Walter & Elise
Haas Fund

2020 Annual Report

Investing in a more just and vibrant Bay Area for current and future generations.

Reflections

Looking back at — and learning from — 2020.

From Executive Director,
Jamie Allison

Dear Friends,

To state the obvious, it was a challenging year. In 2020, a devastating pandemic piled economic and other severe hardships on top of the effects of a rapidly spreading, deadly virus. And once again racial injustice brought American society to the boiling point and beyond.

Yet, here the Fund remains, still in the fight.

Twenty-twenty was tough, but it also clarified our purpose and our intention. Even under lockdown orders, we at the Fund strengthened our bonds with our community. We reached out to ask, to hear, and to respond to real need.

And, when the realization struck that Covid-19 would upend all our plans, and for more than just a few weeks, we didn’t hesitate to scrap those plans and rebuild them from scratch. We increased our flexibility, adaptability, and reaction speed to focus on being available. We worked on the fly in order to keep arts communities, and immigrant communities, and others in need supported.

If continuing turmoil requires us to revert to crisis response mode again, and again: okay. Since the markers we once depended on to maintain our cadence are gone, we’ll be guided by our shared values. They are more than enough — and have steered us well through 2020.

Our values led us to actions we likely wouldn’t have undertaken if we weren’t faced with turmoil in every direction. We launched the Learning Lab earlier than planned, providing youth with an encouraging space where they could influence the Fund’s grantmaking and public education in the Bay Area. And that led us to another new area of grantmaking: supporting community-based mental health services for youth in response to Covid-19. We developed Arts Learning Pods, addressing our deep concern about families’ need for safe child care, young people’s continued access to the arts, and the solvency of arts communities in a time of no performances, no ticket sales, and no income. We also hadn’t specifically funded rental relief programs before, yet the Fund invested $1 million into rental relief in 2020.

Trustees and staff redoubled their commitment to racial justice, gender justice, and equity. That will be an ongoing piece of our work. Unless we address the underlying issues and causes of inequity, the Fund cannot be as impactful as we seek to be. The Fund’s staff is taking a deep look at its existing grantmaking through a racial justice lens and trustees approved support for a new cohort of racial justice-focused grants. These grants will support community organizing and movement organizations led by Black people and organizations that invest in the Black community’s health and wellbeing.

Trustees also approved an additional draw from the corpus in 2021 so the Fund can continue to address the immediate needs of Bay Area families and communities hardest hit by the pandemic, while building the voices and movements that will guide us toward a stronger, more inclusive society going forward.

I’m proud of this work, of our staff and board; and still, there is so much work left undone.

This was a hard year. We know people are suffering. We know how hard it is to make clear decisions when surrounded by so much uncertainty. Yet, we’re in this fight. And we’re committed to getting closer to a just and vibrant Bay Area every day and in every way we can.

Sincerely,

Jamie Allison

Our Family

The Walter & Elise Haas Fund is a family foundation, and that family encompasses many relationships. We extend our heartfelt thanks to our community of peer funders, government contributors, and individuals — as well as to all our non-profit partners who spared the time during these chaotic days to help guide our grantmaking.

In 2020, dozens stepped up to take part in our first round of Learning Labs. Their input and energy made the most of a forced break from in-person public education. To our inaugural B.A.Y. Fellows — thank you. Our staff took on more, under more challenging circumstances, than ever before. Without you, without them, without the collaboration, we would not have been able to extend support to so many. We are lucky and grateful to work alongside you all.

We extend special thanks to our trustees — specifically John Goldman, our Board President, who in 2020 retired from the board after 24 years of invaluable service. As Pete Haas and Betsy Eisenhardt shift to Trustee Emeriti status, we celebrate them and Charlotte Haas Prime, who steps up into the role of Board President. We also give thanks as Sarah Eisenhardt, Alejandro Foung, and Bradley Haas shift from trustee designates to full voting members of the Walter & Elise Haas Fund Board of Trustees. These new trustees join Daniel Goldman and Jennifer Haas, marking the first time the Board has been composed of members from a single generation of Walter and Elise Haas’ descendants.

