excellence and Innovation Center, Oregon Coast Community College, Lincoln City, Oregon
  • Lesly Bevan, Women in Business Champion of the Year for Oregon, Women's Business Center Manager, Mercy Corps Northwest, Portland Oregon
  • Samuel Brooks, Financial Services Champion of the Year for Oregon, Chair, Oregon Association of Minority Entrepreneurs (OAME), Portland, Oregon

Other Small Business Week awardees included:  Lynn Trepp, SBA Veteran Small Business Champion of the Year for Oregon, Project Director, Veterans Business Outreach Center Community Capital Development, Portland, Oregon; Samantha Swaim, Home-based Business Champion of the Year for Oregon, Owner/Consultant, Samantha Swaim Fundraising, LLC, Portland, Oregon;  Travis Boersma, Entrepreneurial Success of the Year, President, Dutch Bros. Coffee, Grants Pass, Oregon; Irene Firmat, District Impact Award, Full Sail Brewing Company, Hood River, Oregon; Richard M. Inukai, Minority Small Business Champion of the Year for Oregon, President, Dick's Auto Sales and Leasing, Hillsboro, Oregon 

John W. Lavrakas, Small Business Person of the Year for Oregon, President, Advanced Research Corporation, Newport, Oregon

 

OMEN at Your Service

We're excited to share the story of the first CapitalLink loan client to pay off her microloan.  Andrea Moore of Andrea's Mobile Dog Barber Shop had been working as a dog groomer for over 8 years when she recognized an unmet need for mobile dog grooming services in Polk and Yamhill Counties.  After receiving assistance with her business plan from MicroEnterprise Resources, Initiatives and Training (MERIT) and advanced business training from the Chemeketa Small Business Development Center, Andrea's Mobile Dog Barber Shop has taken off.   With support from the Meyer Memorial Trust, OMEN provided Andrea a start-up loan through OMEN's CapitalLink program.  Fast forward three years, and with her loan repaid, Andrea received a second loan from OMEN for new equipment and repairs.  You can read the story at the Meyer Memorial Trust website at: www.mmt.org.  For more information about OMEN's CapitalLink program or to inquire about becoming a local CapitalLink partner, contact OMEN's CapitalLink Program Associate, Kelsey Quam.

 

Just another way OMEN serves as a "tool in your toolbox" to help Oregon's small businesses succeed!

 

In partnership, 

Valerie Plummer signature 

Valerie Plummer, Executive Director


NEWS & ANNOUNCEMENTS 

 

NBIA (National Business Incubation Assoc.) Announces 2011 Incubation Award Winners

Each year, the NBIA Incubation Awards honor the business incubators, client companies and graduates that exemplify the best in the industry. The diversity of our award winners is proof that excellence has many faces and that numbers alone never tell the whole story. Click here to read the complete list of 2011 award winners.

 

 

 

 

Farm Bill 2012: Beginning Farmers and Ranchers
From the Center for Rural Affairs:  If we want to encourage a new generation to pursue a career in agriculture, we must have a national strategy and commitment to design public policy that addresses the unique needs of beginning farmers and ranchers.  Read more

 

 

 

Housing and Community Development 

Reports Round-up

from Enterprise Community Partners

 

The Census Bureau, Center for American Progress (CAP), Center for Housing Policy (CHP), Government Accountability Office (GAO), National Association of Realtors (NAR) and The Urban Institute recently released the following reports related to housing and community development:

 

 

 

The Scale Academy for Microenterprise Development

 

FIELD at the Aspen Institute and the Association for Enterprise Opportunity are pleased to announce the selection of five new organizations to participate in the Scale Academy for Microenterprise Development. The Academy is funded by the Charles Stewart Mott and Citi Foundations. It offers grant funding, peer learning events, and technical assistance to a set of high-performing microenterprise organizations that have demonstrated a commitment to scaling up to serve more clients.

 

Read about the new grantees and access Findings Reports on Scale Academy members' experience scaling microfinance and business development services.

