Evelyn and Walter Haas, Jr. Fund

Quick Stats

• Annual Giving: $24.2 million (2023); ~$29.9 million (2024)
• Success Rate: Not publicly disclosed
• Decision Time: Not publicly disclosed (invitation-only process)
• Grant Range: $5,000 - $500,000+ (most grants over $100,000 are multi-year)
• Geographic Focus: National, with strong emphasis on California and San Francisco Bay Area

Contact Details

• Website: haasjr.org
• Phone: (415) 856-1400
• Address: 450 Sansome Street, 16th Floor, San Francisco, CA 94111
• Note: The Fund does not accept unsolicited proposals

Overview

Founded in 1953 by Walter A. Haas, Jr. and Evelyn Danzig Haas — descendants of Levi Strauss & Co. — the Evelyn and Walter Haas, Jr. Fund is a private family foundation headquartered in San Francisco. With total assets of approximately $484 million and over $719 million distributed since its founding, it ranks among the Bay Area's most significant philanthropic institutions. The Fund's mission is to create "a just and compassionate society where all people have the opportunity to live, work, and raise their families with dignity and hope."

The Fund concentrates on five current program areas: Democracy, College Success, Immigrant Rights, Leadership Development, and two legacy community initiatives. The Fund phased out its long-running LGBTQ Equality program in 2024, explicitly redoubling its investment in immigration and democracy work. In 2025, President and CEO Cathy Cha signalled a deepening commitment to trust-based philanthropy, emphasizing multi-year general operating support and closer grantee relationships.

Funding Priorities

Grant Programs

• Democracy: $50,000–$665,000+ for civic engagement, voter access, and grassroots power-building in California
• Immigrant Rights: Grants targeting elimination of barriers for undocumented immigrants, legal services, and movement-building
• College Success: Grants to increase college access and completion for low-income students and students of color in California
• Flexible Leadership Awards: Supplemental multi-year leadership development support for existing grantees (~$3 million annually)
• Crissy Field: Long-term community investment (over $30 million total)
• Season of Sharing: Partnership with SF Chronicle for emergency assistance to Bay Area families

Priority Areas

• Civic and voter participation for communities of color in California
• Immigration policy reform and legal services for undocumented immigrants
• Education equity and college access for low-income students in California
• Grassroots leadership and power-building in communities of color
• Cross-movement and collaborative funder initiatives

What They Don't Fund

• Unsolicited proposals from organizations without prior relationship
• Organizations that discriminate
• LGBTQ-specific programmes (funding area wound down in 2024)
• Individual fellowships or scholarships (except through existing partnerships)
• Capital campaigns (outside legacy Crissy Field work)

Governance and Leadership

Board of Directors:

• Walter J. Haas (Chairman)
• Robert D. Haas (former CEO of Levi Strauss & Co.)
• Betsy Haas Eisenhardt
• Walter A. Haas III

Senior Staff:

• Cathy Cha - President & CEO: "Trust-based philanthropy 1.0 lays such a strong foundation, and 2025 is the perfect time for us to think about what trust-based philanthropy 2.0 looks like."
• Ira Hirschfield - President Emeritus
• Robert Joseph - Vice President of Programs
• Raúl Macías - Program Director, Democracy
• Monica Martinez - Program Director, College Success
• Elica Vafaie - Program Director, Immigrant Rights

Application Process & Timeline

How to Apply

This funder does not have a public application process. The Fund states: "Because of significant commitments to current grantees and the clarity of our grantmaking strategies, the Fund has limited resources for new grantees and is not currently accepting unsolicited grant proposals."

Grants are made through proactive outreach by Fund programme staff. Current grantees and invited applicants access a private Grantmaking Portal (invitation only).

Getting on Their Radar

• Programme-led proactive outreach: Programme directors identify new potential grantees
• Funder collaborative participation: The Fund identifies grantees through collaboratives like California Black Freedom Fund and California Campus Catalyst Fund
• Peer networking: Organizations working with current grantees (e.g., Chinese Progressive Association, League of Women Voters of California) may gain visibility
• The LeadersTrust: Engagement with this Fund spin-off can build relationships
• Trust-Based Philanthropy networks: Active engagement increases visibility

Decision Timeline

Decisions are made on a rolling, discretionary basis with no public deadlines. Most grants exceeding $100,000 are structured as multi-year awards.

Success Rates

Not publicly disclosed. The Fund made 208 awards in 2023, declining from 317 in 2021, reflecting programme focus narrowing.

Reapplication Policy

Not applicable due to invitation-only basis. Existing grantees typically receive sustained, multi-year support.

Application Success Factors

• Deep mission alignment is non-negotiable: Must align with Democracy, Immigrant Rights, or College Success priorities
• Multi-year relationships are the norm: First-time relationships rarely begin with large grants
• Cross-movement approaches are valued: Organizations working across issues and building coalitions align with Fund philosophy
• Data-backed impact narratives matter: Quantitative evidence of community impact is essential
• Grassroots leadership is central: Organizations led by and accountable to communities they serve fit the Fund's model
• Trust-based philanthropy principles: Organizations with established reputations in this ecosystem are well-positioned
• California focus: Most Democracy and College Success work is California-centric

Key Takeaways for Grant Writers

• No unsolicited proposals accepted - focus on relationship-building and profile-raising
• Three active program areas: Democracy, Immigrant Rights, and College Success
• Grants are multi-year and relational ($24-30 million annually across ~200 awards)
• Programme directors are key relationship-builders
• Funder collaboratives are a proven pathway to visibility
• The Fund values trust-based approaches and grassroots leadership
• Share impact publicly with data - the Fund monitors the field

References

1. Evelyn and Walter Haas, Jr. Fund – Official Website: haasjr.org (accessed February 2026)
2. ProPublica Nonprofit Explorer – EIN 946068932 (accessed February 2026)
3. Inside Philanthropy – Evelyn and Walter Haas, Jr. Fund Profile (accessed February 2026)
4. UCLA Labor Center – Grant Announcement, December 2024
5. Haas, Jr. Fund – Various perspectives and resource pages (accessed February 2026)
6. Presidio of San Francisco – Press Release on $15 Million Gift (accessed February 2026)
7. Stanford Social Innovation Review – Trust-Based Philanthropy (accessed February 2026)