Activism

Women’s Human Rights Activists Receive Urgent Action Funds

The Urgent Action Fund for Women’s Human Rights works on behalf of women and LGBT+ human rights defenders at critical moments to get them the funding, protection, and strength they need to effect change quickly and without the bureaucracy.

Published

5 years ago

June 30, 2021

Christy Price

Urgent Action Fund

People often speculate on where activists get the money to organize, educate and execute direct actions. Many times, they blame some “nefarious”, rich philanthropist for paying a group of people to protest in actions that lean their way politically. The truth is, at least for Women’s Human Rights Activists, much more nuanced.

The Urgent Action Fund For Women’s Human Rights is part of a larger project called the Global Philanthropy Project which is made up of 21 member organizations. The Urgent Action Fund is one of those member organizations.

The Urgent Action Fund quickly funds women’s human rights defenders (WHRD) who are poised to make great gains and face serious threats to their work. Once a WHRD applies for a grant they receive a decision within 72 hours, with money on the ground being used to defend women and LGBT people within one to seven days. Activists can apply 24/7 and in any language.

The Urgent Action Fund is led by activists rooted in feminism and strengthened through solidarity. Besides providing rapid response grantmaking, they help grassroots activists by advocacy and alliance building, as well as research and publications. They join a global consortium of Urgent Action Funds in Latin America and Africa.

The Urgent Action Fund provides funding for direct action, political education, movement resilience, collective care, new grassroots frameworks and leadership building focused on women, transgender, gender diverse, youth and/or the historically marginalized. Collectively Urgent Action Fund support’s women’s rights and LGBT+ rights movements in more than 110 countries worldwide.

If you are looking for funding for your organization or group, you can visit https://urgentactionfund.org/who-we-are/mission-history/ to learn more about this organization and to apply for a grant. You can also visit their Facebook and Twitter pages to see how you can get involved. The staff are all working remotely due to the COVID-19 pandemic but can be reached at 415-523-0360.

Christy Price

Posts by Christy Price

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Activism

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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Oakland Post

Posts by Oakland Post

Activism

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.