Oregon Association of Minority Entrepreneurs

06/05/2026

Right now, kids everywhere want to be influencers, which is fine but at OAME, we believe every young person deserves to know that they can be the one who builds the brand, owns the business, and creates the opportunity.

That's exactly what our Youth Entrepreneurship Conference is all about.
Through our Youth Entrepreneurship Program, we've already helped hundreds of Oregon's young people learn the tools, mindset, and resources they need to succeed no matter what obstacles stand in their way. And we need your help to keep that going.

Whether you donate $100 or $5,000, bring a raffle item, or sign up as a sponsor your contribution goes directly toward shaping tomorrow's leaders. And trust us, the youth are going to lead us.

Let's make sure they're ready. Become a sponsor or donate today.

https://lnkd.in/djsV85gK

06/03/2026

Mark your calendars this one’s worth an early morning.

Join us on June 12th for a special OAME networking breakfast at the Vancouver Water Resources Education Center a stunning venue right on the Columbia River that sets the perfect tone for meaningful conversation.

We’re shifting to a special morning time slot — 8:30 to 10:00 AM — and we’re honored to welcome Serena Stoudamire Wesley as our guest speaker.

📍 4600 SE Columbia Way, Vancouver, WA 98661
🗓️ June 12, 2026 | 8:30 – 10:00 AM

Come connect. Come listen. Everybody in and nobody out! Make sure to bring a guest!

Thank you Exitbliss for sponsoring this meeting.

Serena Stoudamire Wesley

hashtag hashtag hashtag hashtag

06/03/2026

We’ve partnered with Nonprofit Professionals Now to hire a Chief Executive Officer.

The ideal candidate for this role will have:

• 7+ years of senior nonprofit leadership experience, with direct responsibility for organizational operations, multi-program service delivery, and staff management across a complex organization

• 4+ years of strong financial management experience, including oversight of budgets of $10 million or more with complex, multi-stream funding environments, including government contracts and grants

• Demonstrated success building or sustaining management infrastructure in a complex organization, including supervisory systems

• Experience leading organizations through periods of change, with a track record of building strong leaders, diverse teams and improving operational effectiveness

• Proven ability to partner effectively with a Board of Directors, including providing governance support and maintaining clear distinctions between governance and operational management

View the full job description and complete your application online here: https://tinyurl.com/ShareCEO

06/02/2026

We are SO grateful for our amazing speaker, Nicci Walker, Credit Manager at MESO (Micro Enterprise Services of Oregon)

Nicci broke down the real world of small business lending in a way that actually made sense. With her background in commercial banking and two+ years leading MESO’s Community Capital team, she has a gift for taking complex lending structures and making them feel approachable and actionable for entrepreneurs.

MESO is doing incredible work for small business owners across Oregon, and Nicci is a huge part of why that mission is moving forward. 💚

Thank you, Nicci, for sharing your expertise, your passion, and your time with us this past Friday. You left our members feel better informed, more inspired, and ready to take the next step! 🙏

📍 Want to learn more about MESO and the resources they offer? Check them out your small business journey deserves this kind of support!

05/29/2026

Thank you to everyone who attended our business meeting! A warm welcome to both our returning members and our newest additions. In what can only be described as beginner’s luck, our guest visitor walked away with nearly every prize from our fundraising raffle including cash! All proceeds go toward our youth conference. The donated items were fantastic, and we can’t wait to make the next one even better. Thank you all!

05/29/2026

Looking to be part of one of the region’s largest infrastructure projects? The Interstate Bridge Replacement (IBR) Program Vendor Portal provides information to businesses on upcoming contracting, consulting, and supplier opportunities tied to the new I-5 bridge between Oregon and Washington.



By registering, you’ll receive information on how to access resources designed to support small businesses and Program updates such as procurement opportunities, project timelines, and ways to engage in a project expected to generate thousands of jobs across multiple industries.



Position your business to compete, collaborate, and grow sign up and stay informed on this transformative regional investment.

More info: https://vendor.interstatebridge.org/?inf_contact_key=ad34cb3b87afd1cba12360eb8db57996

05/28/2026

The Green Construction Contractor Development Program, funded by the Portland Clean Energy Community Benefits Fund (PCEF), is a joint effort between PCEF and Prosper Portland to support contractors wishing to enter the Green Construction Industry. Through community feedback and outreach this program was developed to comprehensively support contractors by providing one-on-one green construction navigation, identified education, training, certifications, and financial supports to transition into the industry.

What types of loans and grants are available with this program?

Once the client has finished their designated residential or commercial pathway, they will have access to grants of up to $1,000 and low-cost loans up to $20,000 while funds are available. These grants and loans are available for clients to use for green construction tools purchases.

Click the link to learn more: https://prosperportland.us/our-work/building-energy-efficiency-bee-grant/?inf_contact_key=15308e60d18b022eed94095f30f58d52

Prosper Portland

Apply for Prosper Portland's BEE Grant. Get funding to make your commercial property more energy-efficient with sustainable upgrades.

05/28/2026

A little PSA for tomorrow when you join us at our May C&I Networking Meeting, if you see these folks, please give them a well-deserved hug!

This team just pulled off an incredible tradeshow, and we want to take a moment to recognize everything that goes into making an event like this happen because most of it, we never see.

The months of planning. The endless coordination. The early mornings, the late nights, and the "we'll figure it out" moments that happened behind the scenes so that your experience felt effortless. The things that almost went sideways and didn't because someone on this team caught it and fixed it quietly before you ever noticed.

So on Friday, find them. Hug them. Thank them. Let them know that what they created made a real difference because in our world, that's everything right now 💛

📍 Meeting location: University of Oregon Portland Campus Center #212 at 2823 NE Holman St. Portland, Oregon 97211

🗓️ Friday, May 29, 2026 7:30-9:00 AM

05/27/2026

The U.S. Small Business Administration is offering up to $5,000,000 per award through the Manufacturing in America Empower to Grow (E2G) Grant Initiative. Eligible orgs must have 3+ years of experience providing in-person manufacturing training or technical assistance.

Deadline: June 15, 2026.

Secure .gov websites use HTTPSA lock ( ) or https:// means you've safely connected to the .gov website. Share sensitive information only on official, secure websites.

05/25/2026

On this Memorial Day, we pause from the work that drives us to remember those who gave everything so that we could do it freely. The freedoms we enjoy to build, to create, to serve our communities were purchased at the highest price imaginable.

To the fallen, and to the families who carry their absence every single day: we are grateful. We remember. We honor you not just today, but in the way we show up, the care we bring, and the lives we choose to live.

From all of us at OAME — thank you.