In the heart of the Bay Area, where vibrant cultures intersect and the pursuit of equity echoes through our streets, a tapestry of organizations is tirelessly working to dismantle systemic injustices and build a future where everyone thrives. The San Francisco Foundation’s annual Racial Justice Give Guide shines a spotlight on these champions of change, illuminating their unwavering commitment to racial equity and their impactful work across various fronts.
In this year’s guide, we invite you to explore the inspiring initiatives of organizations dedicated to breaking down barriers and creating a more just society. From empowering communities to reclaim their narratives and advocate for their rights, to challenging environmental racism and fostering economic opportunities, these organizations are leading the charge for a brighter, more equitable future.
Join us as we delve into the transformative work of these organizations. Together, they exemplify the power of collective action and the unwavering pursuit of equity. We invite you to learn more about their work, support their missions, and join us in the ongoing journey towards a just and inclusive Bay Area. Recommend your grants by December 13 to help make 2024 a more prosperous and powerful year for everyone in the Bay Area.
Asian Prisoner Support Committee
Asian Prisoner Support Committee (APSC) provides direct support to Asian and Pacific Islander (API) incarcerated people and raises awareness about the growing number of API people facing imprisonment, detention, and deportation.
For over two decades, APSC has developed the leadership of currently- and formerly- incarcerated community members to advance racial and economic equity. Leveraging culturally relevant reentry programs, in-prison Ethnic Studies programming, storytelling projects, anti-deportation campaigns, and a paid internship program for recently released individuals, APSC program participants have led policy advocacy efforts and gone on to work in other community-based organizations. APSC remains committed to educating policymakers and community leaders on the intersection of criminal law and immigration law. Their goal is to engage API communities and their allies in transforming the narrative around crime and justice, ultimately pushing for more equitable policies.
Donor Center Specifics:
Grantee: Asian Prisoner Support Committee
Fiscal Sponsor: Chinese for Affirmative Action
Short purpose: For general support of Asian Prisoner Support Committee.
Communities for a Better Environment
Communities for a Better Environment (CBE) champions environmental justice in low-income communities of color by empowering residents to fight pollution and systemic environmental racism.
Focusing on the Bay Area, CBE organizes grassroots campaigns for clean air, safe energy, and healthy neighborhoods. In Richmond, where communities of color have disproportionately borne the burden of industrial pollution, CBE links environmental justice to the broader struggle for racial equity. Their landmark victory against Chevron, a major regional polluter, led to stricter environmental regulations, protecting the health of residents. Through community organizing, legal action, and empowerment initiatives, CBE helps communities challenge toxic industries and advocate for policies that promote climate justice. By building local leadership, providing environmental education, and developing sustainable solutions, CBE prioritizes the health and well-being of marginalized communities.
Donor Center Specifics:
Grantee: Communities for a Better Environment
Short purpose: For general support.
Loyal Butterflies Women Wellness Empowerment Program
The Loyal Butterflies Women Wellness Empowerment Program offers educational and supportive services to women, youth, and families. Its 2023 workshop series focused on empowering HOPE SF adults through hands-on skills training with life coaches to develop critical thinking skills, self-esteem, and tools to navigate social constructs. HOPE SF adults live in vibrant, mixed-income communities in four public housing sites in San Francisco. During weekly activities, residents learned strategies to build confidence, set boundaries, and express their needs. Given a safe space to feel, heal, and reveal, each person shared how the embrace of all sides of oneself could be a catalyst for transformation. Workshops ended with individual journaling activities, with participants encouraged to express themselves with writing prompts and build self-esteem through reflection on how their life matters.
Donor Center Specifics:
Grantee: Loyal Butterflies Women Wellness Empowerment Program
Short purpose: For general support.
Monument Impact
Since 2001, Monument Impact has been a leading force in advocating for tenant rights and protections, particularly for immigrant, refugee, and low-income communities in Central and East Contra Costa County. Its unwavering dedication to racial and economic equity drives its approach, which combines advocacy with educational opportunities, empowering community members to secure stable housing and living-wage jobs.
Monument Impact tackles the root causes of inequity by nurturing leadership development and advocacy, providing direct services, and equipping individuals with the skills and connections to create meaningful change. Recognizing the eastward displacement of vulnerable populations, Monument Impact expanded its reach by opening an office in Antioch, where it supported the creation of the city’s first tenants’ union. In addition, their pivotal role as a core member of the Raise the Roof Coalition led to a landmark victory in April 2024: the enactment of just cause and rent stabilization ordinances in Concord. This multiyear effort ensured that thousands of renters are now shielded from unjust rent increases and evictions.
Through grassroots outreach, vital services, and the invaluable support of “promotores” deeply connected to their communities, Monument Impact continues to build power, address immediate needs, and foster civic engagement among those it serves.
Donor Center Specifics:
Grantee: Monument Impact
Short purpose: For general support.
Oakland Goes Outdoors
Numerous physical and mental health, academic performance, and social-emotional benefits are tied to spending time in nature. Oakland Goes Outdoors provides more accessible and equitable opportunities for Oakland youth to experience quality time outdoors. The program just passed an exciting 5-year milestone! These culturally informed trips are facilitated by Oakland Unified School District educators and nonprofit partners – both during the school day and for memorable overnight experiences.
Donor Center Specifics:
Grantee: Oakland Public Education Fund
Short purpose: For Oakland Goes Outdoors.
SF Black Wall Street
SF Black Wall Street is a Black-led organization empowering San Francisco’s Black community through economic justice, entrepreneurship, and advocacy. The organization works to build thriving Black-owned businesses, create economic opportunities, and preserve Black culture within the city.
SF Black Wall Street offers a variety of programs focused on business development, financial literacy, and community-building initiatives. They are also a leading voice in the local movement for reparations, working closely with city officials and community stakeholders to design and implement reparative justice policies aimed at addressing the economic and social disparities caused by systemic racism. By working to secure tangible economic reparations for San Francisco’s Black residents, SF Black Wall Street is laying the groundwork for lasting change and a more equitable future.
Donor Center Specifics:
Grantee: SF Black Wall Street Foundation
Short purpose: For general support.
Trabajadores Unidos Workers United
Trabajadores Unidos Workers United (TUWU) is a first generation, people of color-led organization using leadership development, workers’ rights services, Spanish language labor rights education, and advocacy to center the leadership of low-wage workers and immigrant workers. In its early years as Young Workers United, TUWU worked to pass the nation’s first Paid Sick Leave law and worked in coalition to pass the strongest minimum wage laws, resulting in the groundbreaking $15/hour minimum wage in San Francisco in 2018. In 2023, TUWU established a regional Oakland-San Francisco worker center focused on building worker power.
TUWU leads the Safety Net for All Coalition, comprised of over 120 immigrant and worker rights organizations across California organizing to fund excluded workers experiencing unemployment and building a resilient economy that works for everyone. They also serve as an executive committee lead of the Bay Area Essential Workers Alliance, a regional coalition committed to ensuring quality jobs and equal protection for all workers in the Bay Area and beyond.
Donor Center Specifics:
Grantee: Trabajadores Unidos Workers United
Fiscal Sponsor: Chinese Progressive Association
Short purpose: For general support of Trabajadores Unidos Workers United.
Log into Donor Center to Make a Grant Today
