YWCA Berkeley/Oakland

What YWCA Berkeley/Oakland does

YWCA Berkeley/Oakland is a California-based 501(c)(3) nonprofit founded in 1889 that delivers a portfolio of community programs targeting women, youth, BIPOC communities, immigrants, and low-income families across the Berkeley/Oakland East Bay area. Its programmatic surface includes Advocacy, Financial Literacy (including the annual Young Women & Money Conference), Mental Health & Wellness (with a Clinical Training Program), Workforce Development (Career Coaching, English in Action, Summer Workforce Development), Arts and Culture, Community Resource Drives, and a Reproductive Justice & Women's Health program. The organization operates a food pantry sub-brand (Persimmon Food Pantry) and an umbrella campaign (Strong Women for These Times) with an associated speaker series. Operational technology is conventional: a Squarespace-hosted website, NeonCRM for donations, Square for checkout, and Eventbrite for event ticketing — no proprietary technology, API surface, or AI components are disclosed.

The business model is donation-led, with most programs delivered free of charge to community members. Primary revenue consists of individual and corporate charitable contributions, one-time and recurring, supplemented by donor-advised funds, planned giving, and in-kind donations. A secondary revenue stream comes from tiered hourly room rentals of three on-site community spaces (Student Lounge, Main Lounge, Auditorium) priced between $55 and $315 per hour, and corporate partnership/sponsorship packages tied to specific programs and events. Distribution is direct and on-site at the 2600 Bancroft Way Berkeley headquarters, with extended reach through long-standing partnerships — most notably UC Berkeley (Shadow Day since 1994, English in Action for 50+ years) and a network of local organizations across the East Bay. Customer concentration is low by construction: beneficiaries, donors, and partners are distributed across multiple segments, and revenue mechanics are diversified across giving tiers and corporate sponsors. No parent company, subsidiaries, institutional investment, or funding rounds are disclosed; the entity is independently governed by its own board and sustained entirely through philanthropic and program-related income.

Name

YWCA Berkeley/Oakland

Legal name

YWCA Berkeley/Oakland

Website

https://ywca-berkeley.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

1889

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

YWCA Berkeley/Oakland is a 135-year-old Berkeley-based 501(c)(3) nonprofit delivering free community programs in financial literacy, mental health, workforce development, advocacy, and food security to women, youth, and underserved East Bay families, funded primarily through donations and supplemented by room rentals and corporate sponsorships.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Community Social Services

NAICS

Religious, Grantmaking, Civic, Professional, and Similar Organizations (813), Social Advocacy Organizations (8133)

SIC

Services-Social Services (8300)

akta.pro primary industry

Cultural, Identity & Inclusion Programs (EDALAHAF)

akta.pro secondary industries

School Climate, Culture & Belonging Initiatives (DEI-Aligned) (EDAKAMAM), Community Health & Health Equity/Social Determinants Units (HLAJAAAO)

Keywords

• Community social services
• Nonprofit women empowerment
• Financial literacy education
• Mental health services
• Workforce development programs

Headquarters

HQ city

Berkeley

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure, Supply Chain, Others

Revenue model

1. Donations and Charitable Contributions: Individual and corporate donations, both one-time and recurring, constitute the primary revenue stream. The organization accepts online donations, planned giving, donor advised funds, and in-kind donations.
2. Room Rentals: Community space rentals for meetings, classes, and events. Three spaces available: Student Lounge, Main Lounge, and Auditorium with hourly rates ranging from $55-$315 depending on space and time.
3. Corporate Partnerships and Sponsorships: Corporate partner packages offering brand marketing value and meaningful impact for sponsors of programs and events.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

YWCA Berkeley/Oakland is a nonprofit organization that delivers community-based social services focused on eliminating racism, empowering women, and developing leaders. It operates an integrated portfolio of programs including advocacy, financial literacy education, mental health therapy and wellness workshops, workforce development and career coaching, arts and culture programming, a community food pantry, resource drives, the Shadow Day college-access event, English language partnerships, reproductive justice initiatives, and event space rentals.

