EBAAF is the proud result of the 2001 consolidation between the East Bay AIDS Foundation and the East Bay HIV Institute for Organizing.

The development of EBAAF is a response to ongoing needs of the East Bay HIV community, most notably, the absence of a local organization (or even a department of a local organization) devoted to HIV advocacy and influencing public policy for the primary benefit of the East Bay HIV community. EBAAF is taking on this role, among others. EBAAF's board members and advisors also realized, however, that EBAAF could not realistically achieve its goals if it remained volunteer-run. In late 2001, EBAAF hired its first full-time program staff member.

While EBAAF may be a relatively recent development, EBAF, its "parent," has been a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization since 1994. For most of its history, EBAF has been primarily volunteer-driven. Accomplishments over the years have included HIV educational programs developed for local schools, participation by board members on the Oakland and Contra Costa HIV prevention and HIV services planning councils, ArtSpeak (an AIDS education project in the Oakland Schools), and "Faces