Advancing equal rights

The Haas, Jr. Fund is committed to defending the civil rights of gays and lesbians and their families, while also advancing their right to live in a safe and supportive environment and participate as equals in our communities. We invest in litigation, policy analysis, public education and organizing that strengthens laws protecting gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender people and their children from discrimination.

We believe that marriage provides gay and lesbian parents and their children with essential protections and benefits. Accordingly, we support national strategies aimed at educating the public and policy makers about the legal and social significance of marriage equality as a civil right.

The Fund is interested in promoting access to public services, housing and employment, including service in the military. We also invest in making important institutions welcoming and supportive for gays, lesbians and their families—particularly schools, childcare centers and communities of faith. We support HIV-prevention programs that integrate anti-homophobia education and advocacy into their work, especially those directed at communities of color.

Over the past five years (2003-07), the Fund has made grants totaling nearly $23.6 million in the area of gay and lesbian rights. (see chart)