PowerSwitch Action is a national 501(c)(3) community organization based in Oakland, California, dedicated to building multiracial feminist democracy and people-centered economies. The organization operates as a network of grassroots affiliates working across labor, neighborhood, housing, racial justice, faith, ethnic-based, and environmental sectors. PowerSwitch Action was formerly known as the Partnership for Working Families and has been tax-exempt since June 2002.
Financial Overview
From 2024 IRS Form 990-PF · View filing
Total Assets
$23.9M
+3.1% YoY
Annual Giving
$4.9M
-5.9% YoY
Grant Count
28
-12.5% YoY
Avg Grant Size
$175K
+7.5% YoY
Mission & Focus Areas
PowerSwitch Action's mission is to forge multiracial feminist democracy and economies in cities and towns by empowering everyday people to transform the economy, government, and public goods in their communities. The organization's work is grounded in breaking interlocking chains of oppression—economic exploitation, white supremacy, and gender violence—and replacing them with systems built for human dignity and authentic democracy.
The organization operates across four core strategic imperatives:
- Building Authentic Democracy — Strengthening democratic participation and governance
- Shaping a People's Economy — Taking back control from corporations to create good jobs and thriving communities
- Growing Civic Organizations — Building people power and people's institutions
- Reining in Corporate Power — Limiting corporate influence over communities and policy
Primary focus areas include:
- Remaking Our Economy — Reclaiming control over economic systems from corporations
- Worker Power — Organizing for good jobs and workplace democracy
- Housing & Land Justice — Stewarding land and homes for people over profit
- Climate Justice — Protecting communities with grassroots-rooted solutions
Grantmaking
PowerSwitch Action functions as both a grantmaker and advocacy organization. Recent grant activity includes:
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Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
PowerSwitch Action's grantmaking focuses primarily on California, Pennsylvania, and Illinois, though the organization operates as a national network.
Grant Distribution by State
States
Cities
Financial History
Multi-year comparison from IRS filings
2024 Financial Data:
- Total Revenue: $12,575,509
- Total Expenses: $11,324,650
- Net Income: $1,250,859
- Total Assets: $23,927,893
- Total Liabilities: $621,000
2023 Financial Data:
- Total Revenue: $12,360,812
- Total Expenses: $11,319,272
- Total Assets: $23,198,024
The organization maintains a Four-Star rating with a 97% score based on accountability and finance metrics.
| Metric | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Total Assets | $23,927,893 | $23,198,024 | $21,812,498 |
| Revenue | $12,575,509 | $12,360,812 | $12,685,553 |
| Expenses | $11,324,650 | $11,319,272 | $10,441,388 |
| Qualifying Distributions | — | — | — |
| Net Investment Income | $194,909 | $160,550 | $27,482 |
| Distributable Amount | — | — | — |
Giving Over Time
Total grant dollars and number of grants per year
Grant Insights
How this funder distributes its grants
Top Recipients
Top 10 recipients in 2024
Grant Size Distribution
147 grants across all recorded years
Giving History
Grant recipients and amounts by year
Among its reported 2024 grants, the largest include Community Labor United ($549,343), Koreatown Immigrant Workers Alliance ($401,537), Working Partnerships Usa ($327,800).
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| COMMUNITY LABOR UNITED BOSTON, MA | CAPACITY BUILDING | $549,343 |
| KOREATOWN IMMIGRANT WORKERS ALLIANCE LOS ANGELES, CA | CA COALITION FOR WORKER POWER | $401,537 |
| WORKING PARTNERSHIPS USA SAN JOSE, CA | CAPACITY BUILDING; CALIFORNIA; GIG WORK | $327,800 |
| EAST BAY ALLIANCE FOR A SUSTAINABLE ECONO (EBASE) OAKLAND, CA | CAPACITY BUILDING; CALIFORNIA | $300,500 |
| UNITED FOR A NEW ECONOMY COMMERCE CITY, CO | CAPACITY BUILDING; HOUSING; PREEMPTION | $297,000 |
| CAUSE VENTURA, CA | CAPACITY BUILDING; CALIFORNIA | $285,000 |
| STAND UP NASHVILLE NASHVILLE, TN | CAPACITY BUILDING; HOUSING; PREEMPTION | $265,000 |
| MISSOURI WORKERS CENTER ST LOUIS, MO | CAPACITY BUILDING; PREEMPTION | $260,000 |
| LAANE LOS ANGELES, CA | CAPACITY BUILDING; CALIFORNIA | $255,000 |
| WAREHOUSE WORKER RESOURCE CENTER ONTARIO, CA | CAPACITY BUILDING; CALIFORNIA | $245,600 |
Leadership & Key People
Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings
Lauren Jacobs serves as Executive Director.
