Small Business Week

Small Business Week 2024 will feature in-person and virtual panels, workshops and resource fairs presented by partner organizations that are designed and curated by the City of Oakland Economic Development Department to provide relevant information, actionable strategies, resources and valuable connections to help Oakland businesses survive and thrive. From financial strategies, taxes and accounting, safety and security, building a digital presence, commercial lease negotiations, access to capital, transitioning from home-based or mobile business to a brick and mortar space, and beyond, the 2024 Oakland Small Business Week Schedule offers over 15 free educational workshops plus:

• City of Oakland Small Business Resource Fair featuring representatives over a dozen City Departments on Tuesday, April 30th, 2-4pm.
• Multi-Cultural Chamber Mixer on Wednesday, May 1st, 5-7pm.
• 2024 Celebration of Oakland Small Businesses, an in-person reception and mixer for small businesses and our business support partners on Friday, May 3rd, 4:30-6:30pm at Geoffrey's Inner Circle in Downtown Oakland.

Partnering organizations include: Local Initiatives Support Corporation (LISC), Laurel District Association / Montclair Village Association, Oakland-East Bay Local Business Alliance, Mainstreet Launch, Oakland Don't Play Inc, Oakland African American Chamber of Commerce, Oakland Chinatown Chamber of Commerce, Oakland Latino Chamber of Commerce, Oakland Metropolitan Chamber of Commerce, Oakland Vietnamese Chamber of Commerce, Renaissance Entrepreneurship Center, and The Unity Council.

The Business Development Division of the Economic & Workforce Development Department issued a Call for Presenters for the City of Oakland’s 2024 Small Business Week. This year, we requested proposals from small businesses, non-profit partners and for profit consultants to sponsor their 2024 Small Business Week activities and workshops. We strongly encourage collaborative proposals where organizations partner together. We welcome proposals for workshops and events that are fully virtual, in-person, and those with hybrid attendance options.

The City of Oakland will be providing sponsorship support of up to $1,000 per workshop to cover expenses associated with the activity. The deadline to submit all proposals was Wednesday, February 14.

Access City business support staff year-round via our Neighborhood Business Assistance Program with email and phone support, as well as in-person appointments available throughout Oakland.

Juno Thomas
(510) 238-7952
jthomas@oaklandca.gov