Oregon Microenterprise Network

As Oregon’s unemployment rate remains one of the highest in the country, many non-profits are struggling to expand their capacity to meet their community’s growing need for services.  AmeriCorps*VISTA (Volunteers in Service to America) members have been developing, implementing and sustaining organizational programming to fight poverty for over 40 years. OMEN’s Oregon Asset Building Corps has been working with organizations throughout the state for ten years to create sustainable programs that strive to eliminate the poverty in their communities and spur sustainable economic development.

OMEN is seeking applications from organizations throughout Oregon interested in becoming a VISTA host site from organizations.  Approved sites will recruit a full-time VISTA volunteer who will serve at their site for twelve months beginning Aug. 18, 2012.  Applications must be received at the OMEN office by 5:00 PM on Friday, February 24th, 2012.  Sites will be notified of their acceptance by April 6th, 2012 via e-mail.

Detailed information:

• Request for Proposals Document
• Blank VISTA Assignment Description (VAD)
• Sample VISTA Assignment Description (VAD)
• VISTA Prohibited Activities Document

Please contact Leanne Murray by phone at 503-546-9913 or by e-mail at Leanne@oregon-microbiz.org with questions.

Ted Huckins opened William Joseph Gallery next to Pioneer Square in 1993. His gallery attracted walk-in customers who reveled in beautiful prints featuring Oregon’s natural landscape and history. Foot traffic, however, nearly stopped when the Trimet light rail began construction outside the gallery storefront. Ted searched for business strategies that would help him survive the construction period.

Ted turned to the Trimet loan program, a program established by TriMet in partnership with Portland Development Commission and Portland State University, to help his business reposition itself during this time. He received business support services from the Portland State University Business Outreach Program and a low interest loan to help him through the construction hardship. The loan provided Ted with computing power, software, and hope that his business would survive the construction period. He updated his technology, developed a new digital product line, and realized his business had a future after walk-in service.

The Portland State University Business Outreach Program provided students that worked under experienced business advisors to complete a capstone project and support Ted’s business. The team helped Ted assess business competition, industry growth trends, and jump start a new accounting system. Ted speaks highly of the support students gave him. “It helped to have a group of interested students who were giving their all to make this business happen.”

In addition to selling photography from his gallery next to Pioneer Square, Ted markets his products directly to local Portland businesses. He creates HD photography exhibits for the décor of financial, high tech and other professional offices. His products draw from the work of 20 professional photographers and 4 historic archives. Ted believes that contemplative photography has a strong impact on viewers’ daily lives. “Landscape and historic photographs are symbols of our personal experience and common heritage. We can transcend the clutter of daily work in a moments’ gaze at a contemplative image of Oregon’s beauty or of it’s poignant past.”

Visit William Joseph Gallery at 526 SW Yamhill Street in Portland, Oregon, or via http://www.williamjosephgallery.net/.

The TriMet Loan Fund supports 10 businesses impacted by the heaviest phases of construction on the I-205/ Portland Mall MAX Light Rail Project. The Portland State University Business Outreach Program provides technical assistance to the businesses and Oregon Microenterprise Network administers the loan fund.  

Garden of Ink adds a colorful new storefront to the streets of Cottage Grove, Oregon. Like many rural businesses, it brings together multiple segments- graphic design, printing, and tattoo art- to meet the needs of local businesses. Initially located on Main Street, the business grew tremendously over the first two summers. “I was turning people away. The tattoo industry had taken a major boom and was becoming more mainstream,” says owner Shelly Davey.

When the tattoo industry took a downturn, eDev (Entrepreneurial Development Services) helped Shelly access a CapitalLink loan through Oregon Microenterprise Network. Shelly was active in business training courses, peer mentor groups, and successfully completed an IDA savings program. She continues to receive personalized assistance from eDev staff in target areas, including marketing and sales.

Shelly attributes social media as a useful tool for small business advertising. “Facebook helped me create personal relationships with people. My current clients will contact me through Facebook and make appointments.” She has also used twitter, local newspaper and radio, and promotional items to reach clients. eDev even helped Shelly create a database to track client information and consumer markets.

Shelly is the sole manager of all operations at Garden of Ink. Although she keeps a busy schedule, she enjoys the flexibility that comes with owning a business and the ability to create artwork in a business setting. She plans to grow her business through offering classes at her tattoo studio where she will work with student groups over the course of a 6 month program. “This will provide steady income during the winter which is typically the tattoo industry’s slowest time,” says Shelly.

eDev (formerly Lane Microbusiness) is a nonprofit microenterprise development organization located in Eugene, Oregon. eDev was started in 1998 as a collaborative program of Lane Community College, Saturday Market and O.U.R. Federal Credit Union. Services include training, technical assistance, and access to capital. For more information visit www.edev.org.

Read  April’s Executive Director’s Report Here!

OMEN Strategic Plan 2011 – 2012

Read Funding Update Here

Date: Friday, March 25

Time: 3-5 p.m.

Location: Leisure Public House

8002 N. Lombard in St. John’s

Oregon State Senator Chip Shields, along with House Representatives Tina Kotek and Lew Frederick are hosting a reception for N/NE Portland’s small businesses on Friday, March 25th, to hear concerns and share their legislative efforts in helping small businesses in the district. The public is welcome. Light hors d’oeuvres will be provided, self-pay bar.

The host committee for the reception includes:

• Jim Brunberg of Mississippi Studios
• Sean Moriarty of Cessco Inc., and President of the Reasonable Insurance Premium Coalition
• Tom Barker of MEMC, a solar manufacturing company in Rivergate
• Tobias Hogan of Eat Oyster Bar in NE Portland
• Nicole Walker & Travis Blanchette of Leisure Public House

•    Do you contribute to Mercy Corps, FINCA, the Heifer Project,or another non-governmental organization working in a developing country?
•    Have you heard of the Grameen Bank, kiva.org, or Compartamos of Mexico?
•    Have you ever borrowed or loaned $2000 or less?

If you answered YES to any of these questions, you may already be involved with Microfinance.

Learn more about Microfinance at a panel presentation at Willamette University entitled:

“Does Microcredit Alleviate Poverty? Examples from Village Laos”
Wednesday, March 9 at 4:00 pm in Eaton Hall Room 209

Sponsored by the Center for Asian Studies (CAS) and the Department of Economics and featuring organizers of the Microfinance Project of the Unitarian Universalist Congregation of Salem, an economist who teaches about microfinance, and a student researcher who studied several microcredit-offering organizations in Mexico.

This panel is free and open to the public. Refreshments will be served.

Hope to see you there!

Read about Shriver’s extraordinary life, ideals, and accomplishments in this New York Times article.

CDBG is accepting public comment on the proposed 2011 CDBG Method of Distribution through September 8, 2010.  Click here to view and download templates.