Evelyn and Walter Haas, Jr. Fund

What Evelyn and Walter Haas, Jr. Fund does

The Evelyn and Walter Haas, Jr. Fund is a private, family-controlled philanthropic foundation established in 1953 in San Francisco by Evelyn and Walter Haas, Jr. The Fund operates as a grantmaking institution rather than a commercial enterprise, deploying roughly $24 million annually from an endowment of approximately $469 million in total assets (as of December 31, 2023). Its revenue mechanics are investment-driven: the Fund generated $40.9 million in investment income in 2023, recovering from a negative $64.6 million in 2022 due to market conditions.

The Fund's programmatic work is organized around six focus areas: Democracy, College Success, Immigrant Rights, Leadership, Crissy Field preservation, and the Season of Sharing emergency assistance fund. It serves nonprofit organizations, advocacy groups, and coalitions primarily in California, with deep anchor partnerships at UC Berkeley (cumulative giving in the tens of millions including a $16 million equity initiative, $11 million Pavilion lead gift, and undocumented student scholarships), the Golden Gate National Parks Conservancy ($30 million cumulative for Crissy Field and the Presidio — the largest cash gift ever made to the U.S. National Park Service), and the San Francisco Chronicle (Season of Sharing partnership since 1986). Over its 73-year history the Fund has distributed more than $719 million in cumulative grants.

The Fund is currently in a managed wind-down phase. In 2022 it wound down its 21-year, $105 million-plus LGBT Equality program. In 2026, former Levi Strauss Foundation leader Daniel Lee was appointed President with an explicit mandate to guide the Fund's "closing chapter," succeeding Cathy Cha. Despite the closure trajectory, the Fund has continued launching new coalition initiatives through 2024–2025, including the CA Black Freedom Fund's LEAD for Racial Justice initiative, the We Are California Coalition, and the California Democracy Partnership. The Fund employs 11–50 staff at its San Francisco headquarters and does not operate any proprietary technology products or AI systems.

Name

Evelyn and Walter Haas, Jr. Fund

Legal name

Evelyn and Walter Haas, Jr. Fund

Website

https://haasjr.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

1953

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

The Evelyn and Walter Haas, Jr. Fund is a San Francisco-based private family foundation established in 1953 that grants roughly $24 million annually to nonprofits in California across democracy, college success, immigrant rights, leadership development, Crissy Field preservation, and emergency assistance through Season of Sharing.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Private Foundation Grantmaking

NAICS

Grantmaking Foundations (813211), Grantmaking and Giving Services (81321), Social Advocacy Organizations (8133)

SIC

Services-Social Services (8300)

akta.pro primary industry

Private Foundations (BPAGAKAA)

akta.pro secondary industries

Social Justice & Human Rights Grantmaking Foundations (BPAGAKAN), Scholarship & Fellowship Foundations and Trusts (EDADAHAC), Environmental & Climate Grantmaking Foundations (BPAGAKAM)

Keywords

• Private foundation grantmaking
• Philanthropic foundation grants
• Nonprofit donor funding
• Community foundation giving
• Family foundation philanthropy

Headquarters

HQ city

San Francisco

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Others

Revenue model

1. Investment Returns: The Fund generates revenue primarily through investment income from its endowment. The 2023 financial statements show investment income of $40,865,477 for 2023, compared to negative $64,591,699 in 2022. The Fund's assets are held in investments at fair value totaling $457,686,675 in 2023.
2. Philanthropic Grants from Founders: The Fund was established with initial capital from founders Walter A. Haas, Jr. and Evelyn D. Haas in 1953, and has grown through continued family involvement and investment returns.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels1 record

Marketing channels7 records

Core offering

The Evelyn and Walter Haas, Jr. Fund is a private family foundation that makes grants to nonprofit organizations across six focus areas: Democracy, College Success, Immigrant Rights, Leadership development, Crissy Field preservation, and Season of Sharing emergency assistance for Bay Area families. The Fund distributes roughly $24 million annually in grants, supported by a $469 million endowment, and operates the Season of Sharing program in partnership with the San Francisco Chronicle to deliver direct cash assistance to families in crisis.

