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We are looking ahead to the future, ever dedicated to finding ways the Fund can make a unique contribution to this very special place in which we live.

Evelyn D. Haas

$695 million in grants,
71 years of change­making

Explore our digital timeline to learn more about the Fund’s work and to find out about the heroic accomplishments of the leaders and organizations we have the privilege of supporting.

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2023

June
2023

Celebrating 70 Years in Partnership with Transformative Nonprofit Leaders

Collage of nonprofit leaders spotlighted for our 70th anniversary

Since our founding in 1953, one thing has been central to our grantmaking—the people and organizations on the front lines of social change that help us carry forward the legacy set by our founders Evelyn and Walter Haas.

While we’ve been privileged to partner with hundreds of leaders advancing transformative change over the years, we asked seven of them to reflect on our guiding mission to advance justice, hope, and equality, as well as our values of inclusion, respect, collaboration, and courage and why they’re important to achieving our shared goals.

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February 21
2023

Welcoming our New Program Director for College Success

Headshot of College Success Program Director Monica Martinez

The Haas, Jr. Fund is honored to welcome Monica Martinez, who will lead strategies and partnerships to level the playing field in higher ed and reduce financial barriers to a college degree. She has extensive experience advancing education equity and innovation, including in her most recent post as director of strategic initiatives at the Learning Policy Institute, where she played a crucial role in expanding the use of alternative assessments to increase college admissions access nationwide.

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2022

November 10
2022

Oakland Approves Democracy Dollars Program

Two organizers spreading the word on Measure W in Oakland

Voters in Oakland overwhelmingly approved Measure W, which will establish a Democracy Dollars program to revolutionize campaign financing for local elections. The program will provide vouchers to local residents who can in turn use them to support political candidates of their choice.

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November
2022

Building Up Our Partnership with Indigenous Groups

Odilia Romero of CIELO (second from left) and her family. Photo by June Canedo/Vogue

Advancing visibility and inclusion of immigrant Indigenous communities is a growing commitment of our Immigrant Rights program. That’s why we’re partnering with groups like Comunidades Indígenas en liderazgo (CIELO), which works to increase indigenous language access rights and cultural preservation, among other priorities.

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October
2022

California Youth Leadership Corps

Los Angeles youth participating in the local Community Planning program Photo Courtesy of Community Learning Partnership

Funding from five California-based groups including the Haas, Jr. Fund supported the launch of the Community Learning Partnership’s California Youth Leadership Corps, a unique statewide initiative that provides historically marginalized youth with career pathways and resources to become local organizers and change agents in their communities.

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October
2022

The California Campus Catalyst Fund Wraps Up

A college graduate photographed with her family.

This unprecedented three-year effort funded in part by the Haas, Jr. Fund provided public colleges and universities with the resources needed to set up and expand critical campus services that aid the educational success of undocumented students. The development of sustainability plans and advocacy training for student fellows was built into the effort from the start to ensure all participating campuses could maintain their services even after the fund’s sunsetting.

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April
2022

Activate California Launches

Community organizers demonstrating against anti-Asian hate Photo Courtesy of Sebastian Bonnard

Following the drastic increase in violence and hate against Asian American and Pacific Islander communities in recent years, the Haas, Jr. Fund spearheaded the launch of the power-building Activate California initiative, which is dedicated to engaging AAPI communities - especially younger AAPI Californians - as more active participants in democracy and civic life.

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March
2022

Historic Redistricting Wins Across California

Local organizers demonstrating for fair political redistricting decisions. Photo by Michael Fernandez

Thanks to the work of a number of regional coalitions in California, counties including Orange, Riverside, and San Bernardino secured fairer political maps that will help ensure all communities have fair representation in government and during elections.

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2022

Winding Down Our LGBT Program

Photo by Getty Images

After 21 years and over $105 million in investments, the Evelyn & Walter Haas, Jr. Fund announced that we will be winding down our LGBT equality program over the next two years.

While letting go of a grantmaking program is always difficult, we couldn’t be prouder of the transformational work of our LGBT movement partners. Over the past two decades, they have delivered tremendous gains for the LGBT community and advanced our nation’s core values. That said, we know that the struggle to secure full equality for LGBT people is not over. Far from it. We are committed to providing two years of transitional support to our current LGBT grantees so they can continue their important work and plan for the future.

