San Francisco’s Haas Jr. to sunset, dividing $500M for next gen to pursue their own philanthropic paths

San Francisco’s Evelyn and Walter Haas, Jr. Fund has announced it will shut down operations at the end of 2028 as the founding family transitions to new giving initiatives. The foundation, with $500 million in assets, has distributed more than $719 million in grants since its founding in 1953, will continue supporting programs in democracy, immigrant rights, and higher education during its wind-down with multiyear awards to key Bay Area partners. Recent grantmaking has exceeded $20 million annually, with past recipients including the ACLU Foundation of Northern California and the California Immigrant Policy Center. The decision to sunset reflects a planned shift within the family to enable members of the next generation to pursue their own philanthropic paths.