Building Connections to Capital in McMinnville - Q2 2026 Business Forum

May 13, 2026

Building Connections to Capital in McMinnville

On May 7, 2026, business owners, entrepreneurs, lenders, and resource partners from across the region gathered at Chemeketa Community College for the Q2 McMinnville Business Leader Forum: Access to Capital & Resource Fair. The event brought together a diverse network of financial institutions, economic development organizations, and business support agencies focused on one goal — helping local businesses better understand and access the capital needed to start, grow, and scale.

Hosted in partnership with McMinnville Economic Development Partnership, McMinnville Area Chamber of Commerce, Chemeketa SBDC, and Launch Mid Valley the forum highlighted the importance of building strong relationships between entrepreneurs and the many funding resources available throughout Oregon and beyond.

The morning began with welcoming remarks from Patty Herzog, Executive Director of MEDP, and John Olson, President of the McMinnville Chamber, followed by a compelling business success story with Mike White of Launch Mid Valley and John Mead of Solid Carbon. Mead shared how Solid Carbon successfully leveraged a range of funding opportunities and innovation programs to advance the company’s growth, including support from Business Oregon, the National Science Foundation, the U.S. Department of Energy, and multiple accelerator programs. Their story illustrated how persistence, preparation, and strategic partnerships can open doors to significant investment opportunities for emerging companies in rural communities.

A key educational component of the forum focused on “The Five C’s of Credit,” presented by Blanca Torres De Hawkins of the Chemeketa Small Business Development Center Capital Access Team. The presentation provided attendees with practical insight into what lenders evaluate when reviewing financing requests and how businesses can strengthen their readiness for capital opportunities.

The event’s financial resource panel featured representatives from a broad spectrum of lending and funding organizations, including Business Oregon, Citizens Bank, Columbia Bank, First Federal, Harborstone Credit Union, Oregon Entrepreneurs Network, USDA Farm Services, and U.S. Bank. Panelists discussed financing tools ranging from conventional lending and SBA programs to rural development financing, entrepreneurial investment networks, and business transition funding solutions.

Among the topics explored were SBA 504 and SBA 7(a) loan programs, which can support owner-occupied commercial real estate acquisition, business expansion, tenant improvements, working capital, and succession planning. Attendees also learned about USDA Business & Industry loan programs designed to support businesses located in rural communities like McMinnville and Yamhill County.

Following the panel discussion and audience Q&A, attendees connected directly with lenders and resource providers during the Access to Capital Resource Fair. Organizations represented included Business Oregon, Chemeketa SBDC, Citizens Bank, Craft3, Columbia Bank, Federal Reserve Bank, First American Title, First Federal, Harborstone Credit Union, KeyBank, Oregon Entrepreneurs Network, US Bank, USDA Farm Services Agency, Yamhill County Assessment and Tax, Launch Mid Valley, Willamette Valley Council of Governments, Latino Micro Enterprise Services, and many others. The fair created valuable opportunities for one-on-one conversations and relationship building between business owners and the region’s capital ecosystem.

As economic conditions continue to evolve, access to reliable information, trusted advisors, and flexible financing tools remains critical for business resilience and growth. The Access to Capital Forum reinforced McMinnville’s commitment to creating a connected entrepreneurial environment where businesses of all sizes can find the support they need to move forward.

The Q2 forum was part of the ongoing 2026 McMinnville Business Leader Forum series, which continues throughout the year with quarterly events focused on key issues impacting the local business community.