Oakland Grown and The Oakland Raiders have teamed up in 2010 to offer tickets to Raider home games through a special fundraising opportunity. For more information about available games, pricing, seating locations, and how to support this fundraiser, please contact Tina ‘Tamale’ Ramos with Oakland Grown at 510/839.3854 or email oaklandgrown@omlf.org. *Oakland Grown is a non-profit (tax exempt) organization.

Get your tickets for Oakland Grown Day at the Raiders on September 19, 2010. Raiders vs. Rams

Click here to download ticket order form, fill it out, and fax it in. Payment can be made by filling out the credit card info or you can mail a check or pay on-line at http://www.oaklandgrown.org/join.php and scroll down to the blue “Donate” button and enter the correct amount for the number of tickets you are ordering. You will receive your tickets

A message from the City of Oakland: 
The trial of former BART police officer Johannes Mehserle is underway in Los Angeles and moving quickly; a verdict could be announced in late June.

Simple Steps to Help Keep Oakland Safe
We anticipate that regardless of the verdict reached by the jury, demonstrations could occur in downtown Oakland, and potentially throughout the city. The City is committed to facilitating peaceful demonstrations. And we are prepared to deal with the situation if it turns violent. Here are some simple steps you can take:

• Stay tuned to your local TV and radio stations for information. Continue Reading »

On June 30 the Express is going to publish a unique 4th of July co-op advertising page. Inspired by Sunday inserts for Safeway, Home Depot and other big box retailers, this page is dedicated to deals and sales on things people will need for Independence Day outdoor entertainment (and other summer-time camping, picnics, beach outings and leisure activities).

Local, independently owned businesses can post their featured product(s) for sale on the co-op page, along with their business name, address, item sale price(s) and short description. The more independent businesses that participate, the more impact it will have and the more useful it will be for our readers!

Attached is a rough comp just to give you an idea of direction we’re going with the page and how each business will be uniquely featured. There are two size options available and we’ve dramatically reduced the rate to just $200 (1/8 page) or $125 (1/16 page) - both sizes are roughly represented by the size of the wood crates in the flier attached.

The Express will incorporate into the group page information about National Independents Week, celebrating the positive cultural and economic impact our locally owned, independent businesses have in our communities. This is a message supported by our partners and indie champions: Buy Local Berkeley, Sustainable Business Alliance, and Oakland Grown.

Publication date: June 30

Advertising deadline date: June 23

510-879-3700

Indie Business ideas:

Markets selling beer, wine, meats, outdoor cooking goods.

Retailers selling outdoor furniture or outdoor tableware.

Clothing stores selling swimsuits, sandals, hats and beach attire.

Home stores selling beach towels and lounge chairs.

Garden stores for supplies, plants and seeds.

Boutique hotels, spas and destination locations for tourists or staycations.

Boat charters, Bay tours, and marina services.

Camping and outdoor supply stores.

Bike shops and services.

Holiday supply shops from flags to fireworks.

… and more!

Trade Adjustment Assistance For Firms Sponsored by the U.S. Department of Commerce Economic Development Administration in Washington, DC is offering a program that pays half of consulting services to improve your manufacturing competitiveness. This is not a reimbursement program.

See how they can provide substantial financial assistance to defray the cost of projects aimed at strengthening operations and sharpening competitiveness for manufacturers in a variety of industries. This customized business assistance is used for a wide range of initiatives, including marketing, information technology, manufacturing, engineering, and quality.

Please contact Lowell Rice, Business Services Manager at Oakland Private Industry Council at lrice@oaklandpic.org if you are interested.

Click the link to see frequently asked questions.
http://www.taacenters.org/faqs.html#q1

Click here to take survey“>Oakland Parking Survey 2010

Click on the parking survey link if you are an Oakland Business owner and let us know how you feel.

Now that the new parking kiosk have been in place for over one year OMLF would like to get your feedback on Oakland’s current parking situation. Please take this Click here to take survey“>parking survey by June 18th. We will use this Click here to take survey“>survey to continue the dialogue with the City of Oakland’s staff in Parking Enforcement, Transportation Services and the Mayor’s Parking Task Force in an effort to assist the city in the creation of a comprehensive parking plan for the City of Oakland.

The results of this Click here to take survey“>survey will be available at the OMLF June 23, 2010 forum and on the OMLF website at www.omlf.org.

Guest Speakers include:

* Noel Pinto, City of Oakland, Parking Enforcement

* Bruce Williams, City of Oakland, Transportation Services

* Alton Jelks, Mayor’s Parking Task Force

Basic Steps to Develop a Business Continuity Plan

Click here to view page one and click here to view page two of the hand-out from the May 26, 2010 OMLF forum on Disaster Preparedness for Businesses.

Tips to decrease commercial & car burglaries in your business district

Monitor your business alarm & make sure it’s functioning properly.  Report suspicious people, cars, & activity also remember to get a good description & call 777-3211.  Lock your windows, doors, gates, & garage doors at all times.  Know your business neighbors & monitor each others businesses.  Remove valuable items from your cars.