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2021

December
2021

California Dignity for Families Fund

A family photographed sitting in a field. Photo by Omar Lopez/Unsplash License

The California Dignity for Families Fund is a public-private partnership with Governor Gavin Newsom that provides humanitarian relief and assistance to migrant families and unaccompanied children at the U.S.-Mexico border as well as Afghan and Haitian migrants. The Haas, Jr. Fund was proud to join 17 other funders to support CDFF’s second investment round.

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2021

Introducing The LeadersTrust

At the Haas, Jr. Fund, we know that strong, compassionate and capable leaders are key to fulfilling the promise of these and other movements for change. That’s why we are so excited to see how the Fund’s longstanding work to strengthen nonprofit and movement leadership has blossomed to become an independent entity, The LeadersTrust.

Alongside other funders, we launched The LeadersTrust earlier this year—and now this new organization is welcoming its first executive director, Sidney Hargro. Sidney is a nationally known leader with a career-long commitment to advancing racial equity and social justice through smart and innovative philanthropy. He is the right person to move The LeadersTrust into high gear as it sets out to support more people and organizations to deliver on their goals for their communities and the world.

May
2021

Celebrating 20 Years of Crissy Field

Walter A. Haas III, Elise Haas, Nancy Pelosi, Jesse Eisenhardt, Betsy Haas Eisenhardt Photo by Jed Jacobsohn

Walter A. Haas III, Elise Haas, Nancy Pelosi, Jesse Eisenhardt, Betsy Haas Eisenhardt at Crissy Field.

20 years ago, the revitalization of Crissy Field literally reshaped San Francisco’s northern waterfront. No words can capture the subsequent years of joy and connection these precious lands provide to people near and far.

A former concrete and derelict US Army airfield, Crissy Field now serves as a treasured national park site, right in the heart of San Francisco. It is a safe haven for nesting birds and a sanctuary for calm where one can hear the waves and see the beauty of the sea and sky. Crissy Field provides a launch spot for exhilarating fun – whether you are a kite boarder, swimmer, dog lover, avid fisher, cyclist, walker, kid or a kid at heart.

People also meet at Crissy Field to connect, enjoy picnics and walks with friends and family amidst some of our city’s most iconic views — Alcatraz Island, the Golden Gate Bridge, Marin Headlands and the San Francisco city skyline. This special place was made possible through the foresight and generosity of the Evelyn and Walter Haas Jr. Fund, park partners, and the mobilization of thousands of community donors and volunteers.

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February 4
2021

California Black Freedom Fund

The Haas, Jr. Fund joins nearly two dozen funders to announce the launch of the California Black Freedom Fund, a $100 million initiative dedicated to Black power-building and organizing in California. This first-of-its-kind fund is co-created with Black leaders and organizers to ensure that California’s growing ecosystem of locally rooted Black-led organizing efforts have the sustained investments and resources they need to eradicate systemic and institutional racism.

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2020

2020

A Focus on Democracy

Five students in front of SCOTUS with fist in the air

The Fund launches its Democracy program with a focus on increasing civic participation and representation for communities in California that have long been underrepresented in our democratic processes.

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June 18
2020

Supreme Court Upholds DACA

Home is here sign in front of SCOTUS

A U.S. Supreme Court ruling on June 18 blocks the Trump administration’s efforts to end the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) program. Since the start of DACA in 2012, 800,000 undocumented young people have been able to obtain work permits and a temporary reprieve from deportation. In a letter addressed to the young people who have led the movement for DACA and other protections for immigrants, Haas, Jr. Fund President Cathy Cha pledges continuing support and solidarity. The letter highlights the economic contributions of immigrants to the United States, as well as the risks they face from Covid-19 and its economic impacts. “As we keep working to address the Covid-19 crisis and look to emerging on the other side, we need you to stay safe and healthy, continue your life-saving work, keep strengthening our economy, and keep inspiring us through your stories and your voices,” Cha writes.

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June 15
2020

Historic Win for LGBT Workers

Two rainbow flags fly across the Supreme Court of the United States of America

In a decisive 6-3 vote, the U.S. Supreme Court rules on June 15 that the Civil Rights Act of 1964 must be interpreted to protect gay and transgender workers from employment discrimination. Before the ruling, nearly 30 states did not provide these basic civil rights protections, and workers could be fired or discriminated against simply because of their sexual orientation or gender identity. In a letter celebrating the historic win, Haas, Jr. Fund Senior Program Director Matt Foreman thanks several longtime Fund grantees who led the legal fight for nationwide protections. He also notes that the ruling is not enough, highlighting the lack of nondiscrimination protections for LGBT people in areas such as housing, retail and restaurant service, and adoption. “Let’s pledge to each other in this moment to work for bigger, bolder change so that all people can live and thrive as who they are,” Foreman writes.

