Together with the Levi Strauss Foundation, the Walter and Elise Haas Fund, and the Peter E. Haas, Jr. Fund, we proudly supported the Goldman School of Public Policy’s launch its new Democracy Policy Initiative, a new intellectual and organizing hub for developing the leadership, strategies, networks, and innovative solutions needed to inspire and realize a flourishing, responsive, and multi-racial democracy.

We signed onto the All By April pledge, a commitment led by the Democracy Fund to get philanthropic resources out the door as soon as possible in the 2024 election year. This efforts will help pro-democracy organizations plan better and provide funds early to educate voters, increase turnout, and strengthen democratic institutions.

The Haas, Jr. Fund was proud to partner with the Center for Inclusive Democracy at the University of Southern California to present a six-part legislative briefing series examining elections reform, voter access, voter participation, and equity in California elections. The educational series featured leading experts and focused on underrepresented communities. 

Voters in Oakland overwhelmingly approved Measure W, which will establish a Democracy Dollars program to revolutionize campaign financing for local elections. The program will provide vouchers to local residents who can in turn use them to support political candidates of their choice.

Following the drastic increase in violence and hate against Asian American and Pacific Islander communities in recent years, the Haas, Jr. Fund spearheaded the launch of the power-building Activate California initiative, which is dedicated to engaging AAPI communities - especially younger AAPI Californians - as more active participants in democracy and civic life.

Thanks to the work of a number of regional coalitions in California, counties including Orange, Riverside, and San Bernardino secured fairer political maps that will help ensure all communities have fair representation in government and during elections.

The Haas, Jr. Fund joins nearly two dozen funders to announce the launch of the California Black Freedom Fund, a $100 million initiative dedicated to Black power-building and organizing in California. This first-of-its-kind fund is co-created with Black leaders and organizers to ensure that California’s growing ecosystem of locally rooted Black-led organizing efforts have the sustained investments and resources they need to eradicate systemic and institutional racism.

The Fund launches its Democracy program with a focus on increasing civic participation and representation for communities in California that have long been underrepresented in our democratic processes.