  

www.fieldus.org

 

TRAININGS, EVENTS, AND WORKSHOPS 

Panel discussion on small business lending

Hosted by Congressman Wu

June 7, 2011, 9:00-10:00 AM

PCC Rock Creek Event Center Building 9

17705 NW Springville Rd, Portland, OR 97229

 

The panel will discuss small business lending and the federal resources that are available to help launch and grow small businesses.  Please see the attached flyer and feel free to contact John Trull at 503-326-2901 or John.Trull@mail.house.gov to RSVP.  We hope to see you and/or your partners there!

 

 

Chemeketa SBDC Open House

June 7, 2011 11:30-2pm

626 High St NE, Salem OR 97301

 

Come visit your Small Business Development Center and connect with outstanding business resources. The open house will include:

  • A presentation by local business celebrity, Mary Lou Zeek
  • Goodies and tours of our facility
  • A networking table for your cards and brochures
  • A business card raffle for several outstanding business books
  • Time to connect with local business owners and leaders in the business community

For full details on this complimentary event and to register, click here

 


Jobs and Innovation Accelerator Challenge Webinar

June 7 at 12:30 pm PST   

 

EDA, ETA and SBA will hold an information teleconference for prospective applicants.  

 

The Obama Administration announced details of a $33 million Jobs and Innovation Accelerator Challenge (Jobs Accelerator) to jumpstart innovation-fueled job creation and global competitiveness.  The Jobs Accelerator is an unprecedented initiative leveraging the existing resources from 16 federal agencies and bureaus to spur economic growth through public-private partnerships in at least 20 regions around the nation that demonstrate the existence of high-growth industries.

 

Click here  to register

 

 

The Limits of Transparency in Federal Contracting

Wednesday, June 8, 10:00 - 11:30 PM PST

Presented by Brian Waagner, Husch Blackwell LLP

  

This interactive program will help raise the awareness of your staff of the importance of the performance contracts under the watchful eye of the public, and help you develop policies and practices to keep your company in compliance and protect you in the end.  Attend this 90-minute webinar to familiarize yourself and your staff with these transparency requirements, including:

  • Reporting of Executive Compensation 
  • Reporting of First-Tier Subcontract Data  
  • FAPIIS, PPIRS, and CPARS 
  • Trade Secrets Act 
  • FOIA Exemption 4
  • And much, much more!

In addition, a 10-to-15 minute period has been reserved at the end of the speaker presentation for an interactive question-and-answer session so you can discuss specific issues or gain additional knowledge about topics discussed. To register now, click here.  


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2011 State of the Sector Survey Webinar

June 14 at 11 a.m. to noon

 

The Bank of America Nonprofit Impact Series provides key community stakeholders with updates on national programs and critical information that can assist municipalities, public housing authorities, nonprofits and other community stakeholders to address issues like financial empowerment. 

 

Nonprofit Finance Fund's (NFF) third annual survey drew responses from over 1,900 nonprofits from nearly every state, from small community arts organizations, to multi-million dollar health centers, to burgeoning charter schools.  What did we learn?  While the country has officially climbed out of the recession, recovery is slower for the nonprofit sector.  Particularly for organizations providing critical services, it's getting harder and harder to keep up with the steadily rising demand.  NFF's Sector Survey is creating a repository of nonprofit data that can shed light on financial trends in the sector.  By better using and sharing data, NFF believes that nonprofits, with assistance from key stakeholders, can become more resilient in uncertain times and draw on the successful strategies used by their peers.

 

Registration will be accepted until Monday, June 13.

 

 

FREE Employer Engagement Webinar

June 15, Noon - 1:30 PM PST

 

CFED and the San Francisco Office of Financial Empowerment are excited to announce a webinar titled Financial Empowerment through Employer Engagement: Opportunities, Challenges and Next Steps, to take place Wednesday, June 15 from 3-4:30 p.m. EST. The webinar will feature the findings of research highlighted in a new report, Financial Empowerment through Employer Engagement: Migrating a City to a Paperless Payday, and the discussion will include the authors of this report along with other experts working to bring paperless payday efforts to fruition.