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May
2020

Integrating Racial Equity in Nonprofit Work

Fist in the air at a rally

The Racial Equity to Accelerate Change (REACH) Fund awards $1.36 million in its second year of grantmaking. Launched in June 2019 by the Haas, Jr. Fund and other funders, the REACH Fund supports practitioners who are helping nonprofit organizations make racial equity a day-to-day priority in their work and operations.

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March
2020

Remembering Our Most Vulnerable Neighbors

Woman on staircase with two children Photo by Carlos Avila Gonzalez

The Chronicle Season of Sharing Fund expedites the release of nearly $2 million to help lower-income individuals and families facing severe economic challenges related to the COVID-19 pandemic. Haas, Jr. Fund Vice President of Programs Robert Joseph writes that Season of Sharing is “uniquely positioned to provide direct support during this crisis,” based on decades of meaningful partnerships with Bay Area social service agencies and food banks.

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2019

September
2019

Expanding Equity Efforts at Cal

Two students at University of California, Berkeley looking at a laptop together.

The University of California, Berkeley, receives a $10 million grant from the Haas, Jr. Fund to create a more diverse, welcoming, and inclusive campus. A cornerstone of the gift is $2 million for scholarships designed to bolster the university’s African American student community and their overall campus experience.

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June
2019

REACH Fund Boosts Race Equity Training for Nonprofits

The Reach Fund Photo by Borealis Philanthropy

Along with 11 funding partners, The Haas, Jr. Fund launches the REACH Fund to help make make racial equity a top priority for organizations and movements. The Fund awarded $1.2 million to eight inaugural grantees: organizations and practitioners providing racial equity learning and strategy consultative services to nonprofits.

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March
2019

San Francisco is Open To All

"Open to All" sign in window Photo by Movement Advancement Project

In response to the Supreme Court case concerning a Colorado baker who refused to sell a gay couple a wedding cake the Movement Advancement Project started a campaign to make businesses more welcoming of all people.  In March San Francisco was officially declared the first "Open to All" city.

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January
2019

Resource Leaders Fellowship Launched

Photo by Rockwood Institute

Resource Leaders, a new fellowship is launched by the Rockwood Leadership Institute and the Haas, Jr. Fund, to support social justice leaders. Participating fellows will get the tools and support they need to see themselves as changemakers in their own right, equipped to mobilize the people and resources that organizations need to transform communities for the better.

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2018

December
2018

A Farewell Message

People Linking Arms Photo by Jamie Thrower

Jennie Lehua Watson steps down after 18 years on the Fund’s staff, including her final two years as President. In a farewell message, Watson expresses confidence that the Fund and its partners will build a better, brighter future despite the challenges of the moment.  

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2018

Helping Undocumented Students Thrive

College Graduation Photo by COD Newsroom

The California Campus Catalyst Fund announces grants to 32 public colleges and universities to develop solutions for supporting undocumented students. The Haas, Jr. Fund joined with the Chavez Family Foundation, Educators for Fair Consideration, Grove Foundation, Heising-Simons Foundation, Hellman Foundation, James Irvine Foundation and Weingart Foundation to launch the initiative. Its focus: helping campuses expand outreach, offer legal and other services, and take steps to create a more welcoming, supportive campus environment for undocumented students.  

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September
2018

Journey to Justice

A video shares the story of a group of young activists’ 1,784-mile journey from the Canadian to the Mexican borders to highlight the need for a pathway to citizenship for non-citizens in the United States. The ride was put together by organizers working for Haas, Jr. Fund grantee National Korean American Service & Education Consortium (NAKASEC).
 

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September
2018

Philanthropy’s LGBTQ workforce in focus

Photo by Jamie Thrower

A survey supported by the Haas, Jr. Fund indicates that the majority of LGBTQ people working at participating foundations are “in the closet” at work, meaning they have not disclosed their sexual orientation or gender identity to all or most of their coworkers. The first-of-its-kind survey marks an effort to make demographic data on the philanthropic workforce more accessible and to promote more transparency about the experiences and perspectives of LGBTQ workers in the field.

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August
2018

“This land is your land”

In an emotional ceremony at Crissy Field, 32 young immigrants are officially welcomed to the United States as citizens. The event spurs Haas, Jr. Fund Program Officer Sepi Aghdaee to reflect on her family’s immigrant journey, as well as her involvement in the Fund’s longstanding partnership with the Golden Gate Parks Conservancy in rebuilding Crissy Field.

