Oakland Fund for Public Innovation
Oakland Fund for Public Innovation is a public charity based in Oakland, California. It partners with local leaders, community organizations, government, and philanthropic and private-sector partners to test and scale solutions intended to improve Oaklanders’ prosperity, safety, and quality of life.
Oakland Fund for Public Innovation at a glance
In short: Oakland Fund for Public Innovation gave $1.0M across 13 grants in 2025 (avg $77K), mostly in California. 69% of 2025 grantees were new. Source: 2025 IRS Form 990.
- Annual giving (2025)
- $1,004,057
- -45.8% vs 2024
- Grants made (2025)
- 13
- +85.7% vs 2024
- Average grant
- $77,235
- -70.8% vs 2024
- Median grant
- $100,000
- Total assets
- $5,371,171
- +105.1% vs 2024
- New grantees (estimate)
- 69% first-time grantees (9 of 13, 2025; small sample)
- Primary geography
- California (83% of itemized 2025 grant dollars)
- Latest 990 filing
- Form 990, 2025 View filing
Data from IRS Form 990, 2025; updated September 2026. New grantees are estimated by matching recipient names across years (methodology).
How to apply to Oakland Fund for Public Innovation
- Contact
Mailing address: 5493 Bancroft Ave, Oakland, CA 94601
Phone: (510) 238-3141
Website: https://oaklandfund.org
Application details from Grantable's research on the foundation's public materials; confirm on its website before applying.
Who Oakland Fund for Public Innovation funds
How this funder distributes its grants
Top Recipients
Top 10 recipients in 2025
The largest 2025 recipient was Goalsetter ($167K). Together the top 10 received $979K.
Grant Size Distribution
27 grants across all recorded years
The most common grant size was under $50K: 12 grants of 27 (44%).
Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
The Fund describes its work as focused on Oakland. In filing year 2025, 83% of grant dollars went to California recipients and 17% to New York recipients.
Grant Distribution by State
Share of 2025 grant dollars across all 13 itemized grants.
Cities
Is Oakland Fund for Public Innovation open to new grantees?
69%
first-time grantees, 2025
In 2025, 9 of 13 grantees (69%) were first-time recipients. With only 13 grantees, that is a small sample: one grantee more or less moves the share by about 8 points. First grants averaged $69K; repeat grants $95K. How we count
Medians: $50K first-time, $110K repeat.
- 31% of 2025 grantees were also funded in 2024. Method
Estimate from itemized grant lists in IRS Form 990 filings (2023–2025). Recipient names are matched across years, so a renamed or misspelled grantee can look new; grants to individuals are left out. Methodology.
Giving History
Giving Over Time
Total grant dollars and number of grants per year
From 2023 to 2025, annual grant giving ranged from $1.0M (2025) to $1.9M (2024). In 2025 it made 13 grants totaling $1.0M.
Grants by year
Grant recipients and amounts by year
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| Goalsetter Brooklyn, NY | youth financial literacy | $167,000 |
| ESO Ventures Oakland, CA | entrepreneurship coaching | $142,000 |
| City of Oakland Oakland, CA | workforce development | $135,000 |
| Spccone Richmond, CA | equity-focused systems change | $120,000 |
| Trybe Inc Oakland, CA | youth employment | $120,000 |
| Oakland Public Education Fund Oakland, CA | educational programming | $100,000 |
| Planting Justice Oakland, CA | youth workforce development | $100,000 |
| E Oakland Boxing Association Oakland, CA | youth mentorship | $50,000 |
| Dr Huey Newton Foundation Oakland, CA | public history preservation | $25,000 |
| Kingmakers of Oakland Oakland, CA | culturally affirming literacy | $20,000 |
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Financial History
Multi-year comparison from IRS filings
| Filing year | Total Assets | Revenue | Expenses | Grants paid | Grants | Net Investment Income |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | $5,371,171 | $6,715,587 | $3,961,971 | $1,004,057 | 13 | $188,426 |
| 2024 | $2,618,675 | $697,227 | $3,198,441 | $1,853,297 | 7 | $17,113 |
| 2023 | $4,967,133 | $7,112,407 | $2,300,633 | $1,270,500 | 7 | $14,123 |
Research compiled by Grantable AI from public sources. Last updated September 2026.
