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About The skanner. (Portland, Or.) 1975-2014 | View Entire Issue (Sept. 28, 2011)
MBE 2011 Sba awards grants to Support business Teaming wASHINGTON, DC – The U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA) today announced grant awardees in a pilot pro- gram designed to help small businesses work together to compete for federal con- tracts, grow, and create jobs. Eleven grantees were selected from hun- dreds of applications submitted. Grantees were awarded between $200,000 and $500,000 in funding, for a total of approxi- mately $5 million in Fiscal Year 2011. “Government contracts are a crucial source of revenue for small businesses,” said SBA Administrator Karen Mills. .” “We are so pleased with Mercy Corps Northwest’s selection for the “Teaming Pilot Program” said SBA Portland District Acting Director Robert DuCote. Mercy Corps Northwest has a strong track record in helping numerous small business grow and succeed and I am confident that they will help many more small business owners through this pilot program. For more information about the Small Business Teaming Pilot Program, please visit www.sba.gov/teaming. mESo continued from page 2 their incomes by 400 percent. “For micro-businesses, which is who we work with, this recession has lasted so long, and the idea that it may last even longer makes it harder for people. But I still think there is excitement at being entrepreneurs. They still have high hopes.” PHOTO BY SUSAN FRIED Save $1000 and End up with $4000 MESO works through helping businesses, plan and save, and through access to match- ing funds. The Individual Development Account program, for example, helps peo- ple build capital through matching their own savings. Even people who can only save a small amount each month can end up with a substantial capital boost. The pro- gram runs from 13 months to 24 months, depending on how much you can save each month, Shah said. “It’s such an awesome program. If you save $2000, the state and the feds will match it with $6,000. So you end up with $8,000 for inventory or whatever you need to grow your business.” MESO is not the only local nonprofit to offer help to small businesses. Mercy Corp too offers several program, including an IDA saving program, loans and a six-week Business Foundations course. Charles White is CEO of Corporate Credit Builders, Inc., a Portland company that helps business owners improve their credit scores so they can access market-rate loans from banks. Many people have found their credit rating dropped because of the housing collapse, he says. But, he says, if your credit is good, it’s not hard to get start up funds. “Now is a good time to start a business,” he said at the Oregon Small Business Fair, Sept. 24. “The US economy, number one, needs small business owners to start busi- nesses and start employing other people. Number two, this is a great time because banks are lending, and other financial com- panies are lending also. And number three is that the American spirit still lives, and there are a lot of people with great ideas out there, and people will finance that idea so you can employ other people and make money in America.” The Skanner thanks our sponsors for their support: • African American Alliance for Homeownership • City of Portland Bureau of Purchasing • Home Forward • Legacy • Lincoln City • Metro Purchasing Page 8 • Minority Business Enterprise • the Portland Skanner • September 28, 2011s • Pierce County • Port of Portland • Portland Development Commission • Portland Public Schools • Project Clean Slate • TriMet • Turner Construction