 

Sign up now for this free webinar, which will provide insight into research with businesses and employees about the benefits of and challenges from direct deposit and electronic pay, as well as the implications for future action by city leaders, businesses, state policymakers, advocates and others interested in building assets and financial security for low- and moderate-income individuals.

 

 

Innovation in a Changing Time

June 16, 2011, 8:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m.

Presented by the Oregon Community Foundation.

Oregon Zoo, Portland, OR

$25

 

Calling all Executive Directors and Board Members!

Encourage board members and executive staff to be innovative and bold in their leadership

Inform them about issues many nonprofits currently are facing

Provide an opportunity for participants to share information across nonprofit sectors

 

Learn more and view the full agenda 

Register now  

 

 

Building Assets, Strengthening Communities Conference

June 21 and 22, 2011
Yakima, WA 98901  

  

Whether you're new to asset building or an expert, this conference will have something for you. Topics include microenterprise, housing, savings innovations, financial education, and asset building policy, building strong coalitions, and much, much more.
 
Conference highlights include:

  • 41 breakout sessions
  • Racial inclusion track
  • Two-part, Money Smart financial education train-the-trainer workshop
  • Our first ever Asset Building Awards

Click here for program details and updates including a listing of our top national speakers, and hotel accommodations.

 

 

Creating Productive Groups through Effective Decision Making

June 28, 2011, 8:30 am to 4:00 pm
Nonprofit Association of Oregon
1001 SE Water Avenue, Suite 490, Portland   

 

As nonprofits, our success depends on our ability to work together-including making sound decisions that lead to committed action. Despite our best efforts to engage and inform others, effective decision making is often elusive: informality can result in chaos, while too much formality can lead to bottlenecks and stifle creativity.  In this highly participatory workshop you will learn powerful, easy-to-use tools to enhance decision making, communication, and productivity in your team or organization.   

Click here to learn more. 

 

 

Capacity Building Initiative Training Sessions Open 

Multiple Programs: Be at the forefront of the first Capacity Building Initiative for CDFIs and apply today!

  

The Community Development Financial Institutions Fund (CDFI Fund) is pleased to announce that applications are now being accepted for training opportunities under four tracks currently offered through the Capacity Building Initiative.

 

"These Capacity Building Initiative tracks have been designed to help certified and emerging CDFIs expand their ability to serve low-income communities," said CDFI Fund Director Donna J. Gambrell. "This is a fantastic opportunity for CDFIs to learn new business strategies and best practices. I strongly encourage all CDFIs to take advantage of these great opportunities to strengthen their organizations."

 

Financing Healthy Food Options

June 29 - 30, Philadelphia, PA

 

Foreclosure Solutions

June 13 - 17, Oakland, CA

 

 


Regards to Rural

June 24-25, 2011

Oregon State University, Corvalis, OR

Early Bird Registration ends 4/30!

 

In partnership with Oregon State University Rural Studies Program and Extension Service, this event is a gathering to inform, inspire and celebrate. . . all that is rural!

 

There will be an abundance of sessions, workshops, and panel discussions in addition to inspiring keynotes and endless networking opportunities that fit within your interests and even better, your budget! With early bird registration fees as low as $199, scholarship opportunities, and $30 on-campus double room rates, you cannot afford to miss it!

 

Join with service providers, business and civic leaders, educators, researchers, volunteers, policy makers, funders, and community leaders of all ages, backgrounds and experience levels from Oregon, the Pacific Northwest and beyond.

 

For more information or to register, click here. 

 

 

9th Annual Employment, Contracting & Promotional Trade Show

June 28, 2011, 1:30 PM - 5:00 PM

Oregon Convention Center

 

Free to the Public!

Sponsored by American Family Insurance & Hispanic Metropolitan Chamber of Commerce. 

For booth pricing & information please e-mail Gale Castillo at: gcastillo@hmccoregon.com

 


Greenlight - Greater Portland's Annual Economic Summit

Thursday, June 30, 2011, 7:30 a.m. - 1:30 pm
Portland Art Museum

 

Greenlight Greater Portland's Annual Event is a half-day economic summit that brings together more than 500 private and public-sector leaders from across greater Portland for a region-wide conversation and sharing of business ideas, innovations and successes.