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June
2018

Family Separation and Detention

Girl hugging father Photo by ybs

Philanthropy responds to the inhumane family separation and detention policies. The Haas, Jr. Fund joins more than 200 institutions signing a statement in support of children and families seeking refuge in the United States. 

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June
2018

An inconclusive Supreme Court ruling on gay rights

Photo by Jamie Thrower

The Supreme Court rules in favor of a Colorado baker who said he would not create a wedding cake for a gay couple. But the decision is narrowly focused on the specifics of this one case, prompting Haas, Jr. Fund Senior Program Director Matt Foreman to observe that it’s time for Congress to act to end anti-LGBT discrimination.  

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April
2018

California Campus Catalyst Fund launches

Dreamer Graduation Photo

The Haas, Jr. Fund joined with the Chavez Family Foundation, Educators for Fair Consideration, Grove Foundation, Heising-Simons Foundation, Hellman Foundation, James Irvine Foundation, and Weingart Foundation to launch the California Campus Catalyst Fund, a multimillion-dollar effort to strengthen services and supports for Dreamers at public college and university campuses across the state.

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2017

October
2017

New tools for supporting nonprofit talent

Photo by Jamie Thrower

Haas, Jr. Fund grantee and partner Fund the People publishes a comprehensive new toolkit for investing in the nonprofit workforce as a way to increase the sector’s impact. Linda Wood, senior director of the Haas Leadership Initiatives states, “This rich new resource is full of information that will help funders, nonprofits and others maximize their investments in talent and leadership.”

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October
2017

Judge blocks ban on transgender military service

Transgender Military Rally Photo by Ted Eytan

A federal judge rules that transgender people can continue to serve in the U.S. military, despite a proposed White House ban on their service. The proposed White House ban, first announced by the President in July, is a reminder that workplace discrimination is still a very real threat to equality and opportunity for LGBT people across the nation. 

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July
2017

Welcoming Raquiba LaBrie

Raquiba LaBrie, a former senior leader with the Open Society Foundations, starts work as program director for the Haas, Jr. Fund’s Education Equity program. Raised in East Oakland, Raquiba comes to the Fund with extensive experience managing grantmaking programs focused on racial justice, immigrant and LGBT rights, education, workforce development and other issues. In her new position, Raquiba directs the Fund’s efforts to close achievement gaps so all students can reach their full potential.

July
2017

Welcoming John Govea

The Haas, Jr. Fund announces the hiring of a new staff leader for its Immigrant Rights program. Descended from Mexican immigrants, John Govea started his career as an attorney representing farmworkers in rural California. Most recently, he managed national programs on childhood obesity and health equity for the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation. At the Haas, Jr. Fund, John is leading its efforts to create equal opportunities for immigrants in California and across the nation. “To join the Fund’s ream at a challenging time for immigrant communities across the country is both a great honor and a profound responsibility,” Govea says.

April
2017

Philanthropy’s role in a challenging time

Stormy White House Photo by Amanjeev

The 100-day mark of the Trump administration is a time of reflection for philanthropy and its partners in the work of advancing rights and creating opportunities for immigrants, LGBT people, and other communities. Haas, Jr. Fund Vice President of Programs Cathy Cha joins the dialogue with three colleagues in an article for the Chronicle of Philanthropy. The article follows up on a presentation the group made at a Northern California Grantmakers debate.  

February
2017

Speaking Up for Inclusion

Photo by Jamie Thrower

In the wake of White House actions targeting refugees and immigrants, the Haas, Jr. Fund joins with other funders of immigrant rights to speak up for policies that advance diversity, inclusion and human dignity.  

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January
2017

A new leadership team

Jennie Watson and Cathy Cha at Crissy Field Photo by Tue Nam Ton ©

The Fund’s Directors announce that Jennie Lehua Watson, formerly vice president of special initiatives and communications, will serve as interim president of the Fund for two years. Cathy Cha, formerly program director for immigrant rights, is named vice president of programs and will become president of the Fund in January 2019. With a combined 30 years as key leaders with the Fund, Watson and Cha have played integral roles in its work to advance rights and create opportunities for all people.

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2016

December 31
2016

Ira Hirschfield steps down as President

Photo by Charlotte Fiorito ©

After 28 years leading the Fund, President and Director Ira S. Hirschfield steps down at the end of 2016. From the transformation of Crissy Field to the national campaign for marriage equality, Hirschfield played a key leadership role in major initiatives reflecting the Fund’s commitment to advancing rights and creating opportunities for all people.  

