R.O.O.F. is seeking grass roots organizations that spend the majority of their revenue directly on program services and have minimal administrative expenses. We want grants to have the most impact possible on the client populations that are being served. We thank you for the dedication your organization has demonstrated through your work in our community.

Grants

R.O.O.F. funds are distributed each year in the following areas:

Housing
Education
Discretionary giving (includes arts and other community services)

The amounts awarded range from $1,000 to $5,000. Most of the grants awarded are in the $1,500—$2,500 range. It is our intention to award grants to organizations whose budgets are small enough that a grant from R.O.O.F. would make a substantial difference. In larger organizations, we look for specific programs where a grant of this size would be important.

Grant Eligibility

Your organization must be headquartered in Alameda or Contra Costa County and provide services primarily in these counties.
To be considered for a grant, your organization must be classified as a public charity and tax exempt under Section 501(c)3 of the Internal Revenue Code.
R.O.O.F. does not give grants to individual public, private, or charter schools. We support public education by granting to the Education Funds in each of the communities we serve, and encourage teachers and charter schools to apply to these funds.

Grant Submission Process — Deadline and Award Notification

R.O.O.F. grants are awarded on an annual basis. The Grant Application and supporting documents must be received no later than the deadline date of November 15 in order to be considered.

Submission deadline (use attached Grant Application): November 15
Grant Award Notification: December 31
Grant Award Distribution: Mid January

There are limited funds available mid-year for emergency and time-specific needs.

We ask that grant seekers introduce themselves to our R.O.O.F. committee by fully completing the one page Grant Application and submitting it with the requested supporting documents. The R.O.O.F. committee will read each of the applications and decisions about funding will be made once a year in November.

Grant Submissions

Each application must include:

A copy of your IRS Sec. 501(c)3 status letter.
A brochure that includes your organization’s mission statement.
A current financial statement.
Completed one page Grant Application

Although we are interested in the work your organization does in the community, please do not send any other materials as we will not be able to read them and they will not be used to consider your application. A simple brochure or one page mission statement will do.

Please no not send newsletters.

Financial data can be condensed to a simple statement of your budget. For our purposes, it should be no more than two pages.

Please do not send bound material.

Any materials you send us must be duplicated and distributed to a 12 member committee. Your total application packet should be no more than 7-8 pages.

Please mail your completed submission to:
Red Oak Opportunity Foundation
1891 Solano Avenue
Berkeley, CA 94707
attn: Jimmy Reina

Please know that we appreciate the services that you provide to our community and wish that we could award funds to all applicants. Whether or not we’re able to provide a grant to your organization this year, you will need to submit an application each year that you would like your organization to be considered.

Thank you for the services you provide that enrich our community!

Download a PDF of the R.O.O.F. Grant Application