The US Small Business Administration has awarded eDev  with the "2010 Home-Based Business Champion" award for the Portland District at its annual dinner in Portland, June 2nd. Over 250 people attended the event held at the Oregon Convention Center. eDev was represented by Martin Desmond, Jennifer Teehan, and Shawn Winkler-Rios. In addition to a beautiful glass award, eDev received a 2007 Microsoft Ultimate Office software package. 

At the request of SCORE, Martin Desmond wrote a short article about the availability of government grants for small businesses for the Register Guard.  The article appeared in the Sunday, July 18th issue of the Register Guard.
http://www.registerguard.com/csp/cms/sites/web/business/25024239-41/business-grants-energy-program-score.csp

James Stegall and Dudley Clarke have a dream that is coming to fruition to set up a successful micro-distillery in the Willamette Valley.  That dream took a big step forward when they held a very successful grand opening that attracted over 100 people on Sunday, May 16th to their micro-distillery located in Monroe.

James approached eDev in February and applied for an Small Business Adminstration microloan.  The eDev loan committee approved a $10,000 loan to help Hard Times Distillery, LLC with start up funds.  James and Dudley have also been contributing start up funds and sweat equity to get their business off the ground. 

eDev is teaming up with the city of Junction City and Junction City-Harrisburg Chamber of Commerce to offer business workshops in the fall.  Beginning with the microloan workshop on September 23rd, eDev will be working with our local community partners to provide business training and consulting services to Junction City residents. 
 
Classes will be held in the newly remodeled Community Center classroom, complete with wireless access.  eDev will be offering business plan, marketing, QuickBooks, and Quicken classes initially in the fall.   If there is sufficient demand, an eDev counselor will be spending one morning every two weeks at the Junction City community center to meet with local business owners.
 

eDev received notification from the US Small Business Administration on Monday, August 17th that our application to become a certified SBA microloan lender has been approved.   eDev was one of eight new microlenders approved in the nation and the only one in the western United States.   eDev will receive $150,000 in microloan funds to loan out to small businesses.  
 
Start-up businesses are frequently unable to access business loans from banks (except through the use of credit card access checks).  The purpose of this microloan program is to target emerging good businesses that need funds to grow.