Walter & Elise Haas Fund WE Initiative Grant

June 12, 2025 By CAST Communications

The WE Initiative is a new grantmaking strategy under the Walter & Elise Haas Fund’s recently launched Social Well-being program that focuses on activating and sustaining a sense of belonging among Bay Area residents. It builds upon our purpose to support community well-being in Oakland and San Francisco so that all people can reach their fullest potential with dignity and joy.

The WE Initiative will select 25 organizations to receive $100,000 annually as general operating funds over a five-year period, totaling $500,000 each. Grantees will not need to reapply during the five-year period to continue receiving funds. They welcome applications from eligible nonprofits and fiscally sponsored projects through June 27, 2025. The Walter & Elise Haas Fund does not anticipate another open call until 2030.

They are seeking nonprofit organizations and fiscally sponsored projects committed to collaboration and community-building, as WE Initiative grantees will participate in a cohort experience — a learning and relationship-building journey designed to deepen exchange, expand networks of care, and spark collective impact with each other over the funding period. Organizations will commit to a series of meetings in the first year, with the intention of co-designing proceeding years with grantee-informed feedback in an iterative process that supports grantee insights.

How to apply for a WE Initiative grant:

Application Due: June 27

Apply Here

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