Volunteer Community At-Large Advisory Board Position

WEST OAKLAND COMMUNITY FUND
Now Accepting Applicants for Volunteer Community At-Large Advisory Board Position  
  
In 2003, the City of Oakland and the Port of Oakland entered into an agreement calling for the creation of a fund to support equity-centered environmental or economic development programs to benefit the West Oakland Community, the neighborhood most directly impacted by the closure of the former Oakland Army Base. The Fund is derived from fees that have been collected by the City from redevelopment projects which have been matched by the Port of Oakland. The Rose Foundation for Communities and the Environment will administer the overall grantmaking process and approvals, and we expect to award grants to Oakland-based nonprofits working in the following four focus areas:  
  

1. Business Development: Supporting local entrepreneurs, small businesses, and local hiring programs serving West Oakland businesses and residents.  
2. Workforce Development: Job training programs for West Oakland residents.  
3. Education: Programs for K–12 around the fields of science, technology, engineering, arts and math (STEAM), adult skills training including continuing education programs, and programs supporting community college attendance for West Oakland residents.  
4. Environment: Projects that reduce existing or historical environmental impacts or otherwise improve environmental quality in West Oakland.  

  
Grantmaking strategy and grant recommendations will be guided by a Funding Advisory Board who will make funding recommendations to the Rose Foundation’s Board of Directors. The primary members of the advisory panel will include a representative from the Port of Oakland, the City of Oakland, West Oakland Community Advisory Group, a community representative, as well as an optional subject-matter expert. All members of the advisory board are charged with guiding overall grantmaking strategy, helping ensure robust outreach to the West Oakland community to share information about the funding opportunity, and reviewing grant proposals to advise grantee selection.   
  
We are currently seeking a Community At-Large Advisor to join the Fund’s Advisory Board. The Community At-Large Advisor plays a key role in ensuring that grantmaking decisions benefit the West Oakland community. This is a volunteer position.  
  
Time Commitment  

• Includes reviewing and scoring numerous grant applications, writing short evaluations for each, and participating in collaborative review meetings with other fund advisors (via video conference most likely). Each application contains detailed project information and workplans, background on the applicant organization such as community partners, program expertise, financial information, and articulates clear outcomes and benefits to the West Oakland Community. 
• We don’t know how many applications will be received each round. It will likely be numerous, but grant making rounds are likely to focus on one of the four focus areas at a time.
• Most of the time commitment will occur during the application review period which is expected to be around mid-March 2026 and continue through the Spring of 2026.  
• We prefer someone who can commit to a 2-year term.   

  
Eligibility  
To apply, you must meet one of the following:  

• Live in West Oakland, or  
• Own a business in West Oakland  
• Have relevant personal or professional experience in one or more of the four focus areas (business development, workforce development, education, environment).  
• Ideal candidates would be able to offer knowledge/contacts of 501(c)3 programs in the focus areas.  
• If you work for or are on the board of a nonprofit, that organization will be ineligible to apply for funding. All applicants must agree to follow conflict-of-interest and confidentiality procedures.   

How to Apply  
Fill out the application form, which will ask for:  

• Your name, address, and how long you’ve lived or owned a business there.  
• A CV or resume 
• A brief description of your relevant experience particularly with respect to four focus areas of grantmaking  
• Any previous experience on public panels or advisory committees  
• A letter of recommendation from a community-based organization that you have worked with  
• A list of organizations you're affiliated with (employment, volunteer, or close family ties)  

  
What is West Oakland? West Oakland is defined as the area:  
Between I-880 and I-980 (west to east); Between I-80 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