by Cathy Cha From Crisis Response to Lasting Change How can we build a future where people are not just surviving, but also thriving? At Haas Jr., we are seeking to find a balance between responding to the many emergencies our communities are facing and the work that needs to be done to seed change
Immigrant Rights by Elica Vafaie Building “Narrative Power” To Shift Policy and Opinion on Immigrants We need to put forward a clear, bold vision of belonging The national narrative around immigrants is being shaped by misinformation and fear over facts—with real-world consequences.
Democracy by Raúl Macías Lack of Language Services Keeps Too Many Eligible Immigrants From Voting We’re working with partners to make sure everyone can have a voice Making voting easier and more accessible for all eligible voters is essential to a strong and thriving democracy Photo courtesy of Common Cause of California
College Success by Monica Martinez Transferring From Community College Is Too Hard Students face too many inequitable barriers on the path to a four-year institution We’re working with partners to tackle a big part of the problem: lost credits Photo by Allison Shelley / Complete College Photo Library
Democracy by Raúl Macías Strengthening Democracy with Data How a New Initiative at UC Berkeley Is Using Research to Help Drive Engagement, Equity A Q&A with Jake Grumbach, Associate Professor at the Goldman School of Public Policy Photo courtesy of Goldman School of Public Policy
Building Better Nonprofit Boards November 5, 2014 | by Paula Morris in Leadership Strong boards don't come out of nowhere The nonprofit sector must challenge itself to push past ambivalence and realize the vital leadership role that boards can play. You’ve heard it a hundred times: strong organizations need strong boards. Few would deny this basic principle. But (spoiler alert) one of the worst-kept secrets in the nonprofit world is that you’re much more lik… Continue Reading
What Does a Fair and Inclusive Society Look Like? September 23, 2014 | by Sylvia Yee in College Success How research and community collaboration are coming together at Cal The Haas Institute for a Fair and Inclusive Society at U.C. Berkeley is asking hard questions, and transforming research into impact. I recently had the pleasure of spending my Monday evening on the Cal campus, in beautiful fall weather at the foot of one of the university’s most recognizable landmarks, the Campanile. I was there to hear about a n… Continue Reading
Less Than One Percent September 11, 2014 | by Ira Hirschfield in Leadership Why leadership development should be a core part of grantmaking In this SSIR article, Fund president Ira Hirschfield talks about how investing in leadership is critical to accelerating philanthropic impact. This blog was originally published on the Stanford Social Innovation Review website as part of the Talent Matters series. View the entire series, including the collection curated by Linda Wood featuring additional f… Continue Reading
Equal Effort August 21, 2014 | by Sylvia Yee in LGBT Equality How intentionality and collaboration have helped gay rights progress In this SSIR article, Sylvia Yee talks about the decade of careful planning and diligent collaboration that helped further marriage equality. Ten years ago, the fight for marriage equality for gay and lesbian couples in the United States looked like a lost cause. When Massachusetts became the first state to extend the freedom to marry to same-sex couples,… Continue Reading
Sharing Perspectives July 22, 2014 | by Ira Hirschfield in Fund News Welcome to the Haas, Jr. Fund blog Haas, Jr. Fund President Ira Hirschfield introduces Perspectives, the Fund's blog, and talks about why we are communicating in this new way. What does the future hold for marriage equality and immigration reform? What can San Francisco schools do to help close the opportunity gap in a place where income disparities are growing faster than in any other ci… Continue Reading
Movement Building from the Ground Up July 18, 2014 | by Cathy Cha in Immigrant Rights Lessons from supporting California's immigrant rights movement As funders, letting policy issues bubble up from the grassroots rather than come in with preconceived solutions can make all the difference. California is a big and diverse state. That’s what makes it such an exciting place to live and work. But our size and geographic diversity also make it hard to bring people together to work on shared priorities, esp… Continue Reading