 

Registration opens at 7:30 a.m. and the program begins at 8:30 a.m. Lunch will be served at noon and will feature keynote speaker, Bill Walton, as well as the presentation of the 2011 Prosperity Index. We will adjourn at 1:30 p.m. Online registration is required.

 

 

National Association of Counties Annual Conference in Portland Seeks Volunteers 

July 15-19, 2011

 

Over 3,000 county officials, representing 80% of the nation's population, will be in Portland, Oregon for the 76th Annual National Association of Counties (NACo) Conference. We need volunteers to help make the conference a successful and memorable experience for our visitors. We will provide you with everything you need to volunteer, including training, t-shirt and food. All volunteers are invited to attend Sunday's Conference Wide Event called " Sunday in the Park Blocks" and the Inaugural Reception on Tuesday evening. For more information, please  click here or contact Theresa Sullivan at theresa.a.sullivan@multco.us.  

 


Young Entrepreneurs Business Week (YEBW)

July 17th - 23

Oregon State University

                                                                    

The Oregon Prosperity Project supports YEBW.  It's a program that's "moving mountains" by improving the perception among high school students of what business is and what it does for the quality of life of every Oregonian.  YEBW provides immersive, intensive and college-accredited entrepreneurship and business programs for high school students. Its one-of-a-kind curriculum is designed to develop the next generation of business owners, entrepreneurs, CEO's, and community leaders. 

 

The core of the YEBW curriculum starts with immersing students in business. At the beginning of the week, students develop their own mock businesses with 10-12 of their peers - starting with their business plan. Companies elect official positions, such as CEO, CFO, and COO. Each group of students runs its own business by acting as the executive management team. Throughout the week, students run a simulated business (BIZSim) and compete with the other student-run companies.

 

 www.yebw.org

 

 

Growing Economies in Indian Country: Taking Stock of Progress and Partnerships   

July 21, 8:30 am - 4:00 pm

Federal Reserve Bank of San Francisco
Courtyard Hotel Portland Airport

 

Continental breakfast and lunch will be provided.
There is no cost to attend, but advanced registration is required.

 

Sponsored by the CDFI Fund, Indian Energy and Economic Development, USDA Rural Development, US Small Business Administration, Administration for Native Americans, Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation, Office of the Comptroller of the Currency, US Department of Commerce, and the Federal Reserve System

 

Learn more and register    

 

 

 

 

Portland Business Journal 2011 BizGrowth Expo

July 21, 2011, 7:00 a.m. - 5:00 p.m.
Oregon Convention Center, Portland Ballrooms

 

BizGrowth Expo features:

  • All day Expo with 70 exhibitors
  • Disney Institute Workshops on Quality Service and Business Excellence
  • Luncheon Keynote with Harvey Mackay, author of NY Times bestsellers Swim With the Sharks Without Being Eaten Alive and Beware the Naked Man Who Offers You His Shirt.
  • Breakout sessions on Financing Growth; Recruit, Retain, Remove - HR Strategies for Success; Managing your Brand; Technology as a Tool
  • Networking

 

Continental Breakfast and Box Lunch included in one all day low price of $99!


Read more: BizGrowth Expo - Portland Business Journal

 

 

 

Oregon Economic Development Association (OEDA) Summer Training

July 22

Oxford Hotel, Bend

 

The committee is putting together another informative session which will highlight projects , programs and resources that you will be able to take back to use in your own communities. The agenda is being finalized and will be posted along with registration information on the OEDA website shortly. As many will be traveling in to participate, we are also working with the Pacific Northwest Economic Development Council (see below) to offer pre-conference industry tours and a reception on Thursday afternoon. Please note that there are a lot of activities happening in Bend in the summer, so hotel rooms will go fast. Please check the OEDA website for hotel information; we strongly suggest you reserve a room in the area as early as possible.

 

 


Oregon Economic Development Association (OEDA) Summer Conference '11 

July 22, 2011, 8:00 am - 3:00 pm

Oxford Hotel, Downtown Bend, Oregon

 

Pre-conference activities with industry tours and reception/dinner begin at 2:00 pm on July 21.

