The New Mexico Early Childhood Education and Care Department is offering loans starting at $100,000 for child care facilities, and applications can be submitted now until October 31, 2026. The program provides low-interest, long-term loans to caregiving providers to build and make improvements to child care facilities.
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Child Care Businesses Get Access to Tools and Funding
When the New Mexico Legislature passed landmark legislation to cement Universal Child Care in state law, the nonprofit lender WESST was already geared up. The WESST childcare accelerator program was training and providing funding for new childcare businesses to meet the needs of parents of preschoolers. WESST, long established as an expert in business consulting, training, incubation and lending, expanded to helping individuals start and grow sustainable child care businesses.
Continue readingRCAC Helps Prados Beauty Outperform
When Cece Meadows walked into rooms filled with prospective investors, she knew they saw a red flag.
During the height of the pandemic, her company, Prados Beauty, had donated 50 percent of its sales — not profits — to buy protective gear for Indigenous communities. To your typical venture capitalist or big-bank lender, that looked like a liability.
But for Meadows, a Xicana of Yaqui descent, that was the entire point. Meadows lives by her grandmother’s advice, which translates as “Everything you do with a good heart can never go wrong.”
Today, that model has a proven return on investment. Prados Beauty is the top-selling independent color cosmetics brand at JCPenney, moving products in 609 stores and becoming the first beauty line ever sold at the Smithsonian.
The brand reached these heights, in part, through Meadows’ partnership with the Rooted Relative Fund offered through the nonprofit lender Rural Community Assistance Corporation (RCAC). Fund managers viewed Meadows’ commitment to community not as a “risk” but as the secret to her success.
Continue readingHow to Find Your Best Customers
Business owners often look at their marketing budget and wonder whether it’s working. They spend money on marketing and advertising without always having a clear picture of what’s bringing people in. The DreamSpring Resource Library has a new post that aims to give owners and entrepreneurs insight into finding their best customers. The library post offers marketing tips alongside a free Customer Acquisition Tracker.
Continue readingA Business Loan Is Not Rocket Science
One of the obstacles most commonly reported by entrepreneurs — particularly first-time business owners — is the difficulty of obtaining a business loan. Many start with their local bank, but if their borrower profile doesn’t match the bank’s, they stop with the first ‘no.” Getting a business loan doesn’t need to be difficult if a potential borrower knows where to look. And lender terms and requirements are not rocket science. The nonprofit lender and business development organization WESST is aware of how intimidating it can be to ask for a loan. That’s why it is offering a workshop to introduce business owners to its lending program.
Continue readingFind Out if You’re Capital-Ready
Business owners and entrepreneurs can use a new online tool to determine if their planned project, expansion, or purchase is bankable. The Capital Readiness Checklist is a confidential application that doesn’t want to know your name, email address, or any other personal information. Its purpose is to help users understand if they’re ready to apply for financing.
Continue readingGet Ready for Another Adventure Pitch Fest
Adventure Pitch Fest takes place in November, but businesses in New Mexico’s outdoor industry should start thinking now about how they want to participate. Applications to compete in the live pitch competition will be accepted until September 30, 2026, and an informational webinar and Q&A session will be held on August 26. The Pitch Fest awards $15,000 in cash. Organizations and businesses uninterested in pitching can participate by hosting booths that engage with investors, key industry stakeholders, and consumers.
Continue readingBusiness Growth Summit Features Access to Capital
The nonprofit lender and business development organization WESST, which offers consulting services and resources to small-business owners, will be on hand at the Business Growth Summit on Thursday, August 6, 2026, in Albuquerque to discuss how entrepreneurs can access capital for their startup or established company.
Continue readingHomewise Helps Pop-Pop’s Italian Ice Grow
For nearly three decades, Pop Pop’s Italian Ice has been bringing smiles to families across New Mexico. What started as a beloved neighborhood treat has grown into a statewide brand, serving communities through retail locations, food trucks, concession stands, and countless special events. Today, Pop Pop’s Italian Ice employs more than 40 people, operates eight mobile units, three retail locations, three concession stands, and recently moved into a new 10,0000-square-foot headquarters. But the journey to get here was built on hard work, resilience, and a commitment to community. And when it came time to take the next step, the nonprofit lender Homewise was proud to help.
“When we looked at this deal, what stood out wasn’t just a well-run business. It was a team that shows up for youth sports, schools, and neighborhood events consistently,” says Chris Anderson, Commerical Project Manager for Homewise. “Supporting businesses that activate and strengthen their communities is exactly what Homewise Commercial Loans are here to do.”
Continue readingLearn How to Start a Business in New Mexico
Native American entrepreneurs, business owners, and community members in New Mexico can learn how to start a business at an online workshop hosted by the American Indian Business Enterprise Center at NMSU’s Arrowhead Center. The one-hour event, called From Idea to Enterprise, starts at 4:30 pm MDT on August 5, 2026. Registration is required.
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