Activism

Greenlining Institute Receives Grant for Climate Work with Underserved Communities

Over two thirds of the money from this new grant will be designated specifically for local grassroots organizations in these communities, building infrastructure and connecting them with the technical expertise needed to develop climate resilience projects.

Published

4 years ago

December 12, 2021

Oakland Post

“The Greenlining Institute is building on a 30-year track record of success to create a better, more just future for everyone,” said Greenlining Institute President and CEO Debra Gore-Mann.

$10 Million from Bezos Earth Fund Will Boost Local Community Groups to Fight Climate Change and Build Resilience

By Molly Tafoya

The Greenlining Institute has received a $10 million grant from the Bezos Earth Fund to help communities of color most burdened by climate change and systemic discrimination forge the infrastructure needed to fight climate change and build healthier, more resilient communities.

Throughout our decades of advocating for equitable climate and energy policies, Greenlining knows that the communities with the greatest burdens and needs often lack the resources to even apply for and effectively use funding that exists for climate efforts.

Such projects include energy and water efficiency upgrades, solar installations on single-family homes and multi-family housing complexes, green infrastructure, streetscape improvements, electric vehicle carsharing programs and more. This includes $1 million specifically for a catalytic climate action and racial equity fund to seed early-stage, community-led climate projects that will benefit the hardest hit communities.

“The Greenlining Institute is building on a 30-year track record of success to create a better, more just future for everyone,” said Greenlining Institute President and CEO Debra Gore-Mann. “Our work to build enduring, transformative new solutions is core to who we are, and we’re proud to have that legacy recognized by the Bezos Earth Fund with this grant. We are committed to bringing together diverse stakeholders from the public, private and nonprofit sectors to create dynamic frameworks of shared power for lasting change. And we are being very intentional in how we intend to spend the funds, including designating nearly $6 million for grassroots communities and their critical climate resilience work — because communities know best what their neighborhoods need to thrive.”

To learn more about The Greenlining Institute, visit www.greenlining.org.

Molly Tafoya is the communications director of Greenlining Institute.

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Oakland Post: Week of February 25 – March 3, 2026

The printed Weekly Edition of the Oakland Post: Week of – February 25 – March 3, 2026

Published

2 days ago

March 1, 2026

Oakland Post

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Chase Oakland Community Center Hosts Alley-Oop Accelerator Building Community and Opportunity for Bay Area Entrepreneurs

Over the past three years, the Alley-Oop Accelerator has helped more than 20 Bay Area businesses grow, connect, and gain meaningful exposure. The program combines hands-on training, mentorship, and community-building to help participants navigate the legal, financial, and marketing challenges of small business ownership.

Published

1 week ago

February 21, 2026

Oakland Post

Bay Area entrepreneurs attend the Alley-Oop Accelerator, a small business incubation program at Chase Oakland Community Center. Photo by Carla Thomas.

By Carla Thomas

The Golden State Warriors and Chase bank hosted the third annual Alley-Oop Accelerator this month, an empowering eight-week program designed to help Bay Area entrepreneurs bring their visions for business to life.

The initiative kicked off on Feb. 12 at Chase’s Oakland Community Center on Broadway Street, welcoming 15 small business owners who joined a growing network of local innovators working to strengthen the region’s entrepreneurial ecosystem.

At its core, the accelerator is designed to create an ecosystem of collaboration, where local entrepreneurs can learn from one another while accessing the resources of a global financial institution.

“This is our third year in a row working with the Golden State Warriors on the Alley-Oop Accelerator,” said Jaime Garcia, executive director of Chase’s Coaching for Impact team for the West Division. “We’ve already had 20-plus businesses graduate from the program, and we have 15 enrolled this year. The biggest thing about the program is really the community that’s built amongst the business owners — plus the exposure they’re able to get through Chase and the Golden State Warriors.”

According to Garcia, several graduates have gone on to receive vendor contracts with the Warriors and have gained broader recognition through collaborations with JPMorgan Chase.

“A lot of what Chase is trying to do,” Garcia added, “is bring businesses together because what they’ve asked for is an ecosystem, a network where they can connect, grow, and thrive organically.”

This year’s Alley-Oop Accelerator reflects that vision through its comprehensive curriculum and emphasis on practical learning. Participants explore the full spectrum of business essentials including financial management, marketing strategy, and legal compliance, while also preparing for real-world experiences such as pop-up market events.

Each entrepreneur benefits from one-on-one mentoring sessions through Chase’s Coaching for Impact program, which provides complimentary, personalized business consulting.

Garcia described the impact this hands-on approach has had on local small business owners. He recalled one candlemaker, who, after participating in the program, was invited to provide candles as gifts at Chase events.

“We were able to help give that business exposure,” he explained. “But then our team also worked with them on how to access capital to buy inventory and manage operations once those orders started coming in. It’s about preparation. When a hiccup happens, are you ready to handle it?”

The Coaching for Impact initiative, which launched in 2020 in just four cities, has since expanded to 46 nationwide.

“Every business is different,” Garcia said. “That’s why personal coaching matters so much. It’s life-changing.”

Participants in the 2026 program will each receive a $2,500 stipend, funding that Garcia said can make an outsized difference. “It’s amazing what some people can do with just $2,500,” he noted. “It sounds small, but it goes a long way when you have a plan for how to use it.”

For Chase and the Warriors, the Alley-Oop Accelerator represents more than an educational initiative, it’s a pathway to empowerment and economic inclusion. The program continues to foster lasting relationships among the entrepreneurs who, as Garcia put it, “build each other up” through shared growth and opportunity.

“Starting a business is never easy, but with the right support, it becomes possible, and even exhilarating,” said Oscar Lopez, the senior business consultant for Chase in Oakland.