
Reopening Black Businesses Together
Based on expressed need and the level of support received, the Resiliency Relief Program will serve as a temporary stop gap
On behalf of the Oakland African American Chamber of Commerce, thank you for your interest in the Resiliency Fund. We have received Phase 1 grant applications and they are under review.
Thank you to our Sponsors
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We want to thank everyone for their generous individual donations
James Tolbert | Brenda Wright | Maxine’s Boutique | Chardai Chanel Page |
Denny Adams | Cecily Barclay | Jacob Bintliff | Mike Reis & Olivia Maki |
Peony Lee | Chamaine Woffard | Karin Louzada | Jenn Guerra |
James Wollak | Astrud Reed | Linda White | Marcia Nakamura |
Cornelius Jackson | Paulette Hargrove | Keyaira Lock | Radha Kumar |
Annaliisa Ransel | Nancy Mims Burt | Lisa Mabry | Patricia McCue |
Jake Wharton | Sean Maher | Sarah Greenleaf | Katherine Burrows |
Rudy Ponce | Nicole Sayre | Victoria Jones | Lea Velasco |
Jay Manning | HARTEJPAL BARING | Charles Cantero | Tyler Chapman |
Margaret Hullett | Anita Rao | Nina Ziskin | Chris Stauffenegger |
Christopher Aycock | Erika Seid | Anne Cademenos | Jennifer Berger |
Jennifer Cantero | Keli Baker | Deborah Barnes | Tracy Moreland |
Charles Cantero | Aysha Handley | Georgia W Richardson | Margot Hamer |
Brian Blenner | Shailey Jain | Rory Wohl | Lori Van |
Adam Kintner | Wilhelmina Euell | KitTea LLC | Natalia Silva |
Leslie Palmieri | Judith Marx | Michael Tyrrell | Yvonne Brazil |
Deborah Moss-West | Henry Weiner | Margaret Jacobs | Shonda Scott |
Jim Bautista | Carrie Kosnik | Isabella Tolentino | Janet Lynn |
3MEL LLC | Bryce Stammerjohan | Nettles Nettles | Ellen Davis |
Nina Ziskin | John Hayes | Theodora Jackson | Nola Turnage |
Derek Whipple | Alison Bernard | Stephanie’s Boutique | Amy Iorio |
Leah Saroni | Ahmed Ali Bob | Christina Ehat | Lynette McElhaney |
Terri Konsella | Kelsey Ranjbar | Caitlin Kearns | Montag Ivester |
Dorothy Wickenhiser | Ann Edwards | Edmond Rosen | LaNiece Jones |
Evan MacGregor | Ryan Carlson | galia aharoni | Kimberley Davis |
scott pollak | Stephanie’s Boutique | Chancy Fessler | Julia Ashman |
Donald Patterson | Robert Dorsey III | George Segura | Mark Siegel |
maria caturay | Sonja Stewart | Adam Sherman | Jessica Salazar |
Tehauja Ward | New Vision Fitness | Sunset Sound System | Crystal Abou-Khalife |
Odessa Sturgell | Douglas Love | Charles Cantero | Thelma Harris |
The Truth Outreach | Coraetta Smith | Deborah Barnes | Dorian Webb |
Robert Baedeker | Arlene Hipp | Destiny Muhammad | Aisha Knowles |
Robin Siefkin | TLJ Professional Services, Inc. | Stephanie’s Boutique | Kerry Morgan |
Jan Singer | Michael Johnson | Arthur Spencer | Katherine Zapata |
Mark Greene | Agent Hi5 Productions | George Segura | Graig Brooks |
Ellen Coleman | jessica gary | Maureen Sirhall | Larry Sneed |
Tormain Solorzano | International Bureau of Real Estate Investments, Inc. | Margaret Jacobs | Ali Ar Rasheed |
Laura Bryant | Everett Watters | Steven Meyer | LaVerne McCall |
Larissa Schwartz | ANGELIC PLEASURES | M. Javi Harnly | Amy Craik |
Cary Fleisher | AAA Car Stereos | Erin Weldon | Matthew Winter |
