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In 2007, the Haas, Jr. Fund joined with the Gill Foundation and an anonymous donor to create the State Equality Fund. Its mission: to further the cause of equal rights for the LGBT community at the state and local levels, with a focus on winning nondiscrimination protections covering employment, accommodations, “safe schools” and more. In 2010, the Arcus Foundation joined the effort.
Since 2007, the State Equality Fund has provided almost $7.5 million to a variety of organizations. While working in conjunction with the Civil Marriage Collaborative, the State Equality Fund supports issues not eligible for funding from the Collaborative. The Fund’s grantmaking has been credited with laying the groundwork for a number of wins, including domestic partner protections in Wisconsin, civil unions in Nevada and Washington state, and a safe schools law in North Carolina that requires schools to adopt policies against harassment based on a number of factors, including sexual orientation and gender identity.
“The campaign to achieve equal rights for gays and lesbians tends to center on marriage equality, but there are other important issues at stake,” said Sylvia Yee, Vice President of Programs for the Haas, Jr. Fund. “Through the State Equality Fund, we are working with other funders to keep the spotlight on the full range of protections that are needed, and to lay the groundwork for progress.”
