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Mimi and Peter Haas Fund

Annual Giving
$12.4M
Grant Range
$3K - $1.3M

Mimi and Peter Haas Fund

Quick Stats

  • Annual Giving: $12.4-14.5 million (varies by year)
  • Total Assets: $177 million
  • Decision Time: Not publicly disclosed
  • Grant Range: $3,000 - $1,300,000+
  • Median Grant: $12,000
  • Total Grants: 232-249 grants annually
  • Geographic Focus: Primarily San Francisco, CA with select national arts organizations

Contact Details

Address: San Francisco, CA
Website: www.mphf.org
EIN: 94-6064551

Note: Specific contact details for program officers are not publicly listed.

Overview

The Mimi and Peter Haas Fund was established in 1982 by the late Peter Haas, who was chairman of Levi Strauss & Co., and his wife Mimi Haas. In 1992, following a large bequest, the fund received substantial resources, hired professional staff, established a more formalized structure, and chose early childhood education as their primary focus area. With $177 million in assets, the foundation distributes approximately $12-14 million annually through 230-250 grants to organizations primarily serving San Francisco's underserved communities. The fund maintains a dual focus: dedicating the majority of resources to early childhood education and care for low-income children ages 0-5 in San Francisco, while also supporting arts and culture organizations locally and select institutions nationally.

Funding Priorities

Grant Programs

Early Childhood Education Programs:

  • Model Centers Initiative: Provides significant, multi-year support to six San Francisco organizations that serve low-income children by providing high-quality, culturally responsive, and developmentally appropriate early childhood education. Recent recipients include Felton Institute. (Grant amounts: Major multi-year investments)

  • Program Materials and Equipment Grants: Small grants for child development centers in San Francisco to purchase books, arts materials, and play equipment such as wood blocks and water tables. Started in 1995 to improve quality, safety, and environments of child care centers serving low-income children. (Grant amounts: $3,000 or $5,000)

  • Professional Development: Supports programs that develop and deliver professional early childhood educator preparation, training, and coaching. Also provides stipends and educational pathways including Bachelor of Arts degree attainment for early childhood teachers. (Grant amounts: Varies)

Arts and Culture:

The fund's arts and culture giving prioritizes organizations in San Francisco, including major institutions such as:

  • San Francisco Museum of Modern Art (SFMOMA)
  • San Francisco Ballet Association
  • San Francisco Opera
  • Peninsula Arts Guild of Palo Alto

Also supports select East Coast organizations with which Mimi Haas has been involved, including:

  • The Shed (New York City)
  • Lincoln Center for the Performing Arts
  • Metropolitan Museum of Art
  • American Friends of the Musée d'Orsay and the Musée de l'Orangerie

Other Focus Areas:

To a lesser extent, the fund supports K-12 and higher education, health, and the environment.

Recent Major Grants:

  • Tipping Point Community: $1.3 million for general operating support
  • Jewish Community Federation: $450,000 for 2022 annual campaign

Priority Areas

  • Early childhood education and care for San Francisco's low-income children ages 0-5 (primary focus)
  • Quality improvement in child development centers serving low-income populations
  • Professional development for early childhood educators
  • Arts and culture institutions in San Francisco and select national organizations
  • K-12 and higher education (secondary)
  • Health and environment (secondary)

What They Don't Fund

The fund does not publicly list exclusions, but their focus is highly concentrated on:

  • San Francisco-based early childhood programs (ages 0-5) for ECE grants
  • Established arts and cultural institutions with which they have relationships

Organizations outside these focus areas or geographic scope are unlikely to receive funding.

Governance and Leadership

The Mimi and Peter Haas Fund is a private family foundation. Peter Haas Sr. was chairman of Levi Strauss & Co. and established the fund with his wife Mimi Haas in 1982. The fund is part of the broader Haas family philanthropic network in the San Francisco Bay Area.

Specific information about current trustees and staff is not readily available in public sources, though the foundation has professional staff who manage the grantmaking programs, particularly after the 1992 restructuring.

Application Process & Timeline

How to Apply

This foundation does not accept unsolicited applications for most of its grantmaking.

The foundation proactively identifies and invites organizations that align with their funding priorities to submit proposals. The majority of their grantmaking, particularly for major multi-year grants like the Model Centers Initiative and arts and culture support, is by invitation only.

Exception - Program Materials and Equipment Grants:

One public application process exists: Child development centers in San Francisco that serve at least 50% low-income children can apply for Program Materials and Equipment Grants of $3,000 or $5,000. These grants can be used to purchase supplies, instructional materials, and equipment to enhance the quality of learning and environment for children served. Application information is typically circulated through San Francisco early childhood networks.

Eligibility for Materials and Equipment Grants:

  • Must be a child development center in San Francisco
  • Must serve at least 50% low-income children
  • Funds used for books, arts materials, play equipment, and instructional resources

Decision Timeline

Decision timelines are not publicly disclosed. Given the invitation-only nature of most grantmaking, timelines likely vary by program and relationship with the foundation.

Success Rates

Not publicly disclosed. With 230-250 grants awarded annually from a primarily invitation-only process, competition data is not available.

Application Success Factors

Given that the Mimi and Peter Haas Fund operates primarily on an invitation-only basis, traditional application success factors are limited. However, the following insights apply:

For Organizations Seeking Consideration:

  1. Geographic Alignment: Strong San Francisco presence and track record, particularly for early childhood education programs. The fund is deeply committed to San Francisco's underserved communities.

  2. Focus Area Match: Organizations must align clearly with the fund's core priorities—particularly early childhood education (ages 0-5) for low-income children, or be established arts and cultural institutions.

  3. Quality and Impact: The fund emphasizes "high-quality, culturally responsive, and developmentally appropriate" early childhood education. Quality indicators and proven impact are critical.

  4. Professional Development Component: For ECE programs, having strong professional development components for educators appears valuable, as this is a distinct funding stream.

  5. Multi-Year Relationship Building: The Model Centers Initiative provides "significant, multi-year support," suggesting the fund values sustained partnerships with proven organizations.

For Program Materials and Equipment Grant Applicants:

  1. Clear Connection to Quality: Applications should clearly demonstrate how materials and equipment will improve the quality, safety, and learning environment for low-income children.

  2. Specific Budget: Since grants are either $3,000 or $5,000, applicants should carefully consider which tier is appropriate and provide detailed budget justification.

  3. Serving Low-Income Children: Centers must serve at least 50% low-income children—clear documentation of this is essential.

Key Takeaways for Grant Writers

  • Primarily Invitation-Only: Do not invest significant time in unsolicited proposals except for the Program Materials and Equipment grants for eligible San Francisco child development centers.

  • Deep San Francisco Focus: The fund is highly concentrated on San Francisco-based organizations, particularly in early childhood education. Geographic alignment is non-negotiable for ECE programs.

  • Quality Over Quantity: With a median grant of $12,000 but some grants exceeding $1 million, the fund invests significantly in a concentrated portfolio of high-quality organizations.

  • Long-Term Relationships: Multi-year support through programs like the Model Centers Initiative indicates the fund values sustained partnerships over one-time grants.

  • Limited Public Access: With only one public application process (Materials and Equipment grants), most funding relationships begin through the foundation's proactive identification of organizations.

  • Professional Development Matters: For ECE organizations, having or developing professional development programming for educators may increase alignment with fund priorities.

  • Arts and Culture Requires Established Presence: Arts funding appears concentrated on major, established institutions, particularly in San Francisco, plus select organizations with direct connections to Mimi Haas.

References

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