History & Timeline

The LeadersTrust announces new Executive Director

The Collaborative for Gender and Reproductive Equity

The CGRE engages the LeadersTrust to shape high-touch, intensive support to their BIPOC and trans-led nonprofit partners across the United States.

The LeadersTrust launches as an independent entity

With a rich 15-year history as a core program of the Haas, Jr. Fund, the LeadersTrust becomes an independent entity fiscally sponsored at the Tides Center, a 501c(3). In partnership with a growing number of foundations, the LeadersTrust is poised to accelerate change for the next generation of leaders.

The US Supreme Court Upholds DACA

United We Dream and others in the immigrant rights movement celebrate the U.S. Supreme Court ruling blocking the Trump administration’s efforts to end the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) program. Since the start of DACA in 2012, 800,000 undocumented young people have been able to obtain work permits and a temporary reprieve from deportation.

The Irvine Foundation and the Fair Work Initiative

The James Irvine Foundation engages the LeadersTrust as a partner to strengthen the leadership and organizational health of grantees that are advancing the rights, protections, and job opportunities for low-wage workers in California.

New Fellowship Launched: Resource Leaders

In partnership with the Rockwood Leadership Institute, this year-long  fellowship offered unprecedented, in-depth leadership development for senior fundraising professionals from across the social justice sector.

New tools for supporting nonprofit talent

Haas, Jr. Fund grantee and partner Fund the People publishes a comprehensive new toolkit for investing in the nonprofit workforce as a way to increase the sector’s impact.

New foundations come on board

For the first time, the Haas Leadership Initiatives expands to work with new foundations to broker deep leadership support for their grantees. The Packard Foundation, the Grove Foundation and the Heising-Simons Foundation are the first new partners through a pilot called LeaderPower.

The Supreme Court legalizes Marriage Equality

Thanks to the leadership and hard work of organizations in the LGBT movement like GLAD and NLCR along with millions of people who changed hearts and minds, love wins.

Advancing racial equity

In response to mounting interest from social justice organizations, the Haas Leadership Initiatives begins a concerted focus on integrating racial equity in leadership and organizational development. See racial equity resources.

Addressing fundraising challenges and solutions

The Haas Leadership Initiatives launches research into key fundraising challenges facing nonprofits. This results in the publication of two new reports, Beyond Fundraising and Fundraising Bright Spots, as well as a series of blog posts focused on “learning out loud” about fundraising challenges and solutions in the sector.

Exploring the impact of deep investments in leadership development

Given growing interest, the Fund releases a five-year external evaluation  of the Flexible Leadership awards. Watch the video.

Fundraising prompts a new conversation

In collaboration with CompassPoint Nonprofit Services, a groundbreaking report –  UnderDeveloped – is published, spurring a sector-wide discussion about how to create a “culture of philanthropy” in nonprofit organizations.

Fellowship for a New California

In partnership with the Rockwood Leadership Institute, the Haas Leadership Initiatives launches the Fellowship for a New California, a leadership development program to strengthen California’s immigrant rights movement.

Power of coaching

Launched a series of short videos that provide firsthand accounts about the impact of coaching in the nonprofit sector.

Support for LGBT leaders of color

The Pipeline Project 21st Century Fellowship is created to support up-and-coming leaders of color in gay and lesbian rights organizations and combat a lack of diversity in the LGBT movement leadership.

Flexible Leadership Awards are launched

The Haas, Jr. Fund introduces the Flexible Leadership Awards, a responsive, long-term approach to help nonprofits and their leaders become even more effective by providing long-term leadership support to grantees.

Leadership is a new priority

The Haas, Jr. Fund approves a new grantmaking program focused specifically on nonprofit leadership development.