Request For Proposals for the Summer Youth Services

Oakland Workforce Development Board and Oakland Fund for Children and Youth will jointly release RFP for the Summer Youth Employment Program.

Status: Closed

The Request for Proposals (RFP) for the Mayor's Summer Youth Employment Program (MSYEP) 2026–2028 is now closed. The submission deadline has passed, and proposals are no longer being accepted.

The Oakland Workforce Development Board (OWDB), in partnership with the Oakland Fund for Children and Youth (OFCY) and the Oakland Children's Initiative (OCI), has completed the proposal review process. Funding recommendations have been advanced for Board approval, with final award announcements forthcoming.

About 

The City of Oakland, in partnership with public, private, and nonprofit stakeholders, has maintained a longstanding commitment to providing summer jobs and work-based learning opportunities for Oakland youth for more than four decades. Central to this effort is the Mayor's Summer Youth Employment Program (MSYEP), which invests in subsidized employment and career exposure opportunities for youth through community-based organizations.

MSYEP prioritizes services for youth ages 14–21 from historically underserved communities, particularly those disconnected from the traditional education system and with limited or no prior work experience. The program focuses on youth residing in East, Central, and West Oakland.

Overview 

Through MSYEP, participating youth receive job readiness training, financial literacy education, and up to 100 hours of paid work experience during the summer months. Youth gain foundational workplace skills, exposure to career pathways, and hands-on experience in professional settings.

For the 2026–2028 funding cycle, MSYEP is being administered through a collaborative partnership between the Oakland Workforce Development Board (OWDB), the Oakland Fund for Children and Youth (OFCY), and the Oakland Children’s Initiative (OCI). This interdepartmental approach strengthens alignment across youth-serving systems and enhances program coordination and impact.

Under this structure:

  • OWDB will execute awarded grant agreements and oversee workforce alignment
  • OFCY will support grants management and reporting through its Cityspan system 
  • OWDB, OFCY, and OCI will jointly coordinate program monitoring, grantee support, and fiscal oversight 

Programs funded through this RFP are designed to provide: 

  • Paid summer work experience (up to 100 hours)
  • Job readiness and pre-employment training
  • Financial literacy and access to banking resources
  • Career exposure and hands-on learning opportunities
  • Connections to priority industry sectors including climate, construction, healthcare, information technology, creative economy, and transportation/logistics

This coordinated investment reflects the City’s continued commitment to expanding equitable access to meaningful employment opportunities for Oakland youth while strengthening pathways to long-term career success.

For employers/businesses who are interested in hosting a summer youth participant, please visit: here

For youth ages 14-21 currently residing in Oakland who are interested in summer employment, visit: (application link TBA soon).

Back to top