RUNWAY Roots’ Roll-Off Marks a New Chapter for the REAL People’s Fund
There are moments in the life of any community-rooted initiative when transitions become a sign of maturity. For the REAL People’s Fund (RPF), the moment has arrived.
As RUNWAY Roots rolls off as a founding partner—shifting out of shared governance and fund management—we mark far more than a structural change. We honor the growth of a community-governed model that is now ready to stand on its own, strengthened by the relationships, practices, and infrastructure that shaped its beginnings.
This roll-off reflects our shared commitment to staying in right relationship—to modeling the values we uplift across the ecosystem: shared leadership, accountability, integrity, and deep care for community. As RPF enters its next stage, this becomes proof of what we have built together: a living model of community-controlled capital that is now moving from its pilot phase into a fully-realized program.
A Vision Rooted in Community Leadership
From its inception, the REAL People’s Fund was imagined as a pathway toward community-controlled capital for Oakland and the Greater East Bay area. Co-created by founding board members Restore Oakland, Oakland Rising, Asian Pacific Environmental Network (APEN), Communities for a Better Environment (CBE), Alliance of Californians for Community Empowerment Institute (ACCE), and Restaurant Opportunities Center - Bay Area (ROC the Bay), and stewarded by founding partners RUNWAY Roots, Uptima Entrepreneur Cooperative, Community Vision, and East Bay Community Foundation, the fund emerged from a shared belief: that communities most impacted by extractive economies should have real power in shaping the future of capital.
Together, the governing board and partners built a fund defined by community decision-making, non-extractive capital, and deep organizing. They co-designed a lending model centered on character, trust, and long-term relationship—bringing to life a structure that combined community governance with integrated capital resources.
Sharing the Blueprint
As a founding partner, RUNWAY Roots brought the infrastructure, strategy, and values-driven innovation necessary to move the vision from concept to practice. RUNWAY Roots:
co-anchored fund administration
designed loan products and terms
developed the entrepreneur intake process
managed the fund and portfolio
negotiated investor terms and stewarded investor relationships
oversaw legal and compliance
cultivated the partner ecosystem
led narrative and communications strategy
drew upon Believe-in-You Money to innovate character-based lending
co-governed as part of the board
shaped practices that now inform RUNWAY’s national integrated capital fund, The ROOTED Fund
Paired with essential leadership from partners—Community Vision’s fund administration, Uptima’s business advising, and EBCF’s resourcing of capitalization—the pilot proved that community-governed, relationship-centered lending is not only possible, but transformative.
Through this partnership, RUNWAY Roots also grew. Working alongside RPF deepened our understanding of power building and affirmed what we have long believed: entrepreneurs are not just business owners—they are cultural shapers, organizers, and political actors capable of impacting real change in their communities.
A Model Tested and Proven
The pilot phase of RPF demonstrated something powerful: that when capital is governed by community, grounded in trust, and deployed with transparency and patience, it becomes a tool for long-term economic power. Entrepreneurs experienced access to capital embedded within a supportive ecosystem. Community organizations saw their leadership and values reflected in real financial structures. Investors witnessed a working model of non-extractive lending guided by accountability and shared purpose.
Through this work, RPF has become a regional prototype of what democratic economic infrastructure can look like.
Entering a New Phase: Governance & Infrastructure Evolution
As the fund matures, its structure is evolving to lay the groundwork for long-term stability and sustainability. RPF is now transitioning from a shared-services model—where partners collectively held all operational responsibilities—to incorporating dedicated staff, expanded infrastructure, and refreshed governance capacity.
This new phase is about clarity and growth, staffing the fund with dedicated leadership, and ensuring the organizations that are continuing in their roles as partners and board members are best positioned to carry the work forward.
RUNWAY Roots’ roll-off reflects this readiness. The operational foundation is strong. The governance model has matured. The ecosystem is aligned. And, RPF is prepared to operate independently while remaining anchored in its vision.
Honoring What’s Been Built, Seeding What’s Ahead
As many of the founding partners shift out of day-to-day roles, their contributions remain deeply embedded in the fund’s DNA. The commitments made in the pilot phase—the belief in community power, the practice of shared governance, the prioritization of relationship and trust-based lending—continue to guide the path forward.
Entrepreneurs can expect continuity: access to non-extractive capital, holistic advising, and ecosystem support. Investors can remain confident in a proven model now supported by dedicated staff and leadership. Community partners will continue to shape direction through strengthened structures.
This next chapter deepens a long-term regional experiment in economic justice, power building, and community ownership. RPF’s evolution signals that community-controlled capital is a reality—one that can be replicated in regions across the country.