Product overview

YWCA Berkeley/Oakland is a nonprofit organization offering a comprehensive portfolio of community programs and services focused on eliminating racism and empowering women. The organization operates as a unified platform of interconnected programs rather than a single product, including advocacy, financial literacy (Young Women & Money Conference, workshops), mental health and wellness services (Clinical Training Program, therapy, wellness workshops), workforce development (Career Coaching, English in Action, Summer Workforce Development), and community resource support (Persimmon Food Pantry, Community Resource Drives). Additional services include arts and culture programming, the annual Shadow Day college access program, reproductive justice initiatives, community space rentals, and the Strong Women For These Times campaign and speaker series. The organization was established in 1889 and serves the East Bay community from its Berkeley location.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Persimmon Food Pantry: A vibrant food pantry dedicated to providing nourishing food to the community, offering fresh produce, staple items, and essentials for individuals and families in need.
• Strong Women for These Times

Products and services

• Advocacy Advocacy program that opposes oppression based on gender or race and fights for equal protections for women and BIPOC communities in the East Bay.
• Financial Literacy Provides women and teens with the knowledge and skills to manage their finances independently, including workshops on budgeting, saving, credit building, and entrepreneurship, plus the annual Young Women & Money Conference.
• Mental Health and Wellness Free wellness workshops and mental health services including therapy, support groups, healing circles, art-based gatherings, and activities such as yoga, meditation, sound healing, and reiki sessions.
• Clinical Training Program Low-to-no-cost individual and group therapy services for adults with criminal legal system involvement and people from immigrant and BIPOC communities, delivered by pre-licensed clinicians in training.
• Arts and Culture Culturally responsive arts programming including classes, residencies, and public events in partnership with schools, grassroots groups, and local artists; features dance classes, cultural events, and performances.
• Workforce Development Provides support and resources for gaining employment, pursuing higher education, or advancing in careers, including Summer Workforce Development, Career Coaching, and the English in Action language exchange program.
• Personalized Career Coaching Personalized career coaching with weekly workshops helping participants identify fulfilling roles and providing resources and guidance to pursue career goals.
• English in Action Connects native English-speaking volunteers with people wanting to improve conversational English through weekly in-person or online meetings, with focus on asylum seekers, recent immigrants, and university service workers.
• Shadow Day Annual spring event where East Bay high school students shadow UC Berkeley students for a day to explore academic and educational goals, increase access to higher education, and connect with mentors.
• Persimmon Food Pantry Provides free, nutritious groceries to community members in need including fresh produce, staple items, refrigerated goods, and culturally diverse food options to address food insecurity.
• Community Resource Drives Year-round community resource drives providing East Bay community members access to essential needs including food, clothing, menstrual products, toys, and more.
• Community Space Rentals Rental of three spaces at the Berkeley headquarters — Student Lounge (402 sqft, up to 40 people), Main Lounge (655 sqft, up to 75 people), and Auditorium (1,831 sqft, up to 200 people) — for meetings, classes, and events.
• Young Women and Money Conference Annual financial literacy conference designed to equip young women with financial tools, leadership development, and confidence to take control of their futures; covers budgeting, saving, entrepreneurship, credit building, and financial wellness.
• Reproductive Justice and Women's Health Advocacy and education program addressing reproductive justice including menstrual equity, period poverty, workshops on menstrual and reproductive health, and distribution of menstrual products.
• Strong Women For These Times Speaker Series Speaker series engaging thought leaders, activists, educators, and artists to challenge injustice, inspire advocacy, and promote resilience.
• Strong Women for These Times Campaign strengthening community by rooting in the YWCA mission to empower women and eliminate racism through programs, advocacy, and shared action, including career workshops, financial literacy, health and wellness, and free resources.

