League of Women Voters of Oakland

What League of Women Voters of Oakland does

The League of Women Voters of Oakland (LWVO) is a nonpartisan, grassroots 501c3 tax-exempt nonprofit organization (EIN 94-6093433) operating in Oakland, California, working to protect and expand voting rights and ensure Oakland residents are represented in democracy. LWVO provides voter education, voter registration, candidate forums, ballot measure explainers, and civic engagement programs to four primary segments: Oakland registered voters, youth and student voters (ages 16-25), civic-minded members and volunteers, and Oakland city government stakeholders. The organization is the local chapter of the national League of Women Voters (founded 1920) and operates with local autonomy while sharing the national brand and nonpartisan mission.

LWVO runs a portfolio of civic programs. The YOUth DECIDE program delivers classroom-based civic education and student-led voter registration across 14+ Oakland high schools and community colleges (Oakland Tech, Bishop O'Dowd, Castlemont, Fremont, Oakland High, Oakland School for the Arts, Skyline, Street Academy, Laney College, Berkeley City College, College Prep, Coliseum College Prep, Cypress Mandela, and others). The Observer Corps is a volunteer government-transparency program monitoring 40+ Oakland city boards, commissions, and committees. Additional programs include candidate forums (supported by a paid part-time contract coordinator), a bimonthly email newsletter, voter education resources (ballot measure explainers, presentations, registration guides), and a Charter Reform education and advocacy initiative co-facilitated with SPUR for Mayor Barbara Lee's Working Group. The underlying technology stack centers on VOTE411 (an online ballot tool provided by the LWV Education Fund, bilingual English/Spanish), customizable Google Slides lesson plans, video presentations, and digital voter guides, distributed through the lwvoakland.org website, email, social media (Instagram, Facebook, X/Twitter, LinkedIn), community events, and direct in-school engagement.

The organization is funded almost exclusively through individual membership dues and charitable contributions; no membership fee amount, total revenue, or annual budget is publicly disclosed. LWVO is effectively volunteer-led, with only one disclosed paid part-time contract position (the Candidate Forums Schedule & Communications Coordinator, ~$5,000 stipend, 20 hours/week, mid-August to mid-October). The organization operates as a free public-good provider within Oakland only, does not sell products, and is not capitalized through equity or grant rounds. Revenue mechanics are therefore those of a small donor-supported chapter rather than a market-rate enterprise.

Name

League of Women Voters of Oakland

Legal name

League of Women Voters of Oakland

Website

https://lwvoakland.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

2020

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

The League of Women Voters of Oakland is a nonpartisan 501c3 nonprofit that delivers voter education, voter registration, and civic engagement programs to Oakland residents, anchoring its youth civic work through the YOUth DECIDE school program and government transparency via the Observer Corps.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Civic Engagement and Voter Education Services

NAICS

Civic and Social Organizations (81341), Social Advocacy Organizations (8133), Civic and Social Organizations (8134)

SIC

Services-Membership Organizations (8600), Services-Social Services (8300)

akta.pro industry

PRIMARYBPAGAFAJ

Democracy, Voting Rights & Civic Participation Advocacy

Business & Public Services/Nonprofit, NGO & Social Services/Civil Rights, Advocacy & Public Policy Organizations

SECONDARYEDAAAAAH

Civic Literacy (Voting, Rights, Community Participation)

Education/Adult & Continuing Education/Adult Basic Education (ABE) & Literacy

Keywords

• Voter education programs
• Civic engagement services
• Nonpartisan voter registration
• Government transparency advocacy
• Community organizing services

Headquarters

HQ city

Oakland, CA

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, Others

Revenue model

1. Individual Membership Dues and Donations: As a 501c3 tax-exempt nonprofit organization (EIN: 94-6093433), LWVO relies on member dues and individual contributions. The organization encourages members to join/renew and donate through its website. No pricing for core voter education services is charged.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels7 records

Core offering

The League of Women Voters of Oakland is a nonpartisan, grassroots 501c3 nonprofit that delivers free civic education, voter registration, and government transparency services to Oakland residents. Its core offerings include the YOUth DECIDE youth civic education and voter registration program operating at 14+ Oakland high schools and community colleges, the Observer Corps monitoring 40+ city boards and commissions, candidate forums, ballot measure explainers, and charter reform advocacy. All services are provided free of charge to the public and funded through member dues, donations, and grants.

Product overview

The League of Women Voters of Oakland operates as a nonpartisan, grassroots civic organization offering a portfolio of programs and services focused on voter education, civic engagement, and government transparency. The core offerings include the YOUth DECIDE program (youth civic education and voter registration at Oakland schools), the Observer Corps (government meeting monitoring), a bimonthly newsletter, voter education resources, candidate forums, and Charter Reform advocacy. These programs work together to empower voters, defend democracy, and ensure public accountability in Oakland's local government.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• YOUth DECIDE: A youth civic education and voter registration program targeting high school and community college students in Oakland. The program educates students in civics and the importance of voting, and registers them to vote.