Mission & Focus Areas
The Fund’s mission is to improve the prosperity, safety, and quality of life for all Oaklanders through innovative public-private partnerships in vulnerable communities. Its stated focus areas are Public Innovation & Systems Change, Housing, Jobs, & Economic Security, and Community Belonging & Safety.
Its website describes work that includes educator housing, entrepreneurship and workforce pathways, youth employment, violence prevention, and cultural connection. In the Fund’s FY25 filing statements, it describes support for programs involving housing, jobs and entrepreneurship, and healthy and safe communities.
Among its 2025 grantees, TRYBE describes itself as an East Oakland nonprofit working with youth and families to break cycles of suffering and violence. Planting Justice says it works to expand access to nutritious food while supporting residents’ skills, economic opportunities, and neighborhood sustainability. Kingmakers of Oakland describes its work as transforming education systems to improve outcomes for Black students. COBIZ Richmond says it aims to foster entrepreneurship and sustainable economic development in Richmond.
Grantmaking
In filing year 2025, the Fund reported 13 grants totaling $1,004,057. Grant amounts ranged from $6,108 to $167,000, with a median of $100,000. Notable grants included Goalsetter ($167,000) for youth financial literacy, ESO Ventures ($142,000) for entrepreneurship coaching, City of Oakland ($135,000) for workforce development, SPCCONE ($120,000) for equity-focused systems change, TRYBE ($120,000) for youth employment, Oakland Public Education Fund ($100,000) for educational programming, and Planting Justice ($100,000) for youth workforce development.
The Fund also gave $50,000 to E Oakland Boxing Association for youth mentorship, $25,000 to Dr Huey Newton Foundation for public history preservation, $20,000 to Kingmakers of Oakland for culturally affirming literacy, $10,000 to Cobiz Richmond for small business development, and $8,949 to Workforce Equity Solutions for workforce development.
The Fund’s filing statements say it monitors grants through pre-award due diligence, written agreements, and post-award financial or narrative reporting. Recipients must provide tax and compliance documentation and agree to permitted uses of funds before disbursement. No application process or unsolicited-request policy is stated.
Leadership & Key People
Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings
Officers and directors listed on the 2025 filing are Juma Crawford, CEO; Alaina Long, COO; and directors Elizabeth Van Benschoten, Assad Waathiq, John Lyman Board Chair, Heather Hood, Thurman White, Karely Ordaz Salto, Derwin Sisnett, and Christina Sutherland Mockler.
Oakland Fund for Public Innovation is led by Juma Crawford, CEO on every filing since 2023; 2 of 11 officers listed in 2025 are compensated.
Officers on the 2025 filing
Juma Crawford
CEO
On filings since 2023
40 hrs/week
$66K (2023) → $240K (2025)
Assad Waathiq
Director
On filings since 2023
0.5 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Elizabeth Van Benschoten
Director
On filings since 2023
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Heather Hood
Director
On filings since 2024
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
John Lyman Board Chair
Director
On filings since 2024
2 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Thurman White
Director
On filings since 2024
2 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Christina Sutherland Mockler
Director
New on the 2025 filing
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Derwin Sisnett
Director
New on the 2025 filing
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Karely Ordaz Salto
Director
New on the 2025 filing
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Mai-Ling Garcia
Director
New on the 2025 filing
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Alaina Long
COO
On filings since 2023
40 hrs/week
$40K (2023) → $43K (2025)
Former officers (6)
- Former: Karely Ordaz (2024) — Director
- Former: Heather Hood Dir (2023) — Vice President
- Former: John Lyman Dir (2023) — President
- Former: Kiran Jain Dir (2023) — Secretary
- Former: Ratna Amin (2023) — Director
- Former: Thurman White Dir (2023) — Trustee
Data from IRS Form 990 filings, 2023–2025. "On filings since" is the earliest filing we hold that lists the person; hours are average hours per week as reported.
