East Bay Community Foundation

Brandi Howard, as President and CEO, oversees both the foundation's grantmaking strategy and its investment operations. The Board of Directors, chaired by Mark Friedman, provides fiduciary oversight and sets broad policy direction. EBCF does not employ a separate chief investment officer; its asset base is managed through a combination of internal processes and external investment managers typical of community foundations of its size.

EBCF holds a diversified pool of assets that includes donor-advised funds, bequests, and direct real estate holdings. Confirmed real estate assets include the De Domenico Building at 200 Frank H. Ogawa Plaza, a residential condo at 300 Beale Street in San Francisco, and properties in Santa Rosa and Walnut Creek. The foundation also operates a cryptocurrency donation program. The precise asset allocation across equities, fixed income, and alternatives is not publicly disclosed.

EBCF primarily makes grants from its donor-advised fund pool and direct endowments, but its holdings in commercial and residential real estate suggest an appetite for mission-aligned asset ownership beyond conventional grantmaking. The Altss research record notes venture-capital and fund-of-funds activity as potential strategies, though no specific program-related investment vehicle is publicly named.

The Akonadi Foundation is listed as a frequent philanthropic partner in EBCF's racial-justice initiatives. EBCF also participates in the CFLeads Racial Equity Network and has signed onto the National Committee for Responsive Philanthropy's Philanthropy's Promise. These affiliations signal a deliberate alignment with peer funders that prioritize structural change over traditional charity models.

EBCF directly owns commercial, residential, and mixed-use properties in Oakland, San Francisco, Santa Rosa, and Walnut Creek. The De Domenico Building serves as the foundation's headquarters and houses conference facilities used by community organizations. The foundation also stewards public art assets such as the East Bay Fund for Artists Collection and multiple murals, treating physical space and cultural assets as mission-aligned holdings.

EBCF is accredited under the National Standards for U.S. Community Foundations, a voluntary accountability framework administered by the Council on Foundations. It is a signatory to the National Committee for Responsive Philanthropy's Philanthropy's Promise, committing to allocate at least 50% of its grant dollars to underserved communities and to provide multi-year, general operating support where feasible.

EBCF does not publicly detail the split between internally managed and externally delegated investment mandates. Given its size and community-foundation structure, it is likely that day-to-day investment management is outsourced to external advisors or OCIO providers, with oversight retained by the board and executive leadership. No specific investment consultant or outsourced CIO is named in available materials.