News

From November 14 – 18, local dispensaries to offer special deals on cannabis products made by Oaklanders disproportionately impacted by the War on Drugs

Federal grant supports new programs for two years. Today, the City of Oakland announced the launch of two new business support programs funded by a $1 million grant from the U.S. Department of Commerce’s Economic Development Agency (EDA).

The City of Oakland announced that applications will be available on Monday, July 25, for the Creative Economies of Belonging: Jobs, Networks, Catalysts grant program. This one-time program will distribute grants to Oakland-based nonprofit organizations to restore teaching-artist jobs cut during the pandemic. The program guidelines and grant application will be posted at https://bit.ly/3P4dBUg on Monday, July 25, when the application portal opens. Applications will be accepted through 5 p.m. on Thursday, September 22, 2022.

The City of Oakland was awarded a $5,896,000 #CaliforniansForAll Youth Jobs Corps grant from California Volunteers, Office of the Governor for its Oakland Forward program.

Today, the City of Oakland and multiple community partners marked the second year of implementation of the “Better Neighborhoods, Same Neighbors” (BNSN) Initiative by providing a progress update. Funded by a $28.2 million Transformative Climate Communities (TCC) grant from the California Strategic Growth Council, the Initiative brought together the City of Oakland, multiple community organizations, residents and business owners to implement five projects across four transformative elements in a five-square-mile area in deep East Oakland.

Today, the City of Oakland announced a new cohort of 10 Cultural Strategists-in-Government (CSIG) that will embed in seven different entities in the City. The program is a partnership between the City’s Cultural Affairs Division and the Oakland Fund for Public Innovation, with funding for 7 of the 10 individuals provided by the Andrew W. Mellon Foundation.

Beginning Monday, May 16, festival organizers may apply for grants from the City of Oakland’s Neighborhood Voices for Festivals program for next year: 2022-23. Applicants must be Oakland-based nonprofits and all festival activities must be presented in Oakland between July 1, 2022 and June 30, 2023.

From May 1 to 7, 2022, Oakland will celebrate Small Business Week with more than a dozen virtual and in-person workshops and other activities for small business owners and entrepreneurs. See the full schedule and registration links at www.oaklandca.gov/SBW.

Through April 22, 2022, the Oakland Workforce Development Board (OWDB) is seeking proposals from qualified organizations to provide adult and/or youth and young adult career services to help individuals gain skills, credentials, and employment while helping businesses connect with a qualified workforce. 

On March 15, the Oakland City Council passed a series of Ordinances to make the Flex Street Initiative a permanent option for businesses to use outdoor public rights-of-way. The existing permit programs will remain mostly unchanged and free through July 2023.