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2016

30 years of sharing

30 Years Season of Sharing

The Chronicle Season of Sharing Fund kicks off its 30th anniversary fundraising campaign. Created in 1986 by the San Francisco Chronicle with leadership from Haas, Jr. Fund co-founder Walter Haas, Jr. and former President Ira Hirschfield, Season of Sharing has raised more than $113 million to help Bay Area individuals and families in need.  

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June 24
2016

Despite immigration setback, California keeps moving forward

Photo by National AAPI DACA Collaborative Coordinator

The U.S. Supreme Court blocks the Obama administration’s plan to extend deportation relief to more immigrants beyond those covered by the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) program. Despite the defeat, California continues to offer a model for pro-immigrant reforms.  

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April 13
2016

Strengthening democracy in California

Photo by Tim Wagner

The Haas, Jr. Fund joins with other funders to share lessons from an innovative partnership aimed at boosting civic engagement among immigrants and other underrepresented populations in California. 

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2015

November 30
2015

Building an inclusive university

U.C. Berkeley

Longtime Haas, Jr. Fund partner U.C. Berkeley is a leader in higher education when it comes to creating an accessible and welcoming environment for diverse students. A wide-ranging report shares lessons from the Cal experience.   

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November 2
2015

Lessons from the marriage win

The Haas, Jr. Fund and other funders that supported the state-by-state strategy to win marriage equality share the untold, behind-the-scenes story of what happened. A case study and video from the participants in the Civil Marriage Collaborative offer lessons for other social justice causes.  

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June 26
2015

Love wins, once and for all

Photo by Charlotte Fiorito

The Supreme Court legalizes marriage equality—the result of hard work by movement organizations and millions of people who changed hearts and minds. The Fund has invested $39 million in this historic work since 2001.

June
2015

Building a bridge between PreK and elementary school education

School books Photo by Molly DeCoudreaux Photography

The Power of a Good Idea follows the dramatic transformation of the San Francisco Unified School District in its bid to close achievement gaps by connecting PreK and elementary school education.

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2015

A new focus on fundraising challenges—and solutions

Abstract crowd Photo by Sebastiaan ter Burg

The Fund launches research into key fundraising challenges facing nonprofits. Over the next year it publishes two new reports, Beyond Fundraising and Fundraising Bright Spots, as well as a series of blog posts focused on “learning out loud” about fundraising challenges and solutions in the sector.

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2014

November
2014

One giant leap for immigrant rights

President Barack Obama

President Obama grants “administrative relief” to 5 million undocumented Americans, providing them an opportunity to obtain work permits and temporary relief from deportation. (In February 2015, a federal judge temporarily halts Obama’s executive action.)

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September 8
2014

Lighting the way for kids and families

The San Francisco Beacon Initiative marks its 20th anniversary as a groundbreaking, citywide effort to create safe, vibrant afterschool places for kids and families. Former Haas, Jr. Fund Vice President of Programs Sylvia Yee and other “Beacon Pioneers” describe the initiative’s impact in a short video.  

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2013

June
2013

A huge step forward for marriage equality

Photo by ACLU ©

As a result of efforts by Fund grantees including (add links) Gay & Lesbian Advocates & Defenders, Lambda Legal, National Center for Lesbian Rights, The LGBT Project of the ACLU, the Supreme Court strikes down DOMA, opening the door for gay married couples to secure equal rights under federal law.

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2013

State policy victories in Sacramento

Woman at California Immigration Day Photo by Theo Rigby ©

California adopts the TRUST Act, limiting the ability of police to detain immigrants who pose no threat. New state laws also allow undocumented immigrants to get driver’s licenses; domestic workers to obtain overtime pay; and qualified undocumented immigrants to become licensed lawyers.

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January
2013

Fundraising prompts a new conversation

Underdeveloped Report Cover, Nonprofit Leadership

The Fund and CompassPoint Nonprofit Services publish a groundbreaking report, UnderDeveloped, that spurs sector-wide talk about how to create a “culture of philanthropy” in nonprofit organizations.

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2012

2012

Toward a fair and inclusive society

john powell Photo by Peg Skorpinski ©

The Haas Institute for a Fair and Inclusive Society celebrates its opening on the UC Berkeley campus. Led by john powell, with ongoing support from the Fund, the Institute brings together researchers, organizers, stakeholders, communicators and policymakers to “identify and eliminate the barriers to an inclusive, just, and sustainable society.”