Products and services

• YOUth DECIDE A youth civic education and voter registration program that partners with Oakland high schools and community colleges to educate students about voting, register them to vote, and encourage civic engagement among 9th-12th graders and community college students. Operates across 14+ schools including Bishop O'Dowd, Castlemont, College Prep, Fremont, Oakland High, Oakland School for the Arts, Oakland Tech, Skyline, Street Academy, Laney College, Berkeley City College, Coliseum College Prep, and Cypress Mandela.
• Observer Corps Government watchdog program that monitors 40+ Oakland city government Boards, Commissions, and Committees to ensure transparency and public access to government actions. Volunteer observers attend meetings and publish findings for civic-minded members and Oakland residents.
• LWVO Newsletter A bimonthly newsletter published every two weeks with information about issues impacting Oakland voters, upcoming community and LWVO events, links to additional resources, and articles to keep Oakland voters informed and connected. Readers can subscribe through the website.
• Voter Education Resources Educational materials including one-page ballot measure explainers, voter education presentations, voter registration guides, and information about local government officials and their responsibilities. Includes the VOTE411 online ballot tool in English and Spanish, customizable Google Slide lesson plans, and video presentations for classroom use.
• Candidate Forums Organized candidate forums and debates for Oakland elections, including coordination with candidate availability and communications promotion for voter education during election seasons. A paid contract coordinator manages forum scheduling and candidate outreach (20 hours/week, mid-August to mid-October).
• Charter Reform Education Community education and facilitation on Oakland Charter Reform, working with SPUR as co-facilitators to inform residents about proposed changes to Oakland's city government framework, including clarifying roles and responsibilities of city officials, improving management of city finances, and strengthening accountability through transparency and oversight.

Quantifiable outcome

• 68% of Oakland voters approved extending voting to 16-17-year-olds for OUSD school board elections (2020 measure)
• +3 more outcomes

Named customers16 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

Feature1 record

Partnerships

Seven partnerships are on record, tiered core and supporting.

• SPURcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2024LWVO was chosen alongside SPUR (a nonprofit public policy organization) to serve as co-facilitator of the Mayor's Working Group on Charter Reform. This working group was convened by Mayor Barbara Lee to review and provide recommendations for reforming Oakland's City Charter in three areas: clarifying roles and responsibilities of city officials, improving management of city finances, and strengthening accountability through transparency and oversight. LWVO's role includes meeting with and educating the community about the Charter's role and soliciting community input for the working group's consideration. The working group issued an advisory report in January 2026.
• Oakland Youth VotecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerOakland Youth Vote (OYV) is a key partner in the YOUth DECIDE program. OYV provides a civic engagement curriculum and coordinates with LWVO to bring voter education and registration to Oakland high schools. LWVO links to OYV resources on its YD Resources page and collaborates on classroom support requests and student voter registration efforts.
• Oakland Kids FirstcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerOakland Kids First collaborated with LWVO to expand the YOUth DECIDE program and bring the League's message to students at Oakland schools. This partnership was specifically credited for helping bring youth voter education and registration to schools as part of a broader coalition to extend voting rights to 16-17-year-olds in Oakland school board elections.
• MLK Freedom CentersupportingOthersListed on the LWVO YD Resources page as a community youth collaboration. The MLK Freedom Center supports personal transformation through community participation and multi-media resources, aligned with LWVO's youth civic engagement mission.
• Bay Area Student Activists (BAStA)supportingOthersListed as a community youth collaboration on the LWVO website. BAStA is an entirely student-led organization that aims to make positive change on a social and legislative level. LWVO links to BAStA resources as part of its youth civic engagement ecosystem.
• New VoterssupportingOthersNew Voters is a Gen-Z led nonprofit highlighted on LWVO's YD Resources page as a partner organization that inspires civic action by mobilizing high school students to register 80,000+ youth to vote across the U.S. LWVO features this organization as a complementary resource in its youth engagement ecosystem.
• California Secretary of StatesupportingOthersLWVO directs voters to California Secretary of State resources including campaign finance data, voter registration portals, ballot tracking (Where's My Ballot?), and official election information. This is an informational partnership where LWVO serves as an intermediary directing voters to authoritative government sources.

Scale indicators6 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• SPUR: A Bay Area nonprofit public policy organization focused on urban planning and good governance. Direct comparable as co-facilitator of the Mayor's Charter Reform Working Group alongside LWVO, with overlapping civic-engagement and local-government-transparency missions.
• Oakland Youth Vote (OYV): Oakland-based youth civic engagement organization and core YOUth DECIDE partner. Directly comparable mission of youth voter registration and civic education in Oakland high schools and community colleges.
• California Common Cause: California affiliate of the national good-government and voting-rights advocacy organization. Directly comparable in democracy, voting rights, and civic participation advocacy at the state and local level.
• League of Women Voters of San Francisco: Sister local chapter of the national League of Women Voters in neighboring San Francisco. Comparable structure, mission, and program portfolio (voter education, observer corps, candidate forums) but operating in an adjacent Bay Area city.
• HeadCount: National nonpartisan voter registration and civic engagement nonprofit that registers voters at concerts and events. Comparable voter-registration mission and target demographic, though focused on a national rather than local geography.
• League of Women Voters of California: The state-level chapter of the same national organization. Directly comparable in mission (nonpartisan voter education, advocacy, civic engagement) and structure (501c3 nonprofit, member-supported), operating at state scale rather than city scale.

Others

• NAACP Oakland Branch: Local branch of a national civil rights organization with overlapping voter-rights and civic-engagement programming. Comparable as a 501c3 nonprofit engaged in voter advocacy in Oakland, but with a broader civil-rights scope.

Broad incumbents

• When We All Vote: National nonprofit founded to increase voter participation. Comparable mission of voter registration and civic engagement, operating at significantly larger national scale with celebrity-driven programming.
• Rock the Vote: Long-established national voter registration and civic engagement organization. Comparable voter registration mission and youth focus, though with a much larger national scope and brand.

Emerging players

• FairVote: Nonpartisan election reform advocacy organization focused on ranked-choice voting and representation. Comparable democracy-reform advocacy mission, but with a narrower policy specialization than LWVO's broader civic-engagement remit.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Instagraminstagram.com/lwvoakland
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/league-of-women-voters-oakland

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles4 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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M&A

Investments

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Frequently asked questions about League of Women Voters of Oakland