Bulletins
Product Donation to Non-Profits
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/stock/gettingstarted/default.asp. 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.
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
Tech Soup Stock offers a large selection of hardware and software at very discounted prices to non-profit organizatons.
Back to the top
An archive of past community partner news items is available here.
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.
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.
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
Call 415-647-3728 or visit them on the web at www.rencenter.org.
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.
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:
- OBDC made 58 loans for a dollar total of $2,664,402.
- Of that total, almost $1.5 million was made to businesses using their in-house loan products.
- 38% of OBDC’s loans were made to African American residents, 29% to Caucasian, 16% to Hispanic, 14$ to Asian and 3% to businesses self-described as Other.
- 62% of OBDC’s loans were made to women-owned and operated businesses and 38% to male businesses.
- Almost 50%of the loans were made to start-up businesses that will create employment opportunities to Oakland residents.
2010 Wells Fargo TA Initiative Awardees
Following are the names of the Wells Fargo TA Initiative program:
Greater Bay
Anewamerica
West Contra Costa Business Development Center
Northern
Arcata Economic Development Corporation
San Joaquin Hispanic Chamber Foundation
Central
Fresno West Coalition for Economic Development
CSET
Orange County
Goodwill of Orange County
Orange County SBDC
LA Metro
Vermont Slauson Economic Development Corporation
Quantum CDC
Southern
CDC Small Business Finance
Neighborhood House of Calexico
San Francisco
Mission Economic Development Agency
TMC Working Solutions
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.
New Training Program
Strategic Perspectives in Nonprofit Management (SPNM) - Introduction;
Harvard Business School Executive Education Program
http://www.exed.hbs.edu/programs/spnm/
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.
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.
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. For more information, visit the Small Business Administration A - Free Online Courses.
Back to the top