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2011

2011

Defining American

The Haas Jr. Fund becomes the first foundation to support Define American, a project started by Pulitzer Prize-winning journalist Jose Antonio Vargas, who is undocumented. The project expands a national conversation about immigration in the United States.

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2010

February 3
2010

‘There will never be another’

Evelyn D. Haas passes away on Feb. 3rd. Her friend, F. Warren Hellman, says, “There will never be another Evie Haas. She possessed such diverse talents that gave her the courage to accomplish new and sometimes daunting challenges with grace and dignity. San Francisco has lost one of its finest citizens.”

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2010

Read all about it

Front page of Seattle Gay News Photo by Trine ©

The Fund organizes the first national convening of LGBT newspaper editors and bloggers in New York.

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2010

The power of coaching

Lina Sheth discusses how coaching

As a leading philanthropic supporter of executive coaching, the Fund creates a series of short videos that provide firsthand accounts about the impact of coaching in the nonprofit sector.

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2010
Walter J. Haas at Presidio Rob Hill Campground with students
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One of the many passions that my parents shared was creating opportunities for people to enjoy great public spaces and to connect with nature... Rob Hill Campground is a tribute to the idea that every single one of us should have the opportunity to camp under the stars, enjoy a s'more cooked over the campfire, and wake up in the woods to the sounds of nature.

Walter J. Haas, chair of the Haas, Jr. Fund at the opening ceremony for Rob Hill Campground
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2009

September
2009

America’s Best Idea

Photo of national park from the Tuan Collection

“The best idea we ever had,” writer and historian Wallace Stegner called our National Parks system. “Absolutely American, absolutely democratic, they reflect us at our best rather than our worst.” And just like America, the parks are forward-thinking, at once conservative and progressive, and, most importantly, open and belonging to all. They protect our natural beauty and preserve our culture and history.

In the end, the story of our National Parks is the story of America.

Ken Burns and Dayton Duncan explore this notion in the aptly-named film “The National Parks: America’s Best Idea,” supported with lead funding of $4 million to WETA from the Evelyn and Walter Haas, Jr. Fund. The 12-hour documentary series was broadcast on PBS in 2009, and was even previewed at the White House following President Obama’s trip to Yellowstone National Park and the Grand Canyon. Beginning with the birth of the National Parks in the mid-1800s, the film tells the stories of some of America’s most symbolic and beautiful sites, and the people that helped create and preserve them.

Diversity is at the Core of this History

But the parks and their story have not always been shared equally. Yosemite park ranger Shelton Johnson, featured in the Ken Burn’s documentary, tells of the ongoing struggles to bring diversity to the National Parks. “Race is the core of this history, the heart of this history,” he told the San Francisco Chronicle in a 2009 article. “It’s bigger than just African Americans not visiting national parks. It’s a disassociation from the natural world.”

Race is the core of this history, the heart of this history. It’s bigger than just African Americans not visiting national parks. It’s a disassociation from the natural world.

Park Ranger Shelton Johnson

And so the Haas, Jr. Fund focused its support for the documentary on bringing the film to traditionally underserved communities and catalyzing a national conversation about the diverse people who helped shape our National Parks. The Fund provided PBS with its largest-ever grant for public outreach campaign, an unprecedented effort to bring the film to diverse communities. The campaign included lesson plans for schools, translation of the series for Spanish-speaking audiences, and grants for National Park sites and local PBS stations to launch their own outreach efforts.

Giving Voice to Untold Stories

Grants from the Fund were also used to research the “Untold Stories” of people of color who have had a significant impact on the Parks. This research produced a book, several mini-documentaries profiling people of color involved in the parks, and a 45-minute film, “The National Parks: This Is America,” telling the story of the National Parks idea through a diverse cast of historical characters, up to the present state of diversity in the parks.

The Haas, Jr. Fund believes all people should have the opportunity to experience the transformative power of nature, learn about the Parks’ rich history, and become future stewards of these sites. Closer to home, the Fund has made local investments supporting National Park sites in the San Francisco Bay Area at Crissy Field and the Presidio.

“The National Parks: America’s Best Idea” was awarded the 2010 Emmy for outstanding Nonfiction Series. In addition, Co-Producer Dayton Duncan received the Emmy for Outstanding Writing for Nonfiction Programming.

