Looking Ahead in Uncertain Times 

Even though the chaos continues, this year feels different to me. For Haas Jr., 2025 was a year for listening, shifting gears, and setting out to defend and respond to the fast-changing world around us. It was a year when we partnered with the public sector, nonprofits, and the funder community to uphold fundamental freedoms and rights for us all, and to push back against unlawful actions. It was a year when we were reminded of the power of broad-based partnerships. By working together, we not only protect what matters most, but also create opportunities to develop and advance bold ideas.  

Now, because we can move on multiple fronts, the time has come to also build what’s next. Despite the growing turmoil and a whirlpool of pain surrounding us, we are ready to move forward with our ambitions, our ideas, and the hopes and dreams of our communities. For the Haas, Jr. Fund, this means moving full steam ahead. We just launched The California Democracy Partnership, a new collaboration to expand voting rights and strengthen our democratic systems. We also are working to build “a bigger we” for immigrant rights, so neighbors care for their neighbors, and more people stand up for those of us being pushed to the margins in this moment. And, in our College Success program, we’re investing in innovative new models to expand access to a bachelor’s degree including an “AI for good” initiative.

Haas Jr. has been shifting its organizational culture to focus more on root causes and bolder ambitions. We also want to be more agile and move quickly. Because collaboration is a deep value of ours, taking our work to the next level and working with new funding partners has felt natural. And we’re always on the lookout and listening for new, innovative ideas from community leaders and our partners.  

We appreciate our funder colleagues who are thinking in the same ways about bigger, bolder impact. The California Wellness Foundation launched a creative effort to urge public health officials to declare a state of emergency over violent immigration enforcement. Stand Together Bay Area, is a partnership among three cities and three community foundations to help immigrant families facing deportation threats with emergency assistance. 

In addition, it’s been exciting to see leaders like Prebys Foundation in San Diego step up to speak out against the injustices of this moment. It’s a time for many leaders, many voices, courage and togetherness.

The work of these and other funders is a reminder to all of us in philanthropy: now is the time to think differently about our role and up our game. We are living in a historic moment. How we respond will be remembered. At Haas Jr., we’re trying to respond by focusing on the following priorities. We want to:

• Move resources quickly when harm or opportunities are unfolding in real time.
• Invest real resources in experimentation and R&D for potential solutions that do not yet have policy or market support.
• Support people and organizations that are willing to imagine a better, fairer future—and put money behind their bold new ideas.
• Look around the corner, invest in possible paths forward, and invite others to follow us.
• Work across our issue areas (and those of other foundations) for greater impact.

The months ahead will not be easy, especially with election shenanigans leading up to November. There will be new attacks, new norm-busting, and new demands on our nonprofit partners and the communities they serve. But I have entered 2026 with a renewed sense of resolve.

We deeply appreciate having you alongside us in this work as we strive together to be on the right side of history.

Thank you,

Cathy