John Amerkhanian | The Sag3 Boutique | Deborah Barnes | Adante Pointer |
Val Hardwick | Aziz Khatri | Paul Vassae | Monica Romero |
Joy Leighton | Georgia W Richardson | Stephanie’s Boutique | Tim and Kepler |
Ute Waldman | Moor Enterprises, LLC | WILLIAM MARTIN | Anthony Ewell |
Anthony Bennetti | Adrian Chua | Marcus McNeil | Antonio Herrera |
Mary Orr | WealthFit | George Segura | Andrea Brown |
Sophie Taddeo | Jean Murrell | Paul Vassar | Nancy Grochowski |
allison hall | Brian Lassiter | William Meyer | Myron Myra |
Debra Walker | Jack Siebert | Ray Carlisle | Jacqulin Nostaja |
Yvette L Elarms | Sylvia Lee | Dorian Webb | Terrie Duncan |
Mary Dries | Jessica Sterling | George Holland, Sr. | Chika Obih |
Timothy Dobbins | Rev. Andriette Earl | Antoinette Clark | Dana Jones |
Therese Muir | Sabrina Kis | Lazandra Dial | Darron Evans |
Joseph Rich | Russell Philpott | Philip Dutton | Otis Watson |
Deborah Barnes | dona savitsky | Maxine Viola Hickman | Ron Brown |
Kimberly Kennedy | Malia Armstrong | Sheryl Birden | Carol McGruder |
Sidney Hancock | Yvonne Brazil | Iguehi James | Valerie Toler |
James Mosteller | Melissa Hellums | Geanie Asante | Lynell Bevels |
russell champa | Marlon Norris | Devona McClinton | Evelyn Wesley |
Beza Mulugeta | Amanda Elliott | Gohn Marie McFadden | Denis McGuirk |
Gary W Glass | jain williams | Greg Young | Margie Winn |
Rachel Courtey | Larisa Troche | Joshua Brown | Jill Nannizzi |
Lynette Pang | matthew griffin | Sandra Varner | Lisa Kinoshita |
Diane Spieler | Dana Y’Anad Burrell | E McCoy-Raul | Cherrylyn Gonzalez |
Margaret Jacobs | Real Estate Services | lori VANDERHURST | Barbara Bailey |
Kathryn Smith | Shoebox Financial Solutions | Dera Williams | Leah Winn |
Susan Turner | sherry vance | Petra Brady | Cynthia Dorsey |
Vivian Luo | Chantal Reynolds | Jeanett Fulcher | Melanie Winn |
William Harwood | Anne Chellas | Anne Mawdsley | Jerry Herdegen |
Jennifer Bronson | Cynthia I Dorsey | Jo Ann Cole | Ridwana Bentley |
Katherine Benouar | Shorron Levy Miller | BESSIE GRAHAM | Debra Jackson |
Carmine Red | Michael LeBlanc | Ineva Williams | Colleen Camp |
Alan Smith | Melanie Bynes | Diane Lewis | Julianna Baxley |
Lorrita Ford | Nicole Felix | MARY JACKSON | Toni Warren |
Lois M. Peterson | Kristy Brooks | Kim Rhoads | Kelley McDonnell |
Michelle Nye | Krystal Rodriguez | Lisa Raphael | Phyllis Dollison |
Sabrina Hall | Peter Wilson | Lisa Clinton | Rene Mastin |
Cody Hazen | Kim Roberta Johnson | Myrtle Gabriel | Burt Boltuch |
Suzanne Cook | J. Frederic Kerrest | Linda Johnson-Jones | Curtis Wigginton |
Holly Below | wade hampton | Brenda Knight | JANA & CHRIS PASTENA |
Nicholas Beim | Tai Tokeshi | Julia Gilden | Kunal Merchant |
George Scharffenberger | Glenn Rudolph | Lorena Mandoriao | Thomas Law |
CATHY GENT | Betsy Beros | Randolph Belle | Auna Harris |
- Grant finalists will receive an email by July 15th. At that time, business owners will be asked to provide verification documentation to allow for due diligence. Being selected as a finalist does not guarantee a grant. It is contingent upon receiving all required documentations.
- We will communicate with everyone regardless of grant approval.
- We encourage applicants to re-submit an application in possible future application rounds.