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March
2009

Let California Ring

Women prepare for wedding

The Fund makes its first grant to support marriage equality in its home state of California. The grant supports Let California Ring, the largest-ever public education effort on the issue.

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2008

2007

August
2007

Gifts to a city

Haas

The San Francisco Chronicle interviews the Haas family about their approach to philanthropy and their commitment to transforming lives in the Bay Area.

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2007

Promoting Full Equality, State by State

Family in front of home

The Haas, Jr. Fund helps create the State Equality Fund, which supports non-lobbying educational work to promote full equality for gays and lesbians, including safer schools, nondiscrimination protections and civil unions.

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2005

2005

Aligning resources for reform

Oakland May Day Rally Photo by Kathy Sloane ©

The Fund joins NEO Philanthropy’s Four Freedoms Fund, a national collaborative of funders working to integrate immigrants into our democracy.

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2005

Building strength on the field as well as in the classroom

Student Athlete High Performance Center Photo by OLYMPUS DIGITAL CAMERA ©

The Fund makes a $15 million challenge grant to help construct UC Berkeley’s Student Athlete High Performance Center, a state-of-the art facility that houses both sports training equipment and academic resources for student athletes.

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2004

November
2004

Losing forward

Photo by Chris Walton

Anti-marriage measures pass in 11 states by huge margins. Funders and movement leaders begin collaborating to plot a course for changing hearts and minds and for winning marriage equality in a critical number of states.

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2004

Introducing The Flexible Leadership Awards

Man presents at a Flexible Leadership Awards Convening

The Fund introduces the Flexible Leadership Awards to help nonprofits and their leaders become even more effective. The program, which launches the following year, provides long-term leadership support to selected Fund grantees.

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February
2004

The marriage issue heats up

Photo by LIZ MANGELSDORF

Following Massachusetts’ decision to allow same-sex marriages in that state, San Francisco Mayor Gavin Newsom opens up City Hall for same-sex couples to marry. The television images go global and stir a national conversation about marriage.

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2004

Promoting the need for immigration reform

"The Time is Now" sigh at San Francisco May Day Photo by Theo Rigby ©

The Fund invests in direct services for immigrants, litigation, organizing and advocacy at the state and national levels.

2003

2003

Honoring Our 50th Anniversary

Celebrating grantees 50th anniversary HJF Photo by João Trindade

In 2003 the Evelyn and Walter Haas, Jr. Fund celebrated 50 years of grantmaking. We marked the occasion by honoring our grantees’ incredible work and awarding $5 million in unrestricted support grants to more than 110 nonprofits—half working on our key missions, and half providing critical help to the most needy in our community here in California.

We gave these grants as an expression of our respect for the strong leadership, determination and incredible talent of the staff and boards that power these worthy organizations. It’s been an honor being a part of the incredible work they do.

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2001

2001

Stepping beyond our backyard

Photo by See-ming Lee

The Fund moves beyond local issues and supports state and national causes that reflect Bay Area concerns. The first step: establishing Freedom to Marry to catalyze the national marriage equality movement.

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May
2001

Crissy Field opens

Opening of Crissy field

With years of planning and community support, Crissy Field officially opens with a spectacular celebration in San Francisco. The stunning national park attracts more than a million visitors a year.

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1999

1999

Leadership is a new priority

Woman leader presenting at Urban Ecology conference

Fund directors approve a new grantmaking program for nonprofit leadership development.

1999

Helping all kids get in the game

Children playing soccer

The Fund launches Coaching Corps (formerly Team-Up for You), which trains volunteer coaches for after-school sports programs in low-income neighborhoods and communities of color. The nonprofit group eventually serves more than 50,000 children in California.

Appears in:
1999

Providing critical assistance

Young woman volunteering in food bank warehouse Photo by Steve Debenport

The Fund approves a Critical Assistance program, providing grants to Bay Area food banks, emergency shelters and other safety-net services.

The Fund’s Critical Assistance grants help support organizations in the Bay Area that provide emergency food and shelter to those in need. These organizations and programs help thousands of families get through difficult times that could happen to any of us. The Fund has provided nearly $18 million in Critical Assistance grants to support these efforts.

A Helping Hand

Long-time grantees like the Alameda County Community Food Bank and the San Francisco and Marin Food Bank, who have been our partners for more than a quarter of a century, help fight hunger by distributing food to families and individuals in need. Organizations such as Raphael House, a family shelter in the Tenderloin, help children and their families move from homelessness to stability. Project Open Hand runs food pantries and delivers meals and groceries to people living with HIV/AIDS and other critical illnesses. These organizations work, with love and respect, to help lift people out of crises.