2020 Staff

Jamie Allison
Executive Director
Faiza Bukhari
Program Associate
Education, Arts, and the Creative Work Fund
Anna Hernandez
Executive Associate
Leah Laxamana
Program Associate
Economic Security, Jewish Life, and Safety Net
Marcel Marania
Grants Manager
Suki O’Kane
Director of Administration
Padmini Parthasarathy
Senior Program Officer
Economic Security
Frances N. Phillips
Program Director
Arts and the Creative Work Fund
Stephanie Rapp
Senior Program Officer
Jewish Life and Special Projects
Pui Ling Tam
Program Officer
Education

2020 Board Members

John Goldman
Board President
Elizabeth H. Eisenhardt
Trustee
Sarah Eisenhardt
Trustee Designate
Alejandro Foung
Trustee Designate
Daniel S. Goldman
Trustee
Bradley Haas
Trustee Designate
Jennifer C. Haas
Trustee
Peter E. Haas, Jr.
Trustee
Charlotte Haas Prime
Trustee

2020 Response Timeline

February

  • Feb 6

    COVID-19 IN CALIFORNIA

    The USA’s first COVID-19 death comes in Santa Clara.

March

April

May

  • May 25

    GEORGE FLOYD

    George Floyd is murdered by police in Minneapolis.

July

  • June 30 – July 15

    OAKLAND LEARNING LAB

    Extending to Oakland, our second six-week Learning Lab session engages youth and the public education community of OUSD.

October

November

December

  • Dec 1

    COVID RESPONSE CONTINUES

    Grantmaking made specifically in response to the ongoing pandemic reaches $3,963,871.