 

Registration and agenda coming soon at www.oeda.biz

 


Oregon Small Business Forum

Knowing HR Compliance Issues to Stay Out of Trouble

August 23, 2011, 8:00 am to 12:00 pm

Oregon Association for Minority Entrepreneurs (OAME) 

4134 N. Vancouver, Portland, OR


This FREE August Forum will include such issues as BOLI requirements, Benefits Compliance, Law Changes, and Employee vs. Independent Contractor.  as always, the focus area topic is followed by an informal roundtable discussion where the agencies present will have an opportunity to explain the services and products they have available to enhance the success of small business in Oregon.  Mark your calendars now!  Visit  www.oame.org for more information.

 

   

Oregon Small Business Fair

September 24, 2011

Ambridge Event Center

1333 NE MLK Blvd, Portland, Oregon 97232

  

NOTE: Event is no longer at Oregon Convention Center

   

This is a FREE event for new and start up small business with exhibitor booths and four workshops each hour throughout the day. For exhibitor or other information, contact Linda.E.Repp@state.or.us

 

 

 

Save the Date!

Oregon Summit on Entrepreneurship

October 12 - 13, 2011

The Governor Hotel, Portland, OR

Hosted by OMEN - Building Bridges to Entrepreneurial Growth

 

The Summit will provide opportunities for networking, training from industry leaders, and exploring strategies for future development and partnership for Oregon's most innovative microenterprise and entrepreneurship organizations.  

 

Registration opening soon.  Keynote speaker and sessions to be announced soon.

 

Click here for more information.

 

 

 

Mercy Corps Northwest has several small business trainings coming up

 

Mercy Corps Northwest serves entrepreneurs in Oregon and Washington by providing quality business education programs. There is a  Women's Business Center at MCNW which is partially funded by the U.S. Small Business Administration. Classes are available to everyone regardless of gender or income level.

 

Events include:

  • Business Foundations is a 6 week course that covers the core competencies needed to start or run your own small business.This course costs $150 unless you receive a scholarship
  • Seminars are 1 to 3 hour-long sessions that offer a deep exploration of individual topics in the subject areas of Business Basics, Marketing, Technology, and Finance. Seminars cost $20, or $10 for MCNW Clients
  • Orientations are free 1-hour introductions to the range of services we provide. No RSVP necessary, just show up!

 To check out course offerings click here

 

GRANTS & FUNDING OPPORTUNITIES    

 

Intermediary Lending Pilot (ILP) Deadline this Friday

 

This is a reminder that the deadline to submit applications for the ILP Program is Friday, June 10, 2011 at 5:00 pm EST. Applications must be received in SBA Headquarters - not just postmarked by that date.

 

The new Intermediary Lending Pilot (ILP) Program will provide direct loans of $1 million to eligible non-profit lending organizations that will then use those funds to make loans of up to $200,000 to startup, newly established or growing small businesses.

 

SBA is using a competitive application process to select up to 20 of the most qualified applicants to become ILP Intermediaries and receive an ILP loan in FY 2011. For more information about the ILP program, the eligibility requirements and the application process, click here

 

 

 

Grant application periods are open now for the funding opportunities detailed below.

 

USDA Rural Development Agency 

Funding is available for the Rural Economic Development Loan and Grant program (REDLG). REDLG supports rural small businesses that create or retain jobs. The deadline to apply is June 30, 2011. Detailed information and the application forms are available through the Federal Register

 

The CDFI Fund

Applications are open for the annual Bank Enterprise Award (BEA). BEA provides financial awards to FDIC-insured banks for increasing their investments in Community Development Financial Institutions (CDFIs) and/or community and economic development lending activities. The deadline to apply is June 23, 2011. Detailed information and application forms are available through the Federal Register and the CDFI Fund website

 

The Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) Administration for Children and Families (ACF)

The Department is accepting applications for grants through discretionary funds for Community Economic Development (CED). Funds will be awarded to Community Development Corporations that engage in job creation and business development activities targeting low- and moderate-income individuals. This year, funding will be prioritized for organizations that are participating in the Healthy Foods Financing Initiative. The deadline to apply is July 11, 2011. Detailed information and application materials are available through the HHS website.