Appears in:
1999

Keeping Score with the Symphony

Children at Davies Hall

The Fund helps the San Francisco Symphony expand its national profile and make classical music accessible to more people, including kids. The centerpiece of the effort is Keeping Score, a multimedia project built around a nationally televised PBS series.

Appears in:

1998

1997

1997

More art for more people

Photo by SFMOMA ©

The San Francisco Museum of Art establishes the Evelyn D. Haas Exhibition Fund, which supports the museum to present major exhibitions with broad public appeal.

Appears in:
1997

A thriving park for all

View of Golden Gay Bridge from Crissy Field

The Fund grants $18 million for the restoration of Crissy Field ($13.5 million from the Fund and $4.5 from Colleen and Robert Haas). At the time, this is the largest cash gift in the history of the National Park Service.

Appears in:

1996

September
1996

The government enacts DOMA

Photo by Ron Sachs/CNP

President Bill Clinton signs the Defense of Marriage Act (DOMA), which restricts federal marriage benefits to opposite-sex couples, denying gay couples thousands of rights and protections that come with marriage.

Appears in:

1995

September 20
1995

Losing our visionary co-founder

Walter A. Haas, Jr., passes away on Sept. 20th. Fund President Ira Hirschfield remarks in his eulogy, “This is a man who never forgot, not even for a day, how blessed he was, and how difficult life is for so many.”

Appears in:

1994

1994

Creating Beacons of hope

Student with teacher in computer and music lab

The idea behind the centers is simple: transforming public schools into safe spaces where children and parents can participate in enriching and healthy activities, while finding critical services and support to help them succeed. Housed in public school facilities, each Beacon Center draws on the resources of a citywide public/private collaboration to offer activities and services tailored for the students and families it serves. Open throughout the school day and beyond, these centers reach thousands of young people and their families each year.

The Haas, Jr. Fund helped found the Beacon Initiative in 1994, and since then has made grants totaling $4.2 million to help expand programming and ensure long-term impact. The Fund continues to work closely with the City’s Department of Children, Youth and Their Families, the San Francisco Unified School District and other private funders to provide leadership for the initiative, with the goal of expanding opportunity and prosperity in San Francisco’s neighborhoods.

In early 2018, the City of San Francisco announced that it was tripling City funding for the Beacon Initiative over a five-year period. Thanks to the City’s investments, the network of Beacon Community Schools will grow from nine to 27, serving nearly 15,000 students. The City’s investment will help ensure that Beacon centers will continue to serve children and communities for many years to come.

Appears in:
1994

Haas Pavilion

Haas Pavilion Buildings Photo by Peg Skorpinski ©

The Fund makes a lead gift of $11 million to help rebuild UC Berkeley’s sports facility for student athletes. The Walter A. Haas, Jr. Pavilion affirms the university’s commitment to both academic and athletic excellence.

Appears in:

1993

1993

A new emphasis on children, youth and families

Mother and child

The Fund adopts Children, Youth and Families as a program priority. The focus: supporting efforts to help young people and their families in California to escape poverty and succeed. Fund grants go to afterschool programming, youth development and family support.

Appears in:

1990

1990

A commitment to children, youth and families

Older women

The Fund adopts four priorities for grantmaking: Children, Youth, Families and the Elderly; Strengthening Neighborhoods; Reducing Hunger and Homelessness; and Encouraging Volunteer Service and Philanthropy.

Appears in:

1989

1986

1986

Envisioning a park for all people

Crissy Field before and after Photo by THE NATIONAL PARK SERVICE

The Fund makes a grant to support planning for the restoration of Crissy Field, a former military base in the shadow of the Golden Gate Bridge, and its transformation into a 100-acre urban national park.

Appears in:

1972

1972

Grantmaking grows with experience

Walter A. Haas, Jr.and Boys Club (flag) with Frank Jordan

The Fund expands its grantmaking to support the elderly, youth, immigrants, equal opportunity, corporate social responsibility, and community initiatives such as hospitals.

 

Appears in:

1960

1960

“It’s in the genes.”

Walter A. Haas, Jr.

The great grand-nephew of Levi Strauss, Walter A. Haas, Jr., helms Levi’s and continues the family tradition of moral leadership, integrating Levi’s sewing factories in the segregated South. Asked about his family’s penchant for giving, he says, “It’s in the genes.”

Appears in:

1953