Rise East

What Rise East does

Rise East is a nonprofit collective impact initiative headquartered in Oakland, California, dedicated to improving outcomes for Black children and families in East Oakland's 40x40 neighborhood. It is the implementation arm of the 40x40 Council (launched in 2019) and operates under the governance of Oakland Thrives. The initiative was formally launched in 2024 with a 10-year plan backed by $100M in committed funding — a $50M anchor investment from Blue Meridian Partners paired with a $50M local funder match — to be deployed over a five-year initial funding horizon.

The organization organizes its work across five investment areas: Learn & Grow (early childhood and education), Safe & Connected (community safety and belonging), Live & Thrive (housing and family stability), Work & Wealth (economic mobility), and Health & Wellbeing (physical and mental health). Programs are delivered through four founding Black-led community-based organizations (CBOs), with Rise East serving as a backbone entity that convenes residents, coordinates funding, and aligns cross-sector partners around shared outcomes.

The business model is philanthropic: Rise East functions as a pooled-fund administrator and place-based coordinator rather than a fee-for-service operator. Revenue is generated through restricted and unrestricted grants from institutional funders, with the Blue Meridian commitment serving as the anchor gift. Headcount is in the 11-50 range, consistent with a small backbone staff that grants out the majority of capital to its CBO partners and convenes a broader coalition of residents, philanthropy, and public agencies.

Name

Rise East

Legal name

Rise East

Website

https://www.riseeast.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

2019

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Rise East is an Oakland-based nonprofit collective impact initiative that coordinates $100M in funding across five investment areas to improve outcomes for Black children and families in East Oakland's 40x40 neighborhood, delivered through four founding Black-led community-based organizations.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Community Development Services

NAICS

Civic and Social Organizations (81341), Child and Youth Services (624110), Other Social Advocacy Organizations (813319)

SIC

Services-Social Services (8300)

akta.pro primary industry

Infrastructure, Housing & Community Development (BPAGABAL)

akta.pro secondary industries

Community Health, Prevention & Health Education (BPAGACAC), Youth Leadership, Civic Education & Service-Learning Nonprofits (BPAGADAI)

Keywords

• Collective impact initiative
• Community development services
• Youth education programs
• Community health programs
• Economic mobility programs

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, Technology or R&D, Others

Revenue model

1. Philanthropic Funding: Rise East is funded through a combination of private philanthropy and leveraged public resources. Blue Meridian Partners provided $50 million in catalytic philanthropy, matched by local foundations, businesses, and donors. The estimated cost to implement the first five years (2024-2028) is approximately $230 million.
2. Local Philanthropy Match: An equal-sized investment from local foundations, businesses, and donors matched the Blue Meridian Partners $50 million contribution.
3. Donations: The organization accepts donations from the public through its website to support the $100 million, 5-year community investment goal.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

Rise East is a 10-year nonprofit collective impact initiative that coordinates funding, programs, and partnerships to improve the health, education, safety, housing, and economic well-being of Black children and families in East Oakland's 40x40 neighborhood. The initiative organizes its work across five interconnected investment areas (Learn & Grow, Safe & Connected, Live & Thrive, Work & Wealth, Health & Wellbeing) supported by five amplifiers (Economic Power, Knowledge Power, People Power, Cultural Power, Political Power), with on-the-ground implementation delivered through four Black-led nonprofit partners. It also operates the 40x40 Community Fund (rapid-response and micro-grants) and is launching the 40x40 Community Data Trust for community-level data and accountability.

Product overview

Rise East is a collective impact initiative organized as a platform of five interconnected investment areas—Learn & Grow, Safe & Connected, Live & Thrive, Work & Wealth, and Health & Wellbeing—supported by five amplifiers (Economic Power, Knowledge Power, People Power, Cultural Power, and Political Power). The initiative also includes a 10-Year Plan developed with community input, the 2025 Impact Report, community events like the Rise East Walking Tour, and funding mechanisms such as the 40x40 Community Fund and 40x40 Community Data Trust. This is not a technology product but a community development and philanthropic initiative.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Learn & Grow Investment area focused on educational enrichment for Black children and youth in East Oakland, including early care access, literacy programs, culturally resonant youth development, college and career pathways, and a Black educator pipeline.
• Safe & Connected Investment area focused on community safety, conflict resolution, behavioral health services, and neighborhood revitalization for Black East Oakland residents.
• Live & Thrive Investment area focused on housing, neighborhood development, and creating thriving living conditions for Black East Oakland residents.
• Work & Wealth Investment area focused on economic opportunities, employment pathways, and building wealth for Black East Oakland residents.
• Health & Wellbeing Investment area focused on physical and mental health resources, healthcare access, and overall wellbeing of Black East Oakland families.
• 40x40 Community Fund for Economic, Social and Cultural Wellness Fund providing rapid-response funds for housing and economic stability, micro-grants for Black businesses, and community healing funds for Black arts and culture in the 40x40 neighborhood.
• 40x40 Community Data Trust Community-owned data repository for community-level insights, action, advocacy, and system accountability in the 40x40 neighborhood.

