Community Relations

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Community Relations

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Community Engagement

The Port of Oakland, through the Oakland Seaport, Oakland International Airport, and waterfront properties, generates 98,345 local jobs. As the second largest job generator in Oakland and the fifth largest job generator in the region, the Port remains a critical source of economic opportunity and jobs in Northern California.

Our mission is not only to operate a thriving seaport; an airport-community connection is also a pillar of our work. Throughout the year the Port of Oakland offers family-friendly events at Jack London Square; provides opportunities to explore the Oakland Seaport by boat on free harbor tours; hosts free field trips at Middle Harbor Shoreline Park for learning about the natural habitat and maritime activities; makes charitable contributions, sponsorships, and grants to local community-based organizations; and has speakers available to share the Port’s story for classrooms and business functions.

We listen carefully to citizen feedback and follow up on your suggestions and concerns. That’s why Port staff engage with residents and local businesses regarding Port activities and developments at neighborhood councils, civic organizations, and community festivals and fairs.

Community Investment Program

Approved by the Oakland Board of Port Commissioners on July 2015, the Port of Oakland Community Investment Program seeks to add value and best serve our diverse communities within the Port’s footprint. This grant program provides grants to benefit the communities in the Port’s Local Impact Area (LIA) in Oakland, Alameda, Emeryville, and San Leandro, as well as communities in the Port’s Local Business Area (LBA) in Alameda and Contra Costa Counties.

The Port of Oakland provides quarterly grants up to $5,000 to non-profit organizations that align with the following funding priority areas:

Economic Vitality: The Port promotes community and economic viability by helping small businesses thrive and create and sustain jobs that support our local community. We proudly support programs that expand access to Port opportunities for small and local businesses, as well as organizations that provide technical assistance to businesses to expand their impact.

Environmental Sustainability and Healthy Communities: We are committed to sustaining healthy communities through leading-edge environmental stewardship via our air quality, clean water, and energy conservation programs. We proudly support organizations that promote our environmental programs.

Workforce Development and Education: We support programs that prepare individuals to participate successfully in an increasingly global society and to contribute back to the communities in which they live. Specifically, we focus on supporting programs that prepare individuals for careers in port-related industries. Examples include but are not limited to: training and education in construction; trade and logistics; science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) education; aviation, and the building-construction trades.

Application Schedule

Fall 2024	Opens October 1, 2024	Deadline October 31, 2024	Award announcements are by November 30, 2024. Funding will be awarded in mid-December
Winter 2024	Opens January 2, 2024	Deadline January 31, 2024	Award announcements are by February 28, 2024. Funding will be awarded in mid-March.
Spring 2024	Opens April 1, 2024	Deadline April 30, 2024	Award announcements are by May 31, 2024. Funding will be awarded in mid-June.
Summer 2024	Opens July 1, 2024	Deadline July 31, 2024	Award announcements are on August 31, 2024. Funding will be awarded in mid-September.

Plan ahead for your events — after the application period closes, it will take about 30 days to review requests before award determinations are made. This means funding will be awarded 15 days after your award announcement. To apply you must have current status as a 501(c)3 non profit organization. Organizations that have not yet received an IRS 501(c)3 designation must identify a “fiscal sponsor” to receive the requested grant.

Harbor Tours

Port of Oakland is pleased to sponsor free harbor tours from May through October 2024 on a Blue & Gold boat. The tours will be held once a month, and each tour will last approximately 90 minutes.

Visitors will learn about the Port, its operations, and the economic and jobs impact on the region. Harbor tours provide a unique vantage point because the Port’s marine terminals can be viewed from the water. The excursions are a great way to see how the Oakland Seaport works.

Boarding will take place at the Oakland Jack London Terminal (Ferry Dock) at 10 Clay St. (at the corner of Water Street) in Jack London Square, Oakland, CA, USA, 94607. There are nearby parking lots (There is a fee to park.)

Online registration will open on the first Monday of each month for that month’s tour. It is not possible to register for any tour in advance for the following month. There are 230 spaces available to the public on each harbor tour.

The next opportunity to register is for the July boat tour on Monday, July 1, 2024, at 8 p.m. (PDT) for the Friday, July 12 tour. The FREE tickets go quickly and are usually gone in the first few minutes of the online registration, so it’s important to be online right at 8 p.m. to have a chance at getting a ticket when the registration page goes live.