Levi Strauss Foundation

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OVERVIEW: The Levi Strauss Foundation is a corporate grantmaker that supports reproductive justice, worker rights and well-being for garment workers, immigrant rights, and democracy & civics. Its reproductive justice and worker rights programs are global, while the immigrant rights and democracy programs focus on the U.S.

IP TAKE: The Levi Strauss Foundation has long been atypically progressive for a corporate funder, as it funded key rights-based causes before other corporations were willing to do so. In the 1980s, for example, Strauss led the way among corporate donors in the fight against HIV/AIDS. Today Strauss continues to fund causes—such as abortion rights and immigration reform—the many corporate donors prefer to leave untouched. In 2019, Inside Philanthropy selected the Levi Strauss Foundation as “Best Corporate Donor” that year for its focus on supporting marginalized communities rather than prioritizing the alignment of its philanthropy with its business interests.

The foundation is transparent, with annual reports posted at its website, along with a list of grantees. While the website does not include information about individual grant amounts, a detailed accounting is available in the foundation’s tax filings. This foundation is not particularly accessible; the website does not provide information about how to apply for a grant, and it doesn’t list program officers. The only way to get in touch is a general contact email address. Networking is likely key for grantseekers who believe they are a good fit.

PROFILE: The Levi Strauss Foundation was established as the philanthropic arm of Levi Strauss & Company in 1952. It supports “pioneering leaders and organizations fighting for change on the issues and events of our time in locations where LS&Co. has a business presence.” It was also the first U.S. corporate donor to combat HIV/AIDS through a donation to San Francisco General Hospital in 1982. The foundation, a signatory of the GUTC Pledge, supports “advances in human rights and well-being of underserved populations,” that are touched by the apparel and textile industry. Around 68 percent of the world’s apparel workers are women and around 45 percent of people working in the textile industry are women. Levi’s grantmaking interests are focused on reproductive justice, worker rights and well-being, immigrant rights and democracy.

Grants for Women and Girls

The Levi Strauss Foundation’s Reproductive Justice program, created in 2017, has provided $5.6 million in grants. The program, which is global in focus, seeks to “advance the rights and power of those who most experience reproductive oppression and face the greatest barriers to reproductive freedom and justice.” This program’s goals include:

  • Protecting and expanding reproductive freedom and access

  • Supporting a culture where reproductive justice is valued

  • Ensuring access to direct services, including abortion

Reproductive health grantees include New Voices for Reproductive Justice, Access Reproductive Justice, and National Latina Institute for Reproductive Justice.

Grants for Global Development and Economic Opporunity

Levi Strauss supports global development through its Worker Rights and Well-being program. This global program seeks to “advance the rights of apparel workers and lift systemic approaches for improving the well-being of workers in the garment industry.” This program’s goals include:

  • Ensuring fair and equitable protections

  • Building factory cultures of trust

  • Supporting system transformation

According to the website, over $25 million in grants have gone to 17 countries and reached 219,000 workers employed by 113 suppliers. Previous grantees include HomeNet Pakistan, Central American Women’s Fund, and Resilience Fund for Women in Global Value Chains.

Grants for Immigrant and Refugees

This funder’s Immigrant Rights program, focused entirely on the United States, seeks to “advance immigration reform that creates systems that are equitable, anti-racist and humane, and engage the most marginalized communities of immigrants as active leaders in the movement.” Funding priorities include:

  • Providing just pathways to citizenship

  • Ensuring equitable immigration policies

  • Creating a culture of belonging

It has provided $5.8 million in support since 2017, and has made grants to Define American, Asian Prisoner Support Committee, and Transgender Law Center: Border Butterflies Project, among others.

Grants for Democracy

Levi Strauss Foundation’s Democracy program works to “establish a strong and inclusive democracy” in the United States. This giving area prioritizes:

  • Protecting voting rights

  • Strengthening civic engagement, participation and culture

  • Ensuring open and inclusive media and information ecosystems

  • Building bridges and alliances

This funding area has made over $6.6 million in grants since 2019. Grantees include IllumiNative, Momentum, and Black Futures Lab.

Important Grant Details:

Grant amounts typically range from $10,000 to $50,000, but may go as high as $250,000 or more.

  • To get a broader sense of the types of organizations the Levi Strauss Foundation supports, explore its grant list.

  • The Levis Strauss Foundation wound down its HIV/AIDS program in December 2023 after four decades of major support.

  • Note that the Levi Strauss Foundation primarily supports work in cities and regions where it has a significant business or manufacturing presence, such as the San Francisco Bay Area, New York, Atlanta, and Washington D.C., as well as over forty countries, including China, Argentina, South Africa, Thailand, and Mexico.

The foundation does not accept unsolicited requests for funding but may be contacted at mbxlsfoundation@levi.com.

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