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West Oakland Community Fund

This funding opportunity was initially born out of advocacy by West Oakland residents to draw value from the redevelopment of the old Oakland Army Base. Resident members of the West Oakland Community Advisory Group (WOCAG) shepherded the vision of the West Oakland Community Fund from its inception in 2002 to its eventual creation. This led to an agreement between the City of Oakland and the Port of Oakland to provide resources for economic development projects in West Oakland. The Rose Foundation for Communities and the Environment is now administering this funding opportunity to support organizations creating community benefit opportunities in West Oakland, the neighborhood directly affected by the closure of the former Oakland Army Base. The Fund will award grants to Oakland-based nonprofits working in the following four focus areas:

  • Business Development Projects – Including programs that support local entrepreneurship, small business development and other targeted local economic development in West Oakland including local hiring programs serving West Oakland businesses and residents. 
  • Workforce Development Projects – Including job training programs targeted towards West Oakland residents. 
  • Educational Projects – Includes but not limited to programs serving West Oakland K-12 students around the fields of science, technology, engineering, arts and math (STEAM); adult skills development; continuing education programs; and programs supporting community college attendance for West Oakland residents. 
  • Environmental Projects – Including programs that center around reducing existing or historical environmental impacts, and/or providing environmental benefits to the West Oakland community.

Fund Details

All funding decisions will be based on guidance from an advisory committee comprised of a representative from each of the following entities: the West Oakland Community Advisory Group, the Office of the City’s District 3 Councilmember, and the Port of Oakland. Those representatives will appoint up to two additional advisory committee members.

The first round of funding for this grant opportunity will be Fall 2026, with applications due October 5, 2026.

This round we are primarily focusing on Business and Workforce Development projects though grant projects that include elements from the Education and Environmental categories will be given consideration.

Potential grant applicants must be a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization, or fiscally-sponsored by a 501(c)(3), and must demonstrate the capacity to complete the proposed project, including experience in successfully conducting similar or related work in the past, or otherwise relevant skills and experience.

For the purpose of this fund, West Oakland is defined as the area between I-880 and I-980 (west to east), between I-580 and I-880 (north to south), plus the Jack London Square industrial area between I-880 and the Embarcadero, west of Martin Luther King Jr. Way.

Let’s Connect:
Have questions? Send an email to grants@rosefdn.org

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