Program Areas

Arts

Arts Portfolio By Strategy

43 %

Arts Education

$ 1,019,450

29 %

Creative Work Fund

$ 667,896

28 %

Cultural Commons

$ 672,200

Organization Strategy Amount
ABADÁ Capoeira San Francisco Arts Education $20,000
ACLU Foundation Of Southern California Arts Education $30,000
Afro Urban Society Cultural Commons $20,000
Alameda County Office Of Education Arts Education $100,000
Alliance for California Traditional Arts Cultural Commons $20,000
Anne Bluethenthal and Dancers Cultural Commons $15,000
API Cultural Center Inc Cultural Commons $20,000
ARTogether Creative Work Fund $500
Asian Art Museum Foundation of San Francisco Creative Work Fund $500
Asian Refugees United Creative Work Fund $45,000
Asian Refugees United Creative Work Fund $500
Attitudinal Healing Connection Inc Arts Education $20,000
Axis Dance Company Cultural Commons $25,000
Bayview Hunters Point Center For Arts And Technology Arts Education $25,000
Betti Ono Cultural Commons $30,000
BoomShake Music Cultural Commons $25,000
California Alliance for Arts Education Arts Education $17,450
California Humanities Cultural Commons $37,200
Center for the Art of Performance at UCLA  Creative Work Fund $3,000
Center for the Art of Translation Arts Education $30,000
Community Music Center Arts Education $120,000
Creativity Explored and and Lindsay Tully Creative Work Fund $45,000
Crowded Fire Theater Company Creative Work Fund $500
Crowded Fire Theater Company and Star Finch Creative Work Fund $30,000
Cutting Ball Theater Arts Education $30,000
Duniya Dance and Drum Company Creative Work Fund $500
Duniya Dance and Drum Company and and Susana Pedroso Creative Work Fund $45,000
Ephiphany Dance Theater Creative Work Fund $500
Epiphany Dance Theater and Antoine Hunter Creative Work Fund $45,000
Eugenie Chan Theater Projects Cultural Commons $15,000
First Exposures Arts Education $40,000
Flyaway Productions Arts Education $15,000
Friends and Foundation of the San Francisco Public Library Creative Work Fund $500
Gamelan Sekar Jaya Cultural Commons $15,000
Girls Garage Creative Work Fund $500
Heyday Cultural Commons $30,000
Hope Mohr Dance Creative Work Fund $500
InterMusic SF Cultural Commons $20,000
InterMusic SF Creative Work Fund $500
InterMusic Sf Cultural Commons $10,000
Intersection for the Arts Cultural Commons $20,000
Intertribal Friendship House Cultural Commons $20,000
Joe Goode Perfomance Group Cultural Commons $25,000
Joe Goode Performance Group Creative Work Fund $500
Kearny Street Workshop Creative Work Fund $500
La Pena Cultural Center Inc Cultural Commons $30,000
Landpaths and Lindsay Gauthier Creative Work Fund $45,000
Leap Arts In Education Arts Education $20,000
Little People of America Inc and and Julie Wyman Creative Work Fund $45,000
Little People of America, Inc. Creative Work Fund $500
Living Jazz Arts Education $30,000
Los Cenzontles Mexican Arts Center Creative Work Fund $500
Luna Kids Dance Arts Education $15,000
Mr. Holland’s Opus Foundation Arts Education $25,000
Museum Of Childrens Arts Arts Education $30,000
Museum of the American Indian Creative Work Fund $500
Museum of the American Indian and Edward Willie Creative Work Fund $44,000
Musical Traditions Creative Work Fund $500
Musical Traditions (The Paul Dresher Ensemble) and Eugenie Chan Creative Work Fund $45,000
Nava Dance Theatre Creative Work Fund $500
Nihonmachi Little Friends Creative Work Fund $500
Oakland Ballet Company Arts Education $15,000
Ocean Conservation Research Creative Work Fund $500
ODC and Larry Arrington Creative Work Fund $45,000
Oxbow School Creative Work Fund $500
Performing Arts Workshop Inc Arts Education $220,000
Presidio Theatre Creative Work Fund $500
Presidio Theatre and and Tania Leullieux Creative Work Fund $45,000
Queer Women of Color Media Arts Project-QWOCMAP Cultural Commons $15,000
Reel Stories Arts Education $15,000
Root Division Arts Education $15,000
San Francisco Architectural Heritage and and Joe Goode Creative Work Fund $45,000
San Francisco Arts Education Project Creative Work Fund $500
San Francisco Chamber Orchestra Cultural Commons $30,000
San Francisco Girls Chorus Inc and and Matthew Welch Creative Work Fund $45,000
San Francisco Museum of Modern Art Creative Work Fund $500
San Francisco Museum Of Modern Art Cultural Commons $100,000
San Francisco Opera Association Arts Education $80,000
San Francisco Performances Inc Cultural Commons $20,000
San Jose Museum of Quilts & Textiles and Corinne Okada Takara Creative Work Fund $45,000
Shaping San Francisco Creative Work Fund $500
Small Press Distribution Inc Cultural Commons $25,000
SoulForce and and Johnny Lopez Creative Work Fund $37,896
Stagewrite Arts Education $22,000
The Living Earth Show Creative Work Fund $500
Theatre Bay Area Cultural Commons $20,000
Urban Jazz Dance Company Cultural Commons $15,000
Wild Projects Creative Work Fund $500
World Arts West Cultural Commons $50,000
Yerba Buena Center for the Arts Arts Education $35,000
Young Audiences of Northern California Cultural Commons $20,000
Young Musicians Choral Orchestra Arts Education $50,000

Economic Security

Economic Security Portfolio By Strategy

69 %

Build and Protect Assets

$ 1,105,000

31 %

Workforce Development

$ 485,000

Organization Strategy Amount
Asset Funders Network Build and Protect Assets $40,000
Asset Funders Network Build and Protect Assets $45,000
California Reinvestment Coalition Build and Protect Assets $100,000
Centro Community Partners Build and Protect Assets $50,000
City and County Of San Francisco Build and Protect Assets $20,000
Freefrom Build and Protect Assets $50,000
Housing and Economic Rights Advocates Build and Protect Assets $150,000
Inner City Advisors Build and Protect Assets $100,000
Jacob Kornbluth Productions Workforce Development $10,000
Legal Aid at Work Build and Protect Assets $100,000
Mission Economic Development Agency Build and Protect Assets $125,000
MyPath Build and Protect Assets $100,000
Public Rights Project Workforce Development $50,000
Renaissance Entrepreneurship Center Build and Protect Assets $50,000
ReWork The Bay Workforce Development $300,000
Rising Sun Center for Opportunity Workforce Development $75,000
San Francisco Financial Justice Project (City and County of San Francisco) Build and Protect Assets $75,000
SaverLife Build and Protect Assets $75,000
Upwardly Global Workforce Development $50,000
World Institute on Disability Build and Protect Assets $25,000