Quantifiable outcome

• 5,383 clothing items donated to families
• +3 more outcomes

Named customers4 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

Eight partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Patelco Credit UnioncoreGTM or Marketing PartnerSponsor of the Young Women & Money Conference, providing financial education resources and expertise for young women's financial literacy programming. Patelco's Financial Educator, Veronica Dangerfield, serves as a panelist at the conference.
• North Berkeley Wealth ManagementcoreGTM or Marketing PartnerSponsor of the Financial Literacy YWCA Berkeley Oakland Program. Facilitators Stephanie Nehmens and Maria Quintana-Pilling conduct the 'Invest in Yourself' workshop as part of the financial literacy programming.
• Umoja HealthcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnered with YWCA for Turkey Holiday Giveaway, providing turkey dinners that were distributed to low-income families. Over $2,700 worth of turkey and produce distributed to 30+ families.
• The Banyan TreeminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartner organization hosting the Holi Clothing Swap event at YWCA Berkeley/Oakland. Co-host of Root Journeys celebration of South Asian history and culture.
• UC BerkeleycoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerLong-standing partnership for Shadow Day program where UC Berkeley students mentor high school students. Also hosts English in Action for UC Berkeley international scholars, asylum seekers, and recent immigrants. UC Berkeley departments and clubs participate in Shadow Day activities.
• GLIDE FoundationminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerFeatured partner in Speaker Series. Dr. Gina Fromer, President & CEO of GLIDE Foundation, served as keynote speaker for 'Education is Power' event discussing importance of education and generational poverty.
• California Black Women's Health ProjectminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCollaborating organization for 'Said Out Loud: Our Abortion Stories' film screening event. Part of the Speaker Series programming focused on reproductive justice.
• ASUC Legal Clinic / BMOminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership with ASUC Legal Clinic (sponsored by BMO) for the 'Invest in Yourself' financial literacy workshop, providing legal and financial resources to participants.

Scale indicators7 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Downtown Women's Center: Los Angeles nonprofit serving women experiencing homelessness and poverty through housing, wellness, and economic empowerment programs. Comparable as a women-centered social services nonprofit with similar program mix (housing/food equivalent, mental health, advocacy, economic empowerment).
• YWCA San Francisco & Marin: Bay Area sister YWCA affiliate providing similar women's empowerment, housing, and youth programs in neighboring San Francisco/Marin. Directly comparable as a regional YWCA chapter with overlapping program mix and similar funding model.
• GLIDE Foundation: San Francisco-based nonprofit providing comprehensive social services including meals, housing, and wellness to marginalized communities. Comparable as a multi-program Bay Area social services organization with overlapping service populations and similar fundraising/earned-income model.
• Rubicon Programs: Oakland-headquartered nonprofit delivering workforce development, housing, and reentry support across the Bay Area. Comparable as an East Bay social services peer with overlapping workforce development and community-based programming.
• Building Opportunities for Self-Sufficiency (BOSS): Berkeley- and Oakland-headquartered nonprofit serving individuals impacted by homelessness, poverty, and the criminal justice system. Directly comparable for shared East Bay footprint and overlapping mental health, workforce, and reentry service lines.
• Women's Foundation of California: Statewide foundation funding gender equity, racial justice, and economic empowerment initiatives across California. Comparable for shared focus on women and gender-expansive empowerment and similar reliance on philanthropic and corporate funding streams.

Broad incumbents

• YWCA USA: National umbrella organization for the YWCA movement in the United States, operating across more than 100 countries globally. Comparable as the broader movement YWCA Berkeley/Oakland is affiliated with, providing advocacy, capacity support, and national brand standards.
• Alameda County Community Food Bank: Large regional food bank serving Alameda County with significantly greater scale than YWCA's Persimmon Food Pantry. Comparable for overlapping food access mission in the same geography and similar donor-driven operating model, though it operates at materially larger scale.

Emerging players

• Berkeley Food Network: Berkeley-based food pantry and food recovery organization addressing local food insecurity. Directly comparable for the East Bay footprint and overlapping food access mission, though it specializes where YWCA Berkeley/Oakland runs the Persimmon Food Pantry as one of many programs.
• East Bay Community Law Center (EBCLC): Berkeley-based legal services nonprofit serving low-income East Bay residents across housing, consumer, and immigrant rights. Comparable for shared East Bay service area, partnership ecosystem, and similar reliance on mission-aligned funding sources.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/ywcaberk
• Facebookfacebook.com/ywcaberkeley
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/ywca-berkeley-oakland

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles2 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about YWCA Berkeley/Oakland