·         Craig’s List Advisory

Be careful & be alert using Craigslist.  Oakland Police Department request members review the attached advisory & follow the safety tips.  (see attached)

·         Gang Injunction

Please read the City Attorney’s Office fact sheet on the gang injunction.  It is informative & provides insight on the North Oakland gang injunction.  (see attached)

·         State of the City Address – visit http://www2.oaklandnet.com/oakca/groups/mayor/documents/pressrelease/dowd006203.pdf

This message is from the Office of Mayor Ron Dellums: Oakland has a lot to be proud of. The 2009 State of the City Report highlights many of Oakland’s innovative and far-reaching achievements to generate jobs, address public safety, green our city, put people to work, move goods and services, educate our youth, provide safe and affordable housing and engage our community. This is not just the work of City government alone. The City has partnered with other public agencies; philanthropy; and business, community and labor organizations to transform Oakland.

I invite you to take a look at the 2009 State of the City Report and share it through your electronic networks, so that as a community we are all aware of how much good news there is to share about Oakland as we also address the many challenges we face every day.

·         OPD Insider Newsletter

The Oakland Police Department has a new newsletter for the community to enjoy.  Please visit http://www2.oaklandnet.com/oakca/groups/police/documents/webcontent/dowd007332.pdf

Ten questions to ask yourself about your business being prepared for any disaster!

1. Do you have a disaster plan?

2. Are you aware of your legal obligations and liabilities regarding recovery plans?

3. Do you exercise/test and update your recovery plan each year?

4. Have you determined the specific hazards in your area?

5. Are your computer files backed up and stored off site?

6. Do you have an emergency communication plan to notify your employees and customers in case of a disaster?

7. Do you have an alternate site identified to relocate your business if your facility is damaged or destroyed?

8. Do you have emergency supplies available for your employees incase they are stranded at the work site for an extended period of time?

9. Are you or anyone in your business trained in advanced first aid and search and rescue?

10. Have you had an assessment of your facility to identify it strengths and weaknesses in case of a disaster?

If you answered yes to 7 to 10 of these questions, congratulations you have a plan!

If you answered yes to 4 to 6 of these questions, bravo! You have started to think about your disaster preparedness.

If you answered yes to 0 to 4 of these questions, its not too late, attend this meeting to understand how to get started and what is necessary for a successful plan!

The Oakland Merchants’ Leadership Forum in conjunction with the City of Oakland will be presenting a free workshop for Oakland business owners interested in forming a business association in their commercial area.

The workshop will include:
·    Benefits of a Business Association
·    How to find existing groups in your area
·    The nine steps in forming an association including:
o    Creating a Plan    Conducting a Survey    Holding a general meeting
o    Taking Action        Developing Structure: Bylaws, election of Board
o    Celebrate Your Victories    And much more……
·    Free & Low-Cost Ways to Communicate (Facebook, Yahoo and Google Groups, phone trees, etc.)
·    Becoming more formalized
·    Benefits of a Community Benefits District
·    Overview of Oakland City Government and Resources
·    Open Discussion – Q & A and success stories.

Each District will also receive a free newly created 58-page tool-kit book with lots of sample templates, agendas, and flyers.

Next workshop:

Thursday, May 20, 2010
Mills College
5000 MacArthur Blvd.
Oakland, CA 94613

Reinhardt Hall - Student Lounge

Campus Map #35
6-8 pm

RSVP required to email: shari@omlf.org

Where do we go from here?

The Governor’s Conference on Small Business & Entrepreneurship II. Thursday, May 6, 2010 at the Oakland Marriott City Center.

Registration $99.00. Free vendor expo open 7:30 am- 4:30 pm.
The 2010 Governor’s Conference on Small Business and  Entrepreneurship features some of California’s most dynamic speakers, representing the state’s most innovative companies. Featured companies and  organizations include Google, Wired Magazine, the Milken Institute, USA Today, Twitter, Hewlett Packard, U.S. Small Business Administration, Governor Schwarzenegger’s Office & many more.

Conference Highlights:

“Conversation with the Governor”

Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger will be sitting down with the Chairman of the Milken Institute, Michael Milken, to candidly discuss how small businesses and entrepreneurship will play a vital role in the state’s economic recovery. Moderating the conversation will be famed USA Today Columnist, Steve Strauss.

Top notch presenters and panelists

• Chris Anderson, Editor-In-Chief Wired Magazine

• Joel Ayala, Executive Director of the Governor’s Office of Economic Development

• Arel Moodie, Author and ‘America’s Top Young Speaker’

• Claire Johnson, VP Global Online Sales at Google

• Jon Gregory, President, CEO, and Founder of Golden Capital Network

Vendor Expo with dozens of small business resources, tools and partners

Hard-hitting Breakout Sessions with Subject Experts

“Lessons Learned” personal sharing from top business leaders

Procurement information for companies interested in selling to the government

Opportunities to connect with venture and angel capitalists

Registration: $99 per person, includes all conference events and meals.

Click here for registration and more info: www.californiasbdc.org/governorsconference

Also, check out sponsorship and exhibitor opportunities here: www.californiasbdc.org/governorsconference/sponsors

For more information and to discuss sponsor/exhibitor opportunities, contact Kristin Johnson, johnson@californiasbdc.org

Don’t miss out on being part of this day-long exchange of ideas, inspiration and practical solutions to drive California’s entrepreneurial economy forward into its next era of prosperity!

Invitation in pdf