Education

Education Portfolio By Strategy

59 %

Transforming Systems

$ 270,000

38 %

Youth Empowerment

$ 175,000

3 %

Community Designated

$ 11,250

Organization Strategy Amount
826 Valencia Community Designated Grants $900
Alliance For Girls Learning LabYouth Empowerment $50,000
Bayview Association for Youth Community Designated Grants $750
Black Girls Code Inc Community Designated Grants $900
Californians For Justice Education Fund Transforming Systems $25,000
Center for Young Womens Development Community Designated Grants $900
Center For Young Womens Development Youth Empowerment $25,000
Chinese Progressive Association Community Designated Grants $900
Chinese Progressive Association Youth Empowerment $25,000
Coleman Children and Youth Services Transforming Systems $25,000
Devata Giving Circle Community Designated Grants $900
Enterprise For Youth Learning LabYouth Empowerment $75,000
Linked Learning Alliance Transforming Systems $100,000
Los Angeles Room & Board Community Designated Grants $900
Music Is Extraordinary Inc Community Designated Grants $900
Oakland Kids First Community Designated Grants $900
Oakland Unified School District Community Designated Grants $900
Poor Magazine Inc Transforming Systems $20,000
San Francisco Unified School District Transforming Systems $50,000
Spark SF Public Schools Community Designated Grants $900
TGI Justice Project Community Designated Grants $900
The Alameda County Community Food Bank Inc Community Designated Grants $600
The Oakland Public Education Fund Transforming Systems $50,000

Jewish Life

Jewish Life Portfolio By Strategy

66 %

Justice

$ 1,115,000

33 %

Diversity

$ 560,000

1 %

Innovation

$ 25,000

Organization Strategy Amount
Anti-Defamation League Building Partnerships for Social Justice $170,000
Bend the Arc: A Jewish Partnership For Justice Building Partnerships for Social Justice $100,000
Board of Trustees of the Glide Foundation Building Partnerships for Social Justice $50,000
Dayenu: A Jewish Call to Climate Action Building Partnerships for Social Justice $60,000
Facing History and Ourselves Building Partnerships for Social Justice $50,000
Graduate Theological Union Building Partnerships for Social Justice $100,000
Integrity First for America Building Partnerships for Social Justice $50,000
J Street Education Fund Inc Diversity is a Strength $40,000
Jewish Community Center of The East Bay Diversity is a Strength $110,000
Jewish Community Relations Council Of San Francisco Marin & Peninsula Building Partnerships for Social Justice $135,000
Jewish Film Institute Diversity is a Strength $50,000
Jewish Social Justice Roundtable Building Partnerships for Social Justice $30,000
Jews Of Color Field Building Initiative Diversity is a Strength $240,000
Kitchen Slow Down Jew Up Building Partnerships for Social Justice $50,000
One America Movement Building Partnerships for Social Justice $120,000
Reboot Inc Innovation is an Imperative $25,000
San Francisco Interfaith Council Building Partnerships for Social Justice $80,000
Shalom Bayit Building Partnerships for Social Justice $80,000
SVARA Diversity is a Strength $80,000
T’ruah: The Rabbinic Call for Human Rights Building Partnerships for Social Justice $40,000

