Fund News by Maliha Sadiq Evelyn and Walter Haas, Jr. Fund Announces New President Former Levi Strauss Foundation Leader Daniel Lee to Guide Haas Jr.’s Closing Chapter Lee brings deep roots in the Haas family’s philanthropic legacy and 25 years of field leadership.
by Elica Vafaie Let the Games Begin The World Cup is an Opportunity to Showcase Core Values and Democratic Principles Haas Jr. partners are working to promote joy, welcome, and safety for fans, immigrant communities.
by Cathy Cha Looking Ahead in Uncertain Times The Time Has Come to Build What’s Next In 2026, the Haas, Jr. Fund is advancing our ambitions by focusing on root causes, bold ideas, greater agility, and deeper collaboration with funding and community partners to drive innovative solutions. Photo courtesy of Theo Rigby
Immigrant Rights by Elica Vafaie Standing Up for Immigrants, Standing Up for Democracy What This Moment Is Calling on Us to Do Community organizations are showing us what it means to build community, stand up for each other, link arms across issues, and stand up for democracy Photo courtesy of Peg Hunter
Democracy by Raúl Macías Protecting the Right to Vote New Partnership Seeks to Safeguard, Expand Californians’ Democratic Rights The California Democracy Partnership unites a growing network of funders and organizations around a shared agenda to establish California as a model of inclusive, multiracial democracy Photo by Sue Peri
First Person Story Sara & Paloma In LGBT Equality Our big, gay, Persian wedding Across languages, cultures, and legal hurdles, Sara and Paloma celebrate love and a lifelong commitment. Sara Razavi, 33, was born in Iran and came to the United States at age 10. She grew up in Orange County, California. Paloma Wu, 30, grew up in Reno, Nevada; her father is Taiwanese and her mother’s family is from Ge… Continue Reading
It Takes Dedicated Funding to Do Leadership Development Right October 18, 2012 | by Linda Wood in Leadership General operating support is important. But does it support long-term capacity-building? In this blog guest post for the Center for Effective Philanthropy, Linda Wood describes the value of unrestricted general operating support, and why it’s not always enough. At the Evelyn and Walter Haas, Jr. Fund, we believe strongly in the critical importance of unrestricted general operating support because it provides nonprofit leaders with the flexibility to direct spending toward… Continue Reading
First Person Story Chief Joseph Yglesias In LGBT Equality Making chief, and coming out, in the Navy After earning the rank of Chief in the U.S. Navy, Joseph Yglesias finally has the right to serve his country with his true self. Joseph Yglesias serves as a Chief Cryptologic Technician in the U.S. Navy. He was born and raised in Corpus Christi, Texas. Joseph joined the Navy in 1998 when he was 28 years old and has received numerous medals, a… Continue Reading
First Person Story Katherine Miller In LGBT Equality Helping repeal “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell”: A cadet's story At West Point, Katie Miller faced many challenges — including how to reconcile service to one’s country with being gay under Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell. Katherine “Katie” Miller grew up in Findlay, Ohio, a town with a population of about 40,000 that is located roughly 40 miles south of Toledo in the northwestern part of the state. She attended the local public high… Continue Reading
First Person Story Ernesto Pepito In Crissy Field Helping make Crissy Field a place for everybody Growing up in the city, Ernesto had the opportunity to connect to nature and the Parks. He now works to ensure that diverse future generations will also become stewards. Ernesto Pepito was raised by his mother, Patricia, in the heart of San Francisco’s Mission District, along with an older sister, an older brother and a younger brother. Today, he oversees youth leadership programs f… Continue Reading
Transparency is More than Disclosure January 12, 2012 | by Linda Wood in Leadership Sometimes the best first step is admitting when we don’t know In this guest blog, Linda Wood reflects on lessons from the FLA program, including what happens when grantees and funders can be vulnerable and take risks. Note from Beth Kanter: One of the themes I’ve been exploring over the last few years related to networks is transparency. Transparency is more than disclosure. It includes participation in acquiring, distributing, a… Continue Reading