About

Our mission is to build career pathways for economic equity and climate resilience. Rising Sun is a premier nonprofit organization working at the intersection of economic equity and climate resilience in the California Bay Area and San Joaquin County. With offices in Oakland and Stockton, our workforce development programs specialize in preparing youth, women, and individuals in reentry for high-road careers and green pathways that offer family-sustaining wages. Since our founding in 1994, Rising Sun has served more than 3,000 youth and adults while helping over 52,700 households reduce their carbon footprint.

We operate two impactful programs...

Since 2000, Climate Careers has trained and employed local youth to provide no-cost energy and water efficiency services and education to Bay Area and San Joaquin County residents. Through this social enterprise model, young leaders gain hands-on work experience, fight climate change, and help community members save resources and money. Opportunity Build is an industry-certified construction training program, providing a path to union apprenticeship in the skilled trades. Through job training, case management, and job placement support, adults who enter the program with barriers to successful employment gain the skills they need to begin high-road careers in the construction industry.

Our vision is a just and sustainable future for all people and our planet.