Quantifiable outcome

• $100 million invested into the community over 5 years
• +2 more outcomes

Segments2 records

Ideal customer profiles1 record

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 core.

• Oakland ThrivescoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerOakland Thrives serves as the collective impact backbone organization, convening decision-makers and community leaders to collaborate on policies ensuring long-term gains in health, wealth, education, housing, and safety for Oakland families. Led by Youth Ventures Joint Powers Authority and the Oakland Thrives Leadership Council.
• The 40x40 CouncilcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCoalition of community-based organizations in the 40x40 area of East Oakland working together to improve health and quality of life. Launched in 2019, includes Black Cultural Zone, Brotherhood of Elders, East Oakland Youth Development Center, and Roots Community Health Center, plus a People's Advisory Council.
• Black Cultural ZonecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerBlack-led nonprofit and founding member of the 40x40 Council, focused on cultural preservation and community development in East Oakland.
• Brotherhood of Elders NetworkcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerBlack-led nonprofit and founding member of the 40x40 Council, focused on elder engagement and intergenerational leadership.
• East Oakland Youth Development Center (EOYDC)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerBlack-led nonprofit and founding member of the 40x40 Council, providing youth development programs at 82nd and International location.
• Roots Community Health CentercoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerBlack-led nonprofit and founding member of the 40x40 Council, providing healthcare and wellness services in East Oakland.
• City of OaklandcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerMunicipal government partner represented on the Rise East Governance Team through Mayor Barbara Lee and Councilmember Kevin Jenkins, working on policy and systems change.

Scale indicators3 records

Recent moves5 records

Expansion highlights4 records

Direct peers

• The Unity Council: Oakland-based place-based community development organization serving the Fruitvale neighborhood with a similar model of integrated education, housing, health, and economic programs for underserved communities. Directly comparable as a hyper-local Oakland collective impact initiative.
• Harlem Children's Zone: NYC-based place-based cradle-to-career initiative offering integrated education, social services, and community programs in a defined geography serving predominantly Black families. The most direct national analog to Rise East's place-based, multi-pillar model.
• Purpose Built Communities: National network supporting place-based mixed-income neighborhood revitalization through integrated education, housing, and community wellness strategies. Highly comparable model targeting concentrated poverty neighborhoods with multi-decade timelines.
• StriveTogether: National collective impact network focused on cradle-to-career education outcomes through cross-sector partnerships. Comparable as a structured collective impact framework with shared measurement and community-led governance.
• Promise Neighborhoods Institute: Network supporting place-based cradle-to-career initiatives modeled after the Harlem Children's Zone approach. Comparable focus on integrated services in defined geographies to break intergenerational poverty.

Broad incumbents

• Local Initiatives Support Corporation (LISC): Large national CDFI supporting comprehensive community development across housing, economic development, education, and health. A broader incumbent in the same community development space with national scale and multi-decade track record.
• Enterprise Community Partners: National nonprofit focused on affordable housing and community development with integrated programs in health, education, and economic opportunity. Comparable mission with much larger national footprint.

Regional players

• EBALDC: East Bay Asian Local Development Corporation, a regional community development organization serving the broader East Bay. Comparable as a place-based nonprofit working on housing and community revitalization in the same metro region.
• Tipping Point Community: Bay Area philanthropic organization that fights poverty through funding and strengthening of high-impact nonprofits, including serving on Rise East's governance team. Directly comparable as a Bay Area poverty-fighting ecosystem participant.

Emerging players

• Forward Cities: National network supporting equitable economic development in mid-sized cities through place-based strategies. Comparable focus on inclusive local economic ecosystems and cross-sector collaboration.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat3 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/riseeastoak
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/rise-east

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles8 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 Rise East