Fostering Inclusive Economic Models

Our vision of an inclusive, fair, and just East Bay is rooted in creating equal opportunities for all. To create a truly inclusive economy, we must shift the flow of capital from an extractive economy towards an inclusive, equitable, and regenerative system that works for all. 

We are addressing racial economic inequities in our region through: 

1. Entrepreneurship & business ownership as pathways to wealth building

Small businesses create job opportunities and increase economic activity, stability, and wealth creation in communities of color. EBCF supports entrepreneurs through the Oakland Small Business Resiliency Fund, which provides grant funding in support of small businesses in Oakland, and through a long-standing partnership with REAL People’s Fund, a $10M community-controlled and democratically governed loan fund investing in businesses that have the potential for meaningful positive social, environmental, and/or economic impact in BIPOC communities.

2. Community ownership and stewardship

In the East Bay, communities are implementing and innovating diverse community ownership models that limit profit-seeking from investors and promote inclusive decision-making and governance. EBCF supports community ownership and stewardship of housing and land (community land trusts and real estate cooperatives), worker-owned cooperatives, and community controlled or governed funds. 

3. Impact Investing

We see our investments as a core strategy for achieving our mission. To that end, we invest our assets in socially responsible and mission-aligned sectors with an eye toward racial equity, sustainability, and ESG impact, focusing, when possible, on solving California’s most pressing challenges. We work with diverse and women-owned money managers to create opportunities for people who have historically been shut out of finance. We look for opportunities to move resources into community banks and local credit unions. And instead of enriching shareholders, our fees strengthen EBCF’s community leadership and grantmaking on critical issues like workforce development, housing, and healthy environments in Alameda and Contra Costa counties.

“For an economy to function well, it should be growing, sustainable, and stable. But it should also be growing for all people–not just creating wealth and financial stability for some but ensuring that every person has equitable opportunities for good jobs, and career paths in order to be free from the worry of meeting basic human needs or financial hardship.”

VENKAT MOHAN, EBCF FUNDHOLDER

Initiatives

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Oakland Small Business Resiliency Fund

We are not currently accepting applications to the Small Business Resiliency Fund. Sign up for our newsletter to learn about …

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Investment Strategy

Our investment strategy facilitates an ecosystem of collective progress and collaboration in an effort to revolutionize philanthropy and co-create a truly inclusive economy.

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Related Staff

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Sabrina Wu

(she / her)

Senior Program Officer

swu@eastbaycf.org

Sabrina Wu is a Senior Program Officer and leads EBCF’s work on building a just and inclusive economy. In this capacity, she supports increasing access to fair capital for BIPOC entrepreneurs, grassroots equitable economic development, and moving grant and impact investing resources in more participatory and collaborative ways.

Sabrina is a collaborative leader with over twenty years of experience in non-profit leadership and coalition building. Prior to joining EBCF, she led grassroots non-profits and community collaboratives to advance racial and economic equity and build local sustainable food systems and ran community and youth programs. She serves on the Board of Directors of Just Futures Impact and was previously a Just Economy Institute Fellow and co-chair of the Bay Area Asset Funders Network Steering Committee.

Sabrina holds a Bachelors degree from Barnard College of Columbia University and a Masters degree in Agriculture, Food and Environmental Policy from Tufts University.

Contact Sabrina Wu

See Bio