Compensation Overview
From 2025 IRS filing
The highest reported compensation on the 2025 filing was $240K, to Juma Crawford (CEO). 2 officers or directors reported compensation on that filing.
Frequently asked questions about Oakland Fund for Public Innovation
How much does Oakland Fund for Public Innovation give each year?
Oakland Fund for Public Innovation gave $1.0M across 13 grants in 2025, according to its 2025 IRS Form 990. In 2024 it gave $1.9M across 7 grants.
What is Oakland Fund for Public Innovation's typical grant size?
Oakland Fund for Public Innovation's median grant in 2025 was $100,000, and its average grant was $77,235, across 13 grants on its 2025 IRS Form 990. Organizations receiving their first grant from Oakland Fund for Public Innovation that year got $69K on average.
Where does Oakland Fund for Public Innovation give grants?
Oakland Fund for Public Innovation gives mostly in California: 83% of the grant dollars itemized on its 2025 IRS Form 990 went to recipients there. The next largest state was New York (17%). The most frequent recipient cities were Oakland, CA (9 grants) and Richmond, CA (2 grants).
Does Oakland Fund for Public Innovation give general operating support?
Not in 2025: none of the 13 grants with a stated purpose on Oakland Fund for Public Innovation's 2025 IRS Form 990 were described as general or operating support.
Who are Oakland Fund for Public Innovation's largest grantees?
Oakland Fund for Public Innovation's largest 2025 grantees include Goalsetter ($167,000), ESO Ventures ($142,000) and City of Oakland ($135,000), according to its 2025 IRS Form 990. Together they received 44% of its itemized 2025 grant dollars.
How large is Oakland Fund for Public Innovation?
Oakland Fund for Public Innovation reported $5.4M in total assets on its 2025 IRS Form 990. Its revenue that year was $6.7M.
What does Oakland Fund for Public Innovation fund?
The Fund’s mission is to improve the prosperity, safety, and quality of life for all Oaklanders through innovative public-private partnerships in vulnerable communities. See mission & focus areas ↑
How do I apply for a grant from Oakland Fund for Public Innovation?
Oakland Fund for Public Innovation has no public application process in the sources Grantable reviewed. Check oaklandfund.org for current guidelines, or contact the foundation directly before submitting a request.
What is Oakland Fund for Public Innovation's EIN?
Oakland Fund for Public Innovation's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 87-2236607. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2023–2025.
Data last updated September 2026. Sourced from IRS Form 990 filings. Research dossier generated September 2026.
Data update history
(4)
When this profile's IRS filing data changed on Grantable
- Updated Form 990 for fiscal year 2023 (received by the IRS March 6, 2024)
- Updated Form 990 for fiscal year 2024 (received by the IRS May 15, 2025)
- Added Form 990 for fiscal year 2025 (received by the IRS May 13, 2026)
- IRS filings on file for fiscal years 2023–2024
Live grants for the work Oakland Fund for Public Innovation funds
Community Improvement & Capacity Building Open opportunities, soonest deadline first.
Explore Open Grants
Browse active grant opportunities in Oakland Fund for Public Innovation's focus areas in our free grants database
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Cite this profile
Grantable. (2026). Oakland Fund for Public Innovation funder profile. GrantGraph. Retrieved October 22, 2026, from https://grantable.co/funders/oakland-fund-for-public-innovation-morg_ca74dedeafc8422b92412c9f75a4d3a4
BibTeX
@misc{grantable_872236607_2026,
author = {{Grantable}},
title = {{Oakland Fund for Public Innovation funder profile}},
howpublished = {GrantGraph},
year = {2026},
url = {https://grantable.co/funders/oakland-fund-for-public-innovation-morg_ca74dedeafc8422b92412c9f75a4d3a4},
note = {Accessed 2026-10-22. Data licensed CC BY 4.0}
}The figures on this page are open data under CC BY 4.0: reuse them with credit to Grantable and a link. Download the data.
Figures come from Oakland Fund for Public Innovation's IRS filings (methodology). AI-written summaries, news items and logos are not covered by the open licence. Spot an error? Email hello@grantable.co.
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