Only nonprofit and fiscally sponsored organizations may apply; individuals may not.

Eligibility Requirements

•       Project must have strong artistic and cultural component(s).*
•       Event must take place within Oakland city limits.
•       Event must be open and free to the public (although a limit on number of attendees related to venue is acceptable).
•       Project must demonstrate a commitment to celebrating communities of color in Oakland.
•       Project must be completed within one year of the grant award date.
•       Date of event(s) must be after the award notification date (see award dates below).
•       Funds awarded must be spent only on the project specified in the grant application.
•       An organization may not receive more than one Beloved Community Fund Grant in a calendar year.
•       Akonadi prioritizes investments in cultural strategies that:
  • are shaped by, and reflect, the lives of youth of color.
  • develop young people’s collective expression of their experiences and visions for their communities;
  • support systems change efforts and transform structures.

The Foundation makes grants to organizations that are tax-exempt under Section 501(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code and are classified as “not a private foundation” under Section 509(a). Organizations may also submit applications through a sponsoring organization if the sponsor has 501(c)(3) status, is not a private foundation under 509(a), and provides written confirmation of its willingness to act as the fiscal sponsor.

*By artistic and cultural component we mean the event involves art, artists, and /or cultural workers as an integral part of the event, and/or the event centers indigenous or traditional cultural knowledge and expression rooted in communities of color.

Akonadi Foundation awards project-specific grants ranging from $2,000 – $15,000 for events and projects that advance racial justice in Oakland. In 2017, the average grant size was $7,700 with a total of $500,000 awarded to 65 projects.

• Racial trauma and healing
• Representations of youth of color that combat stereotypes
• Short- and long-term structural effects of police brutality and racial inequity on Black communities in particular and people of color generally.

Funding is not limited to these areas. We also invite proposals from projects/events that meet the eligibility requirements and the purpose of the Beloved Community Fund but fall outside these specific areas.

What kind of events do you fund?

• Community celebrations/gatherings
• Cross-racial/multi-racial/cultural exchanges
• Festivals
• Exhibits
• Readings
• Healing clinics
• Performances
• Symposia
• Historic commemorations
• Media projects that include a public cultural event
• Series of arts/cultural workshops that include a public cultural event
• Public art projects that include a public cultural event

What will not receive funding?

• Political advocacy efforts for or against a candidate, ballot measure, or bill
• Events conducted solely or primarily as fund-raisers
• Requests for general operating support
• Requests from religious, labor, fraternal, athletic, or political organizations
• Projects based in public or private educational institutions (K-12, private schools, and universities)
• More than one proposal per organization (except for fiscal sponsors applying on behalf of more than one organization)
• Multiple proposals for components of the same festival, event, or project

To apply

1. Complete the Eligibility Quiz to see if you qualify.
2. If you successfully complete the eligibility quiz, you will receive a link to our online application. Applications are accepted only through Akonadi Foundation’s online grants system.
3. Once you complete and submit the application, you will receive an email with the grant status on the Award Notification Date.
4. If a project was not awarded funds, an organization may not reapply for the same project but may apply for funding for a completely new and separate project.
5. If you are approved, you will receive your grant award once you return the signed grant contract to us.

2018 Deadlines and Award Notification Schedule

The Beloved Community Fund application process is highly competitive, as we manage finite funds with growing demand. 

• Review the BCF APP GUIDE to learn about our review criteria to support you in submitting a strong and competitive application.
• BCF FAQ to see a list of frequently asked questions.

February 2018 BCF Grant Award List

(5 Grants, Total Dispersed: $34,500.00)

Drumluck: An Ancestral Gathering, Boomshake Music, $8,500
Date: March 18 and May 1, 2018
Location: Uptown & East Oakland, Humanist Hall and Fruitvale Plaza, respectively

Drumluck is an intergenerational gathering centering Oakland’s womxn, youth, and families to share/learn ancestral traditions and drum for cultural survival and social change. By sharing the history and context of each activity, we remind ourselves that we are seen, heard, and our ancestors not forgotten, so we can strengthen community, celebrate our cultures, and heal racial trauma.

Las Hociconas Performance Showcases & Open Mic, Las Hociconas Lab Theater Arts Residency 2018, $10,000
Date: March 8th (International Womxn’s Day) & March 9th, 2018
Location: Grand Lake, Studio Grand

Las Hociconas Lab Residency is a sacred creative space for transitional age young adult cis-womxn, queer, trans and gender expansive artists of color (20 – 35 yrs old) to share their stories and family histories; examine themes of home, gentrification, migration, and changing communities; and develop new works to be shared with the community. Las Hociconas Culminating Performance Showcases will take place at Studio Grand on March 8th (International Womxn’s Day) and March 9th, 2018. The performances are free and intended to serve and welcome local residents of Oakland with a focus on creating open public performances that are accessible to all, including families and individuals, especially artists, of working class to low-income backgrounds, people of color native to the Bay Area, and immigrant communities. Our public performances will profile the Lab’s cohort of young emerging artists of color, as well as some of the guest artists of the Residency, and will include an open mic portion to amplify other voices of color in the community. Many of the Lab participants are Oakland residents.

Disrupting Displacement through Accessible Arts, Oakland Peace Center, $8,500
Date: TBD
Location: North Oakland, Oakland Peace Center

Black Artist, writer, and pasteur Marvin K. White, a native of Oakland, began to envision how a community series highlighting lesser known but radical and innovative artists of color could help community members enter into a conversation on displacement through a different lens; a lens of celebration of the gifts that make our community rich. The Series led by Oakland-native artists of color will take place at the Oakland Peace Center and raise the theme of cultural preservation in order to connect community members with what makes Oakland so vibrant and provide opportunities for them to engage in a conversation on displacement, featuring visual, musical, and spoken word art. It will also feature the work of Marvin K. White and other queer artists or color from the community.

The Oakland International Film Festival, The Oakland Film Society, $6,500
Date: April 3 – 7, 2018
Location: Uptown/Downtown, Various Locations

The 16th Oakland International Film Festival will take place at various venues in the City of Oakland. The theme this year is MLK 50 – Representing 50 years Since the Assassination of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr, with the question: “Where Do We Go From Here?,” the title of Martin Luther King’s last book he authored 51 years ago, after the Civil rights bill was signed. Films that promote social justice will be highlighted to inspire future generations to learn from our collective past of struggle as we move forward. Free screenings will take place at Oakland’s City Hall and other venues in the downtown area including Geoffrey’s Inner Circle. Free screenings will also take place at various venues on April 7th.

Dance of the Holy Ghosts by Marcus Gardley, Ubuntu Theater, $7,500
Date: March 9 – 31, 2018
Location: North Oakland, Oakland Peace Center

The Ubuntu Theater Project’s West Coast Premiere production of Marcus Gardley’s Dance of the Holy Ghosts intends to serve Oakland and Bay Area audiences, especially the African American community and other communities of color. Dance of the Holy Ghosts examines racial trauma and healing across multiple generations of a Black family, through the lenses of narrative, gospel music, and memory. The production profiles the work of West Oakland native African American playwright Marcus Gardley and features a 29-person ensemble of African American artists.

In 2017, the average grant size was $7,700 with a total of $500,000 awarded to 65 projects.