Oakland Heritage Alliance

What Oakland Heritage Alliance does

Oakland Heritage Alliance (OHA) is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit membership organization founded in 1980 and headquartered at 446 17th Street, Suite 301, Oakland, California. The organization advocates for the protection, preservation, and revitalization of Oakland's architectural, historic, cultural, and natural resources through publications, education, and direct action. Its primary constituents are individual members and supporters in Oakland and the broader Bay Area who are engaged with local heritage preservation, architectural history, and community advocacy. OHA is led by President Daniel Levy, a board that includes Feleciai Favroth and Naomi Schiff, and a small staff of six employees supported by volunteer committees.

OHA's programmatic surface spans walking tours, educational lectures, the triannual OHA News printed newsletter, preservation advocacy at City Hall, and recognition programs including Partners in Preservation Awards, the Plaque Committee, the House Research Program, and the Oaktown Legacy Business Program. The organization operates a website (oaklandheritage.org) as the central member-facing platform, with Constant Contact handling email outreach, Neon CRM managing member records, and Humanitix and Eventbrite processing event ticketing. The technology footprint is intentionally lightweight — appropriate to a six-employee advocacy nonprofit — with no proprietary software or AI capabilities.

Revenue is generated through three primary streams: annual membership dues across six tiers ranging from $20 (student) to $500 (patron), event ticket revenue from walking tours priced at $15 for members and $20–$25 for non-members, and tax-deductible donations including campaign-specific giving for efforts such as the 16th Street Station preservation. OHA explicitly offers fee waivers and need-based pricing for both memberships and tours, reflecting an inclusive community-driven go-to-market motion. Distribution is direct-to-consumer via the website and mail-in membership forms, with events also marketed through Facebook, earned media, and email. The organization's most visible recent strategic focus has been the multi-year campaign to secure National Register of Historic Places listing for the 1912 Southern Pacific 16th Street Station in West Oakland, which was achieved on January 27, 2025.

Name

Oakland Heritage Alliance

Legal name

Oakland Heritage Alliance

Website

https://oaklandheritage.org

Company type

Private

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

Oakland Heritage Alliance is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit membership organization that protects Oakland's architectural, historic, cultural, and natural resources through walking tours, lectures, advocacy, and publications for individual members, history enthusiasts, and community stakeholders.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Headquarters

HQ city

Oakland

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. Membership Dues: Annual membership dues at multiple tier levels ($20-$500) providing recurring revenue stream. Members receive discounts on events, printed newsletters, and event vouchers.
2. Event Tickets: Revenue from walking tours, lectures, and special events. Walking tours typically priced at $15 for members and $20 for non-members. Some events have higher pricing ($25 for premium tours).
3. Donations: Tax-deductible donations supporting specific initiatives like the 16th Street Station preservation effort. One-time campaign donations.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

Oakland Heritage Alliance is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit membership organization that advocates the protection, preservation, and revitalization of Oakland's architectural, historic, cultural, and natural resources through publications, education, and direct action. Its core offerings include guided neighborhood walking tours (e.g., Oakland Chinatown, Fox Oakland Theater, Mountain View Cemetery), expert lectures on Oakland history and architecture, a triannual printed OHA News newsletter, and direct advocacy at City Hall on preservation issues such as the Southern Pacific 16th Street Station.