Safety Net

Safety Net Portfolio By Strategy

43 %

Housing / Homeless Prevention

$ 490,000

35 %

Food

$ 400,000

16 %

Legal Services

$ 180,000

6 %

Information & Referral

$ 70,000

Organization Strategy Amount
A Safe Place Housing & Homeless Prevention $30,000
Abode Services Housing & Homeless Prevention $30,000
Alameda County Community Food Bank Food $50,000
Bay Area Community Services Housing & Homeless Prevention $30,000
Board of Trustees of the Glide Foundation Food $30,000
California Association of Food Banks Food $30,000
California Food Policy Advocates Food $30,000
Catholic Charities CYO of The Archdiocese Of San Francisco Housing & Homeless Prevention $30,000
Catholic Charities of the East Bay Housing & Homeless Prevention $30,000
Chronicle Season of Sharing Fund Housing & Homeless Prevention $30,000
Compass Family Services Housing & Homeless Prevention $30,000
Cornerstone Community Development Corporation Housing & Homeless Prevention $30,000
Davis Street Community Center Food $30,000
East Bay Community Law Center Legal Services $30,000
Eden I & R Inc Information & Referral $30,000
Episcopal Community Services of San Francisco Housing & Homeless Prevention $30,000
Eviction Defense Collaborative Inc Legal Services $30,000
Hamilton Families Housing & Homeless Prevention $30,000
International Rescue Committee Housing & Homeless Prevention $20,000
La Casa de las Madres Housing & Homeless Prevention $30,000
Legal Aid Association of California Legal Services $30,000
Legal Link Legal Services $30,000
Meals on Wheels of San Francisco Inc Food $30,000
Mei Fong & Associates Housing & Homeless Prevention $30,000
Mercy Retirement Care Center Food $30,000
One Degree Information & Referral $20,000
Open Door Legal Legal Services $30,000
Project Open Hand Food $30,000
Raphael House of San Francisco Housing & Homeless Prevention $30,000
San Francisco Food Bank Food $50,000
Simply the Basics Housing & Homeless Prevention $25,000
Society of St. Vincent de Paul of Alameda County Food $30,000
Southern Alameda County Comite for Raza Mental Health Housing & Homeless Prevention $30,000
St. Anthony Foundation Food $30,000
The Gubbio Project Housing & Homeless Prevention $25,000
United Way of the Bay Area Information & Referral $20,000
Western Center on Law and Poverty Legal Services $30,000
Young Mens Christian Association of San Francisco Food $30,000

COVID-19

COVID-19 Portfolio By Strategy

32 %

Educational
Equity

$ 1,267,871

32 %

Housing &
Basic Needs

$ 1,285,000

27 %

Workers &
Small Businesses

$ 1,070,000

9 %

Nonprofit
Capacity

$ 341,000

Organization Strategy Amount
Alliance For Girls Educational Equity $150,000
Amazing Care Charitable Foundation Housing & Basic Needs $25,000
Bay Area Community Services Housing & Basic Needs $10,000
Bay Area Community Services Housing & Basic Needs $250,000
Bay Area Jewish Healing Center Housing & Basic Needs $40,000
California Association for Microenterprise Opportunity Workers & Small Businesses $10,000
California Domestic Workers Coalition Workers & Small Businesses $10,000
California Domestic Workers Coalition Workers & Small Businesses $100,000
California Reinvestment Coalition Workers & Small Businesses $10,000
Catholic Charities CYO of The Archdiocese Of San Francisco Housing & Basic Needs $250,000
Centro Legal de la Raza, Inc. Workers & Small Businesses $40,000
Children’s Council Of San Francisco Workers & Small Businesses $100,000
Chronicle Season of Sharing Fund Workers & Small Businesses $30,000
City and County of San Francisco Educational Equity $150,000
Community Living Campaign Workers & Small Businesses $25,000
Community Music Center Educational Equity $115,397
Community Vision Capital & Consulting Nonprofit Capacity $60,000
CompassPoint Nonprofit Services Nonprofit Capacity $60,000
Coro Northern California Nonprofit Capacity $6,000
Davis Street Community Center Housing & Basic Needs $10,000
East Bay Agency for Children Educational Equity $25,000
East Bay Alliance for a Sustainable Economy Workers & Small Businesses $50,000
East Bay Community Law Center Housing & Basic Needs $250,000
Eden I & R Inc Housing & Basic Needs $10,000
Education Trust – West Educational Equity $20,000
Episcopal Community Services of San Francisco Housing & Basic Needs $10,000
Eviction Defense Collaborative Inc Housing & Basic Needs $250,000
Family Independence Initiative Workers & Small Businesses $50,000
Flourish Agenda Inc Educational Equity $50,000
Flyaway Productions Educational Equity $3,000
Gamelan Sekar Jaya Nonprofit Capacity $20,000
Golden State Warriors Community Foundation Educational Equity $50,000
Grantmakers Concerned with Immigrants and Refugees Workers & Small Businesses $50,000
Hebrew Free Loan Association of San Francisco Workers & Small Businesses $60,000
Independent Arts & Media Workers & Small Businesses $10,000
Intersection for the Arts Workers & Small Businesses $10,000
Jamestown Community Center Workers & Small Businesses $25,000
Jamestown Community Center Inc Educational Equity $100,000
Jamestown Community Center Inc Educational Equity $11,000
Jobs with Justice San Francisco Bay Area Workers & Small Businesses $40,000
Justice in Aging Workers & Small Businesses $125,000
La Clinica De La Raza Educational Equity $25,000
La Cocina Workers & Small Businesses $10,000
Legal Access Alameda Workers & Small Businesses $25,000
Legal Aid At Work Workers & Small Businesses $20,000
Legal Services Funders Network Nonprofit Capacity $20,000
Lincoln Educational Equity $25,000
Magnolia Womens Recovery Program Inc Housing & Basic Needs $15,000
Meals on Wheels of San Francisco Housing & Basic Needs $10,000
Mercy Retirement Care Center Housing & Basic Needs $10,000
Mission Asset Fund Workers & Small Businesses $10,000
Mission Economic Development Agency Workers & Small Businesses $20,000
New America Foundation Workers & Small Businesses $5,000
Northern California Grantmakers Nonprofit Capacity $50,000
Northern California Youth Organizers Funders Collaborative Educational Equity $100,000
Oakland Unified School District Educational Equity $100,000
Oakland Unified School District Educational Equity $100,000
Oakland Unified School District Housing & Basic Needs $25,000
Oakland Unified School District High School Linked Learning Department Educational Equity $50,000
One Fair Wage Workers & Small Businesses $10,000
Opportunity Fund Community Development Workers & Small Businesses $50,000
Organization United for Respect Workers & Small Businesses $10,000
Peer Resources San Francisco Learning LabHousing & Basic Needs $15,000
Project Open Hand Housing & Basic Needs $10,000
Restaurant Opportunities Centers United Workers & Small Businesses $10,000
San Francisco Interfaith Council Housing & Basic Needs $10,000
San Francisco Youth Theatre Nonprofit Capacity $15,000
SaverLife Workers & Small Businesses $10,000
Seneca Family of Agencies Educational Equity $25,000
Simply the Basics Housing & Basic Needs $10,000
Society of St. Vincent de Paul of Alameda County Housing & Basic Needs $10,000
Spark SF Public Schools Housing & Basic Needs $25,000
St. Anthony Foundation Housing & Basic Needs $10,000
Success Center San Francisco Educational Equity $40,000
The Dance Brigade A New Group From Wallflower Order Educational Equity $118,000
The Dance Brigade A New Group From Wallflower Order Educational Equity $24,150
The MilkBar Nonprofit Capacity $10,000
Theatre Bay Area Workers & Small Businesses $10,000
United States Artists Inc Workers & Small Businesses $100,000
United Way of the Bay Area Housing & Basic Needs $10,000
Wah Mei School Housing & Basic Needs $20,000
Working Solutions Workers & Small Businesses $35,000
Yerba Buena Center For The Arts Educational Equity $31,650
Youth Art Exchange Educational Equity $41,000
Zaccho SF Educational Equity $13,674