 

 

USDA Funding for Farmers Markets and More

 

June is a good month for local foods enthusiasts!  Last week USDA's Agricultural Marketing Service (a sister agency to USDA Rural Development) invited applications for their Farmers Market Promotion Program (FMPP).   About $10 million in grants from $5,000 to $100,000 will be awarded to support the work of agricultural coops, nonprofits, and public bodies (including Tribes) that help farmers connect directly with consumers.  The deadline for FMPP applications is July 1, 2011.

 

FMPP is not just for Farmers Markets!  FMPP grants can also support roadside stands, Community Supported Agriculture, agritourism, and other direct producer-to-consumer infrastructure.  It is our understanding that the FMPP has not been a terribly oversubscribed program in the past, so if you have a qualifying project, your chances of success may be very good.  And one very nice feature of FMPP is that no matching funds are required for FMPP eligibility. 

 

For more details on this program, you can read the official notice inviting applications here.

 

An application guide and other reference material is available here.

 

Please note that this is not a USDA Rural Development grant program, so Oregon-RD staff cannot answer your FMPP questions.  Instead (and only after you read the guidance that's online because there are only 5 staffers available to the whole country), direct your questions to AMS at 202-720-8317.

 

 

 

Oregon IDA Initiative
2011 Special Supplemental Request for Proposals

    
The Oregon Individual Development Account (IDA) Initiative is pleased to invite proposals for innovative IDA programs focused on underserved communities.

Neighborhood Partnerships is seeking collaborative and innovative proposals that will use IDAs to effectively reach and support the success of underserved communities. Retention, education, and case management strategies designed to help participants succeed will be priorities in reviewing applications. We will also be looking for innovations that advance the asset-building field, and proposals that maximize the use of resources.  

Because we are encouraging collaborative proposals, applicants have three months to complete the Request for Proposals. Proposals will be due by 5:00 PM on September 1, 2011.

NP will be reviewing the proposals and making the awards in conjunction with Oregon Housing and Community Services. Awards will be announced by October 31, 2011. Please visit the
IDA Initiative website for more information about submitting a proposal. 


Neighborhood Partnerships will hold information sessions about this collaborative Request for Proposals in Eugene on 6/8, Portland on 6/9, and online on 6/15. If you plan to submit a proposal, we strongly recommend attendance at one of the information sessions. 

 

RESOURCES

OSU MBA Program Interns

 

Do you know anyone who needs help in accounting, finance, information technology, marketing, product management, project management, or technology commercialization?   The OSU MBA program has strong candidates for summer projects and full-time support. 

 

Contact Jason Daniels, MBA Program Placement Officer, College of Business, Oregon State University: jason.daniels@bus.oregonstate.edu or visit: www.business.oregonstate.edu/MBA

 

 

Data That Works

 

We all know we have to "make the case" for our organization.  But where do you start?  The art and science of data collection and use is a crucial capacity for all organizations, but especially so for nonprofits that need to be able to "make the case" for funding and other resources. 

 

Increasingly, funders are asking for outcome data from organizations. That data cannot be produced overnight, however. It requires a systematic process of defining information needs, designing data collection tools, and choosing and managing information.

 

Data That Works, a new guide released by FIELD at the Aspen Institute in conjunction with the Campus Microfinance Alliance, outlines a step-by-step process for identifying, collecting, and analyzing data related to program performance and client outcomes.

 

Targeted at student-led microenterprise programs and other emerging organizations, each chapter tackles a topic along the spectrum of data collection and management. Chapters include concrete examples as a tangible place to start: 

 

  • Defining Information Needs: How to decide what data you will collect and how you will use it
  • Intake Forms: What to ask, how to ask it, and a sample intake form
  • Outcomes in Action: Setting benchmarks for your organization
  • Using Data Effectively: How to share data with staff, your board, and your funders
  • Monitoring and Evaluation Glossary 
In This Issue
From Our Director
News & Announcements
Training, Events & Workshops
Grants & Funding Opportunities
Resources
Job Posting
   OMEN Logo
Oregon Microenterprise Network (OMEN)

Helping Oregon's Smallest Businesses Succeed!