Compensation Overview
From 2024 IRS filing
From 2024 filing
| Name | Title | Hours | Compensation |
|---|---|---|---|
| LAUREN JACOBS | EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR | 40 | $154,097 |
| BARBARA FINNIN | FINANCE AND OPERATIONS DIR | 40 | $139,448 |
| DONALD COHEN | DIRECTOR, IN THE PUBLIC IN | 40 | $144,409 |
| LENA AFRIDI | CHIEF OF STAFF | 40 | $141,930 |
| BENJAMIN BEACH | LEGAL DIRECTOR | 40 | $130,247 |
| SHAHRZAD HABIBI | RESEARCH AND POLICY DIRECT | 40 | $121,607 |
| SYLVIA RUIZ | NETWORK STRENGTH DIRECTOR | 40 | $120,018 |
| KYRA GREENE | CHAIR | 1 | — |
| SHEHERYAR KAOOSJI | SECRETARY/TREASURER | 0.5 | — |
| JENNIFER RAFANAN KENNEDY | SEC./TREASURER (LEFT 7/24) | 1 | — |
| ALEX WALLACH HANSON | DIRECTOR | 0.5 | — |
| AMY ZACHMEYER | DIRECTOR | 0.5 | — |
| BRANDEN SNYDER | DIRECTOR | 0.5 | — |
| BRENDAN WALSH | DIRECTOR | 0.5 | — |
| CARLOS FERNANDEZ | DIRECTOR | 0.5 | — |
| CARMEN MEDRANO | DIRECTOR | 0.5 | — |
| CHRISTINA SHIMIZU | DIRECTOR | 0.5 | — |
| DARLENE LOMBOS | DIRECTOR | 0.5 | — |
| DEBORAH SCOTT | DIRECTOR | 0.5 | — |
| DERECKA MEHRENS | DIRECTOR | 1 | — |
| DESIREE WESTLUND | DIRECTOR | 0.5 | — |
| DWAYNE ROYSTER | DIR. AT LARGE (LEFT 7/24) | 0.5 | — |
| ELY FLORES | DIRECTOR (LEFT 7/24) | 0.5 | — |
| HAZEL DAVALO | DIRECTOR | 0.5 | — |
| JEREMY AL-HAJ | DIRECTOR | 0.5 | — |
| KATE OHARA | DIRECTOR | 0.5 | — |
| LUCAS SHAPIRO | DIRECTOR | 0.5 | — |
| LUCAS ZUCKER | DIRECTOR | 0.5 | — |
| MARIA ELENA ALLAIN | DIRECTOR (LEFT 7/24) | 0.5 | — |
| MARIA NOEL FERNANDEZ | DIRECTOR | 0.5 | — |
| MARISOL RAMIREZ | DIRECTOR | 0.5 | — |
| MATTHEW BRUSKY | DIRECTOR | 0.5 | — |
| MICHAEL CALLAHAM-KAPOOR | DIRECTOR | 0.5 | — |
| ODESSA KELLY | DIRECTOR, AT LARGE | 0.5 | — |
| QUYNH NGUYEN | DIRECTOR | 0.5 | — |
| REV DR GREGORY EDWARDS | DIRECTOR | 0.5 | — |
| ROXANA TYNAN | DIRECTOR | 0.5 | — |
| SCOTT HOLIDAY | DIRECTOR | 0.5 | — |
| SUSANNA BOHME | DIRECTOR | 0.5 | — |
| THEO MOORE | DIRECTOR | 0.5 | — |
| VICTOR SANCHEZ | DIRECTOR | 0.5 | — |
| YOLANDA PICKSTOCK | DIRECTOR | 0.5 | — |
Contact Information
Address: 1305 Franklin Street, Suite 501, Oakland, CA 94612-3224
Phone: 510-201-0081
Website: powerswitchaction.org
EIN: 71-0914032
Subject Areas
Focus areas based on grantmaking activity
Frequently Asked Questions
What does Powerswitch Action fund?
PowerSwitch Action's mission is to forge multiracial feminist democracy and economies in cities and towns by empowering everyday people to transform the economy, government, and public goods in their communities. The organization's work is grounded in breaking interlocking chains of oppression—economic exploitation, white supremacy, and gender violence—and replacing them with systems built for human dignity and authentic democracy. The organization operates across four core strategic imperative…
How do I apply for a grant from Powerswitch Action?
PowerSwitch Action functions as both a grantmaker and advocacy organization. Recent grant activity includes: • **Community Labor United**: $743,915 (2023) for climate and capacity building • **Power Interfaith**: $335,000 (2023) for capacity building, preemption, housing, and climate work Total giving in 2024 was $4,912,630. Grant amounts typically range from $12,000 to $743,915.
Where does Powerswitch Action make grants?
PowerSwitch Action's grantmaking focuses primarily on California, Pennsylvania, and Illinois, though the organization operates as a national network.
What size grants does Powerswitch Action award?
In 2024, Powerswitch Action awarded 28 grants totaling $4.9M — an average of about $175K per grant, based on its IRS Form 990 filings.
What is Powerswitch Action's EIN?
Powerswitch Action's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 71-0914032. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2020–2024.
Explore Open Grants
Browse active grant opportunities in Powerswitch Action's focus areas in our free grants database
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Data last updated June 2026. Sourced from IRS Form 990-PF filings. Research dossier generated April 2026.
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