Discover Non-Profit Organizations in Berkeley, CA dedicated to supporting and empowering your community. Our directory features organizations committed to addressing the unique needs and challenges of the community through advocacy, programs, and services.
NAFCON is a national alliance of Filipino organizations, institutions, and individuals that responds to the concerns of Filipinos in the US and in the Philippines by creating an action-oriented platform that brings people together through culture & heritage, education, health & wellness, and advocacy.
Live Free USA, headquartered in Berkeley, California, is a faith-based movement committed to healing communities fractured by gun violence and mass incarceration. Since its founding in 2011, Live Free has evolved into a national hub connecting thousands of faith leaders, directly impacted leaders, and movement partners united around a shared vision of peace and public safety. The organization's roots trace to community organizing in Oakland, California, where Rev. Michael McBride and collaborators developed the Oakland Ceasefire program—a violence intervention initiative that cut city-wide shootings and homicides in half. This success inspired Live Free to scale proven approaches nationwide, positioning itself at the forefront of the community violence intervention movement when few understood its potential. Live Free operates from the conviction that criminalization and mass incarceration of people of color, combined with lack of meaningful opportunities, have created a crisis demanding systemic change. Rather than viewing public safety through a purely enforcement lens, Live Free invests in those closest to the pain, building new systems centered on healing and prevention. The organization has incubated transformative initiatives including Community Justice, focused on federal and state gun violence policy; the Black Brown Peace Consortium, uniting violence intervention practitioners into a national advocacy coalition; and the Peace Consortium's Fund Peace Campaign, which unlocked billions in federal CVI funding. By bringing together education, advocacy, and community investment, Live Free embodies a holistic approach to reshaping public safety and expanding opportunity in Black and Brown communities across America.
Serving Berkeley, California and surrounding communities, the Persian Center is a nonprofit charitable organization rooted in the rich heritage of Persian civilization and the lived experiences of Iranian immigrants and their descendants. For more than five decades, the Persian Center has worked to nurture the best of Persian culture and heritage, making it accessible and meaningful to all who wish to connect with these traditions. The organization recognizes that as the world becomes increasingly globalized, thousands of Iranians maintain deep cultural connections to their homeland, and the Center provides an essential space where these bonds can be celebrated and strengthened. As a gathering place for the Iranian diaspora in Berkeley, CA, the Center is dedicated to creating an inclusive environment where Iranians and Iranian descendants can gather to strengthen their sense of identity and integrity while engaging others interested in Persian community and culture. The Center's mission emphasizes quality of life enhancement for the entire community through social, cultural, educational, and recreational activities that honor Persian traditions while building bridges across cultures. By facilitating programs that celebrate Persian contributions to human civilization—from poetry and philosophy to scientific advancement and early declarations of human rights—the Center helps ensure that these traditions continue to inspire and enrich future generations.
Founded with a commitment to unity and cultural enrichment, Bay Area Turkish Society serves the Berkeley, CA community as a welcoming space for individuals and institutions seeking to celebrate Turkish, Anatolian, and Levantine heritage. The organization's mission centers on sponsoring a nonpartisan forum where people of shared cultural background can collectively pursue their interests in the arts, sciences, and humanities while fostering deeper connections within the broader Bay Area community.
What distinguishes Bay Area Turkish Society is its grassroots, volunteer-driven approach to cultural preservation and community building. As a registered 501(c)(3) nonprofit public charity, the organization operates without political or religious agendas, focusing instead on authentic cultural exchange and mutual understanding. The organization recognizes that cultural heritage thrives when communities actively participate in sharing traditions through food, music, dance, and artistic expression. Bay Area Turkish Society creates these vital gathering spaces and programming opportunities, enabling families and individuals throughout Berkeley and the Bay Area to maintain cultural connections, pass traditions to younger generations, and build meaningful relationships with others who value cross-cultural dialogue. By empowering both individuals and cultural organizations, Bay Area Turkish Society contributes to a more vibrant, connected, and culturally rich community for all residents.
NAFCON is a national alliance of Filipino organizations, institutions, and individuals that responds to the concerns of Filipinos in the US and in the Philippines by creating an action-oriented platform that brings people together through culture & heritage, education, health & wellness, and advocacy.
Live Free USA, headquartered in Berkeley, California, is a faith-based movement committed to healing communities fractured by gun violence and mass incarceration. Since its founding in 2011, Live Free has evolved into a national hub connecting thousands of faith leaders, directly impacted leaders, and movement partners united around a shared vision of peace and public safety. The organization's roots trace to community organizing in Oakland, California, where Rev. Michael McBride and collaborators developed the Oakland Ceasefire program—a violence intervention initiative that cut city-wide shootings and homicides in half. This success inspired Live Free to scale proven approaches nationwide, positioning itself at the forefront of the community violence intervention movement when few understood its potential. Live Free operates from the conviction that criminalization and mass incarceration of people of color, combined with lack of meaningful opportunities, have created a crisis demanding systemic change. Rather than viewing public safety through a purely enforcement lens, Live Free invests in those closest to the pain, building new systems centered on healing and prevention. The organization has incubated transformative initiatives including Community Justice, focused on federal and state gun violence policy; the Black Brown Peace Consortium, uniting violence intervention practitioners into a national advocacy coalition; and the Peace Consortium's Fund Peace Campaign, which unlocked billions in federal CVI funding. By bringing together education, advocacy, and community investment, Live Free embodies a holistic approach to reshaping public safety and expanding opportunity in Black and Brown communities across America.
Serving Berkeley, California and surrounding communities, the Persian Center is a nonprofit charitable organization rooted in the rich heritage of Persian civilization and the lived experiences of Iranian immigrants and their descendants. For more than five decades, the Persian Center has worked to nurture the best of Persian culture and heritage, making it accessible and meaningful to all who wish to connect with these traditions. The organization recognizes that as the world becomes increasingly globalized, thousands of Iranians maintain deep cultural connections to their homeland, and the Center provides an essential space where these bonds can be celebrated and strengthened. As a gathering place for the Iranian diaspora in Berkeley, CA, the Center is dedicated to creating an inclusive environment where Iranians and Iranian descendants can gather to strengthen their sense of identity and integrity while engaging others interested in Persian community and culture. The Center's mission emphasizes quality of life enhancement for the entire community through social, cultural, educational, and recreational activities that honor Persian traditions while building bridges across cultures. By facilitating programs that celebrate Persian contributions to human civilization—from poetry and philosophy to scientific advancement and early declarations of human rights—the Center helps ensure that these traditions continue to inspire and enrich future generations.