Product overview

Oakland Heritage Alliance is a 501(c)(3) non-profit membership organization that operates as a unified advocacy and educational entity rather than a technology platform. Its core offerings consist of heritage preservation advocacy, educational programming through lectures and walking tours, a triannual newsletter (OHA News), and membership services. The organization runs specialized programs including the Partners in Preservation Awards, Plaque Committee, House Research Program, and the Oaktown Legacy Business Program. Revenue is generated through membership fees ranging from $20-$500 annually, event registrations, and donations. The organization's work centers on protecting Oakland's architectural, historic, cultural, and natural resources through direct action, publications, and community education.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Walking Tours Program Guided walking tours of Oakland neighborhoods covering historic architecture, landmarks, cemeteries, parks, and cultural districts, including the Fox Oakland Theater, Mountain View Cemetery, neighborhood tours, Oakland Chinatown, and architecture-focused tours. Ticket prices are typically $15 for members and $20 for non-members, with $25 for premium tours.
• Educational Lectures Regular expert lectures on Oakland's history, architecture, and cultural heritage, featuring speakers on topics such as Montgomery Ward kit houses, restoration processes, historic preservation, and neighborhood histories. Lectures are held both via Zoom and in-person and are recorded for later viewing.
• OHA News Newsletter Triannual printed newsletter for members covering preservation initiatives, historic resources, OHA events, and Oakland heritage news. Included as a benefit at the $45 Individual membership tier and above.
• Preservation Advocacy Direct advocacy at City Hall and with governmental bodies on behalf of members to protect historic and cultural resources from demolition, neglect, and inappropriate development, including the long-running 16th Street Station campaign and California College of the Arts buildings.
• Membership Program Annual membership program offering tiers from $20 student to $500 patron, providing newsletter access, event discounts, event vouchers, and advocacy participation rights.
• Oaktown Legacy Business Program Recognition and support program for long-standing Oakland businesses as part of the city's cultural heritage.
• Partners in Preservation Awards Annual awards program recognizing individuals and organizations contributing to Oakland's historic preservation; includes a Lifetime Achievement Award category.
• House Research Program Research program helping members investigate the history of Oakland's residential architecture and historic properties.
• Plaque Committee Program Program dedicated to marking and commemorating significant historic sites with plaques throughout Oakland.

Quantifiable outcome

• Successfully advocated for 16th Street Station to be listed on National Register of Historic Places (January 2025)

Named customers1 record

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

Seven partnerships are on record, tiered minor and core.

• OakStopminorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 20 July 2024Venue host for the 16th Street Station Charrette community planning event held July 20, 2024 at 1721 Broadway, Suite 201, Oakland.
• Academy of Art StudentsminorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 20 July 2024Architecture students participating in the 16th Street Station Charrette, contributing architectural models and reuse ideas for the station site.
• African American Museum & Library (AAMLO)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCollaborative relationship regarding 16th Street Station preservation. AAMLO holds significant materials related to the station and the Pullman Porters. The station is part of the city's designated Black Arts Movement and Business District which extends to AAMLO.
• Oakland Asian Cultural CenterminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership for Oakland Chinatown walking tour, combining OHA's tour expertise with OACC's cultural programming.
• National Trust for Historic PreservationcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerReferenced as potential funding source for 16th Street Station restoration through the African American Cultural Heritage Action Fund.
• Friends of Sausal CreekminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartner organization for Dimond Park tours, providing expertise on Sausal Creek watershed restoration with native plants.
• Friends of Dimond ParkminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCommunity organization managing volunteer teams for Dimond Park maintenance, co-hosting park tours with OHA.

Scale indicators1 record

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Emerging players

• San Diego History Center: While more museum/research-focused, it operates in the same civic history and preservation-education space as OHA, with comparable programming (exhibits, lectures, walking tours) and community engagement.

Direct peers

• Pittsburgh History & Landmarks Foundation: Membership nonprofit that combines preservation advocacy, educational programming, plaques, walking tours, and heritage events in Pittsburgh — directly comparable to OHA's integrated preservation + education model.
• Historic Seattle: A nonprofit preservation advocacy and education organization running walking tours, plaques, lectures, and advocacy — structurally analogous to OHA but focused on Seattle's built heritage.
• Preservation Alliance of Greater Philadelphia: A preservation advocacy nonprofit that delivers walking tours, educational programming, and advocacy campaigns in Philadelphia, closely matching OHA's combination of community engagement and direct-action preservation work.
• Los Angeles Conservancy: A long-standing membership-based preservation advocacy nonprofit that runs walking tours, lectures, advocacy campaigns, and a newsletter to protect historic places in Los Angeles, mirroring OHA's programs and structure at larger scale.
• San Francisco Heritage: A 501(c)(3) nonprofit membership organization advocating for the preservation of San Francisco's architectural and cultural heritage through education, walking tours, lectures, and policy advocacy — a near-identical operating model to OHA in an adjacent Bay Area city.

Regional players

• East Bay Hills Conservation Council: An East Bay-based conservation advocacy nonprofit with overlapping member base and partial mission overlap with OHA's natural-resource preservation work (e.g., Friends of Sausal Creek tours).

Broad incumbents

• National Trust for Historic Preservation: The national umbrella preservation organization that OHA partners with (African American Cultural Heritage Action Fund); comparable mission at much larger scale, providing funding and policy support that OHA leverages.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat3 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/oakland-heritage-alliance

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles4 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

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

Frequently asked questions about Oakland Heritage Alliance