Micro Enterprise Services Of Oregon

Micro Enterprise Services of Oregon (MESO) is a non-profit, tax-exempt Community Development Financial Institution (CDFI) based in Portland, Oregon, registered in SAM.gov since September 2012. MESO operates as an intermediary lender and technical assistance provider focused on expanding access to affordable capital and business support services for underserved entrepreneurs. The organization delivers federal grant funding in the form of microloans, business training, and technical assistance to start-up, newly established, and growing small businesses, with particular emphasis on supporting women, low-income, and minority entrepreneurs in communities lacking adequate access to credit and financial services.

MESO has established a consistent track record of receiving federal prime grant awards from the Small Business Administration's Office of Capital Access and the U.S. Department of the Treasury's Community Development Financial Institutions Fund. Through the SBA Microloan Program (CFDA 59.046), MESO has received multiple formula grants totaling approximately $269,622 to $119,485 annually to provide direct microloans up to $50,000 and associated business training and technical assistance. Under the SBA's Program for Investment in Microenterprises (PRIME) initiative (CFDA 59.050), MESO secured $142,000 and $200,000 project grants to deliver training, business coaching, and financial literacy education to disadvantaged entrepreneurs. Additionally, MESO has been awarded significant project grants from the Treasury Department's CDFI Fund, including a $1.8 million COVID-19 Rapid Response Program award (CFDA 21.024) and ongoing grants under the Community Development Financial Institutions program and Small Dollar Loan program to establish loan loss reserves and expand lending capacity. MESO has further expanded its service delivery through multiple federal grant sub-awards from Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) programs administered by the City of Vancouver ($90,000 in January 2025 and $100,500 in May 2023), County of Clackamas, City of Beaverton, City of Gresham, and County of Washington, all designated to provide culturally responsive microenterprise technical assistance, business education, and support services to low-income and minority-owned businesses throughout the Portland metropolitan region and surrounding counties.