Product overview

The Evelyn and Walter Haas, Jr. Fund is a private philanthropic foundation established in 1953. The organization does not offer technology products or software services. Its primary activities are grantmaking across six focus areas: Democracy, College Success, Immigrant Rights, Leadership, Crissy Field, and Season of Sharing. The foundation provides funding to nonprofit organizations, publishes research and resources, and operates community programs rather than commercial technology products.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Democracy Program Grantmaking Grantmaking program supporting California-based nonprofits and coalitions advancing democratic participation, expanding voter access, and protecting voting rights, including through initiatives such as the California Democracy Partnership.
• College Success Program Grantmaking Grantmaking program supporting nonprofit organizations and coalitions working to make higher education more affordable, accessible, and successful for today's students in California, including a major $16 million initiative at UC Berkeley for equity, inclusion, and diversity.
• Immigrant Rights Program Grantmaking Grantmaking program supporting immigrant-serving nonprofits and leadership development for immigrant rights advocates, including the Fellowship for a New California program in coordination with the Rockwood Leadership Institute and $1 million in scholarships for undocumented UC Berkeley students.
• Leadership Program Grantmaking Grantmaking program developing the leadership skills of social change leaders, including the 21st Century Fellows Program for LGBT leaders of color (co-funded with Arcus Foundation and Gill Foundation) and the Fellowship for a New California for immigrant rights leaders.
• Crissy Field Preservation Program Long-running grantmaking program supporting the restoration, accessibility, and ongoing stewardship of Crissy Field and the Presidio as part of the Golden Gate National Parks, in partnership with the Golden Gate National Parks Conservancy and the National Park Service. Combined gifts for Crissy Field and the Presidio total $30 million — the largest cash gift ever made to America's National Parks.
• Season of Sharing Fund Emergency assistance program co-administered with the San Francisco Chronicle that channels 100% of donations directly to Bay Area families facing crisis, with the Haas Jr. Fund covering overhead costs. The program has distributed over $120 million to Bay Area families since 1986 and serves 4,500+ individuals and families annually.
• Grants Database and Resources Public-facing searchable grants database and curated resource library hosted on the Fund's website, providing grant seekers and the public access to the Fund's grant history, focus areas, research, and learning materials across its six program areas.

Quantifiable outcome

• Over $719 million in grants distributed over 73 years
• +4 more outcomes

Named customers4 records

Segments1 record

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

Seven partnerships are on record, tiered core.

• Golden Gate National Parks ConservancycoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerThe Fund has partnered with the Golden Gate National Parks Conservancy since 1986 to restore Crissy Field and support Presidio improvements. The Fund's $18 million lead grant ($13.5 million from Haas Jr. Fund and $4.5 million from Colleen and Robert Haas) supported Crissy Field restoration, which was the largest cash gift to the National Park Service at the time. Additional grants of $1.5 million in 2007 and $2.5 million in 2015 have continued this partnership.
• National Park ServicecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerThe Fund works with the National Park Service on Crissy Field and Presidio projects. Combined gifts for Crissy Field and Presidio totaled $30 million—the largest cash gift ever made to America's National Parks.
• Rockwood Leadership InstitutecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerThe Fund partnered with Rockwood Leadership Institute to develop and manage the Fellowship for a New California, a year-long leadership development program for immigrant rights leaders launched in 2011.
• Pipeline ProjectcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerThe Fund supports the Pipeline Project to manage the 21st Century Fellows Program for LGBT leaders of color.
• UC BerkeleycoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerLong-term strategic partner receiving major support for undocumented student scholarships ($1 million), the Initiative for Equity, Inclusion and Diversity ($16 million), Haas Institute for a Fair and Inclusive Society, athletics facilities, and various campus programs.
• San Francisco ChroniclecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership established in 1986 to operate the Season of Sharing Fund. The Chronicle provides editorial coverage and donor engagement while the Haas Jr. Fund covers overhead costs so that 100% of donations go directly to families in need.
• Levi Strauss & Co.coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerThe Haas family's legacy connection to Levi Strauss & Co. (founded by the family's great granduncle Levi Strauss) influenced the Fund's approach to corporate social responsibility. Robert D. Haas serves as Chairman Emeritus and past CEO of Levi Strauss & Co.

Scale indicators10 records

Recent moves7 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• San Francisco Foundation: Bay Area community foundation with similar focus on equity, immigrant rights, and regional grantmaking. Directly comparable as a California-based private/community foundation serving overlapping nonprofit partners in the Bay Area.
• William and Flora Hewlett Foundation: Large Bay Area private foundation with similar issue focus on education, immigrant rights, and democracy. Closely comparable in scale, family-foundation structure, and California-based grantmaking strategy.
• David and Lucile Packard Foundation: Major Bay Area private foundation supporting democracy, education, and conservation. Directly comparable as a large multi-issue California family foundation with overlapping grantees and programmatic focus.
• Hellman Foundation: San Francisco family foundation supporting immigrant rights, education, and Bay Area communities. Highly comparable as a regional family foundation with similar mission scope.
• Silicon Valley Community Foundation: Major California community foundation serving the Bay Area with comparable grantmaking in education, immigration, and equity. Directly comparable as a regional grantmaking institution.
• Weingart Foundation: Los Angeles-based private foundation supporting California nonprofits with similar focus on equity and underserved communities. Comparable as a California-based family foundation.

Broad incumbents

• Ford Foundation: One of the largest U.S. private foundations with major programs in democracy, education, and immigration. Comparable as a major institutional grantmaker, though with global reach rather than California-focused.
• Open Society Foundations: Large private foundation with substantial democracy, immigrant rights, and equity grantmaking. Comparable as a significant funder in overlapping issue areas but with international scope.
• Kresge Foundation: National private foundation with programs in education, health, and community development. Comparable as a major U.S. family foundation with overlapping equity-focused priorities.

Regional players

• Marin Community Foundation: Bay Area community foundation with overlapping focus on equity, immigrant rights, and education. Comparable as a Northern California regional grantmaker serving similar nonprofit ecosystems.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/evelyn-and-walter-haas-jr--fund
• Instagraminstagram.com/haasjrfund
• Xx.com/HaasJrFund
• Facebookfacebook.com/haasjrfund

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles11 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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M&A

Investments

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Frequently asked questions about Evelyn and Walter Haas, Jr. Fund