Racial Justice

Racial Justice Portfolio By Strategy

64 %

Health & Well-Being

$ 175,000

36 %

Community Organizing

$ 100,000

Organization Strategy Amount
Black Citizen Community Organizing $25,000
Black Cultural Zone Community Development Corporation Health & Well-being $25,000
Black Organizing Project Inc Community Organizing $25,000
East Oakland Collective Health & Well-being $25,000
Ella Baker Center For Human Rights In California Community Organizing $25,000
Girls And Women Of Color Collaborative Health & Well-being $25,000
Greenlining Institute Community Organizing $25,000
Homeless Childrens Network Health & Well-being $25,000
Occur Health & Well-being $25,000
Planting Justice Health & Well-being $25,000
Urban Ed Academy Health & Well-being $25,000

Grantmaking

Arts

 $2,359,546

18%

Economic Security

 $1,590,000

12%

Education

 $456,250

3%

Jewish Life

 $1,700,000

13%

Safety Net

 $1,140,000

9%

Mission-Related

 $1,659,452

COVID-19

 $3,963,871

30%

Racial Justice

 $275,000

2%

Detailed 2020 financial information, including audits, tax returns and investment performance, and project descriptions of grants awarded in 2020 can all be accessed on our website.

Allocation

Arts

25%
71%
4%

Economic Security

76%
15%
9%

Education

67%
33%

Jewish Life

38%
62%

Safety Net

93%
7%

Mission-Related

86%
14%

COVID-19

23%
77%

Racial Justice

91%
9%

Total Grantmaking

48%
50%
2%

 General Operating Support  Project Support  Capital