1220 SW Morrison
Suite #805

Portland, OR
97205


P: 503.546.9913
F: 503.808.9031

Visit OMEN's website.

 

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Support OMEN's Work


Your donation to OMEN today helps support microenterprise development statewide.  Click here to donate to OMEN.

 

JOB POSTING

 

 

Washington State Microenterprise Association (WSMA)

 

Administrative Program Assistant

WSMA is a statewide association of microenterprise organizations. Our members are mostly non-profit and community based organizations providing services to disadvantaged micro and small business owners.  Our programs include member services and networking, advocacy and public education projects, providing funding grants, training and technical assistance to microenterprise development organizations.   The Administrative/Program Assistant supports the Executive Director in carrying out the objectives and the mission of the WSMA.  

 

Responsibilities

 

Administrative Support:

  • Answer phones, direct calls and answer emails
  • Assist staff by preparing correspondence, meeting minutes, filing, coordinating meetings and other clerical duties as requested
  • Inventory supply management
  • Coordinate communications with new, existing and prospective members
  • Assist in supporting the Board of Directors and Committees as needed
  • Coordination and preparation of mailings and communication pieces
  • Maintain technology and general office equipment, troubleshoot and resolve technology problems, coordinate technical support for repairs and upgrades, perform virus sweeps and computer backups as needed
  • Coordinate website changes with outside consultant
  • Database management
  • Assist with research and preparation of grant applications
  • Schedule and track grant application and reporting dates
  • Assist with preparation of reports and surveys

 

Program Support:

  • Program management support and coordination (workshop and teleconference scheduling, newsletters, group meetings and events, etc.)
  • Manage group list serve and online registrations for trainings and events 
  • Respond to member inquiries
  • Assist with grant notification, solicitation, review and funding processes
  • Manage grant recipient reporting, documentation and contract requirements
  • Prepare and conduct surveys in cooperation with staff as needed
  • Coordinate facilities, resources and materials necessary for member meetings
  • Assist in implementing new program and member services as needed

 

Requirements/Skills

  • Excellent oral and written communication skills, including proper English usage, spelling and grammar
  • Ability to work independently as well as collaboratively with a diverse team
  • Solid experience with office programs such as Windows, Excel, Access, Word, Outlook, PowerPoint.  Experience with Constant Contact and Adobe a plus.
  • Ability to set appropriate priorities, meet deadlines and manage multiple projects
  • Experience preparing publication and marketing material a plus
  • Five years administrative experience preferred
  • Strong attention to detail
  • Experience writing and proofreading business correspondence.  Working knowledge of small business issues a plus.
  • Must be reliable and manage workload in a timely manner
  • Must maintain confidentiality of organization and member information
  • Must be pleasant, helpful and courteous

Occasionally the employee will be required to travel, usually within the state of Washington.  These could be day trips or require overnight stays.  A Washington State driver's license may be required.       

Work Hours: Approximately 9AM - 5PM, Monday-Friday, 40 hours per week

Salary: $15.00 per hour plus benefits

Work Location: WSMA

500 South 336th Street, Suite 208 

Federal Way, WA

 

This description is intended to address the essential job functions and requirements for the performance of this job.  It is not an exhaustive list of all duties, responsibilities and requirements.  Other functions may be assigned and management reserves the right to add or change the duties at any time. 

 

If you are interested in applying for this position, please email, fax or send WSMA your resume and a cover letter describing your interest in the position.  Qualified candidates will be called for an interview after the close of the application deadline. 

 

First reviews will begin May 25th.    Applications will be accepted until the position is filled.

 

WSMA Contact Information:

Washington State Microenterprise Association

 

500 South 336th Street, Suite 208

Federal Way, WA 98003

Phone: (253) 661-0930

Fax: (253)661-0937

Email:  teresa@wamicrobiz.org

Web:  www.wamicrobiz.org