We thank you for taking the time to submit your application. Please continue to monitor OAACC”s Frequently Asked Questions page for the latest updates on the program.
OAACC is committed to working on behalf of Oakland’s Black small businesses during this crisis. This grant is just one of the many ways in which we hope to provide support in the coming days, months and years. Please visit oaacc.org to sign up to our newsletter and receive weekly updates on activities.
The Resiliency Fund Team

Baugh is among the scores of Black business owners who received a proverbial lifeline, from the Resiliency Relief program thanks to OAACC.
The OAACCF, in partnership with its corresponding Advisory Council, has created a COVID-19 Resiliency Relief Program. The monies raised under this program will be made available as interest-free grant relief dollars for these businesses, adversely impacted by COVID-19, and under the Federal orders of S.I.P. (Shelter in Place).
Congress approved funding; however, hundreds of local small Black owned businesses did not receive financial support. Their recovery will be extremely difficult. The Oakland African American Chamber of Commerce Foundation (OAACCF) has launched a Resiliency Relief Grant Program to raise $1 MILLION for financial infusion to resuscitate local Black owned businesses.
The OAACCF Resiliency Relief Program provides Grants to Small Businesses
Please APPLY for the OAACCF Resiliency Relief Program to find out if you are eligible for receiving an Interest Free Grant from monies raised by your Oakland African American Chamber of Commerce Foundation by following the detailed CRITERIA listed below.
To Apply for a Grant
If you are a local small Black owned business in Oakland, California and would like to apply for a Grant, the criteria follows…
- Review the OAACCF Resiliency Eligibility Checklist to help the Advisory Council start the process of qualifying your business with identifying your business eligibility (fillable form here).
- Review the Eligibility Requirements here.
- Completing the process online.
- Current OAACCF Member, please present your Member ID
- Non-Chamber Member, please apply for your Membership Here, www.oaacc.org.
All Chamber Applicants should be prepared to show a 2018 or 2019 business filing if they do not operate under the above requirements
Non-Chamber Applicants May apply later in the application process. Each non-chamber awardee will be assessed whether a fee will be required, pending need, and on a case by case basis.
To Fund the Resiliency Program
Help the Oakland African American Chamber of Commerce Foundation (OAACCF) retain a viable part of our business community–the local African American small business owner. The OAACCF, in partnership with its corresponding Advisory Council, has created a COVID-19 Resiliency Relief Program. The monies raised under this program will be made available as interest-free grant relief dollars for these businesses, adversely impacted by COVID-19, and under the Federal orders of S.I.P. (Shelter in Place).
Funds to provide economic relief to local African American owned businesses, defined as 20 employees or less, have not trickled down to the African American community.
Qualifying “grantees” in this category (20 employees or less) will be vetted according to three of the OAACC eligibility requirements including:
Demonstrate business legitimacy
- Provide any form of business documentation – website, business pictures, bank statements that include the business address and business name
- A valid business license dated 05/01/19 or earlier
- A valid identification card (driver’s license, passport, etc)
- A completed W9 form (if approved)
- Primary business operation in Oakland, California
- Sales from Square, CASH AP, Kabbage, and the like to document cash flow over a reasonable period of time
Application Process Now Closed
APPLICATION DEADLINE WAS JUNE 20, 2020

“We are all in this together”
African American businesses have been hit hard by the COVID-19 pandemic and need your support
No collateral or personal guarantees are required. Neither the government, lenders or the OAACCF will charge small businesses any fees.
The award is a grant and is not required to be paid back.
Grant Details
- One-time grant of $5,000 – pending qualification as determined by OAACC Advisory Council.
- One-time grant of $3,000 – special circumstances – as determined by OAACC Advisory Council.
- 3rd Criteria: Grants will also be allocated in various amounts ranging from $1,500 – $10,000, pending decisions made by the OAACC Advisory Council.
Criteria for Receiving Relief:
- Complete Application Link
- Complete OAACC Resiliency Financial Management Training via the Web
- Complete 2 Hour Financial Management Training Workshop

Questions?
Information is constantly being updated on the website. Keep checking back. Read about how we collect data here.
333 Hegenberger Road
Suite 369
Oakland, California 94621
Email: office@oaacc.org
Phone: 510-268-1600