The Hearthland Foundation
The Hearthland Foundation is a private foundation based in Los Angeles, California. Founded by Kate Capshaw and Steven Spielberg in 2019, it makes grants, co-creates projects, and facilitates collaborations with charitable organizations working to build a more just, equitable, and connected America.
The Hearthland Foundation at a glance
In short: The Hearthland Foundation gave $26.7M across 91 grants in 2024 (avg $294K), top state California. 49% of 2024 grantees were new. Source: 2024 IRS Form 990-PF.
- Annual giving (2024)
- $26,709,000
- +135.4% vs 2023
- Grants made (2024)
- 91
- +139.5% vs 2023
- Average grant
- $293,505
- -1.7% vs 2023
- Median grant
- $225,000
- Total assets
- $512,764,929
- +14.1% vs 2023
- New grantees (estimate)
- 49% first-time grantees (39 of 79, 2024)
- Primary geography
- California (22% of itemized 2024 grant dollars)
- Latest 990 filing
- Form 990-PF, 2024 View filing
Data from IRS Form 990-PF, 2024; updated October 2026. New grantees are estimated by matching recipient names across years (methodology).
How to apply to The Hearthland Foundation
- Accepts unsolicited proposals
- No
- Invitation Only
-
The foundation does not accept unsolicited requests for funds and makes contributions only to preselected charitable organizations. Its website says it is currently accepting proposals by invitation only. Eligible recipients are 501(c)(3) organizations or organizations with fiscal sponsors; individuals are not eligible. The foundation’s grants archive is not comprehensive and does not include payments due in future years under multi-year commitments.
- Contact
Mailing address: 11400 W Olympic Blvd 550, Los Angeles, CA 90064-1551
Phone: (310) 481-3513
Website: https://hearthlandfoundation.org
Application details from Grantable's research on the foundation's public materials; confirm on its website before applying.
Who The Hearthland Foundation funds
How this funder distributes its grants
Top Recipients
Top 10 recipients in 2024
The largest 2024 recipient was American Exchange Project Inc ($2.0M across 2 grants). Together the top 10 received $11.7M.
Grant Size Distribution
357 grants across all recorded years
The most common grant size was in the $100–250K range: 103 grants of 357 (29%).
Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
The foundation says its support is most often for organizations with national scope, with some locally targeted support, especially in Los Angeles and New York. It does not currently fund projects outside the United States and its territories. In 2024, the largest shares of grant dollars by recipient state went to California (22%), New York (21%), Massachusetts (12%), the District of Columbia (7%), and Illinois (5%).
Grant Distribution by State
Share of 2024 grant dollars across all 91 itemized grants.
States
Cities
Is The Hearthland Foundation open to new grantees?
49%
first-time grantees, 2024
In 2024, 39 of 79 grantees (49%) were first-time recipients. First grants averaged $334K; repeat grants $342K. How we count
Medians: $250K first-time, $225K repeat.
- 35% of 2024 grantees were also funded in 2023. Method
- Giving grew 147% from 2021 to 2024. Method
- In 2024 it paid out 108% of its IRS minimum distribution (the 5% rule). Method
Estimate from itemized grant lists in IRS Form 990-PF filings (2020–2024). Recipient names are matched across years, so a renamed or misspelled grantee can look new; grants to individuals are left out. Methodology.
Giving History
Giving Over Time
Total grant dollars and number of grants per year
From 2020 to 2024, annual grant giving ranged from $10.1M (2022) to $26.7M (2024). In 2024 it made 91 grants totaling $26.7M.
Grants by year
Grant recipients and amounts by year
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| Childrens Hospital of Los Angeles Los Angeles, CA | HEALTH | $2,000,000 |
| The Studio Museum in Harlem New York, NY | Arts, Culture & Media | $1,675,000 |
| American Exchange Project Inc Sudbury, MA | Bridging Divides | $1,250,000 |
| Eternal Seeds Inc New Orleans, LA | Arts, Culture & Media | $1,000,000 |
| Rewild Austin, TX | Environment & Climate Change | $1,000,000 |
| The Barack Obama Foundation Chicago, IL | Civic Engagement | $1,000,000 |
| American Exchange Project Inc Sudbury, MA | Bridging Divides | $750,000 |
| Groundtruth Project Inc Beaverton, OR | Journalism | $750,000 |
| Facing History and Ourselves Boston, MA | Education | $500,000 |
| Firelight Media Inc New York, NY | Arts, Culture & Media | $500,000 |
Ready to take the next step with The Hearthland Foundation?
Financial History
Multi-year comparison from IRS filings
| Filing year | Total Assets | Revenue | Expenses | Grants paid | Grants | Qualifying Distributions | Net Investment Income | Distributable Amount |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2024 | $512,764,929 | $96,796,367 | $32,894,921 | $26,709,000 | 91 | $29,317,293 | $13,024,901 | $27,048,816 |
| 2023 | $449,478,631 | $84,925,047 | $16,828,890 | $11,347,450 | 38 | $13,839,030 | $2,930,296 | $21,212,877 |
| 2022 | $381,382,649 | $82,533,550 | $14,852,040 | $10,132,834 | 30 | $12,443,067 | $1,786,366 | $17,363,820 |
| 2021 | $313,699,833 | $63,066,754 | $14,103,403 | $10,822,377 | 45 | $10,822,377 | $15,761,654 | $16,525,719 |
| 2020 | $264,736,190 | $64,444,335 | $21,819,227 | $19,158,499 | 153 | — | $22,982,092 | $11,429,329 |
Under IRS private-foundation payout rules, The Hearthland Foundation reported a distributable amount of $27.0M for 2024 — the minimum it must pay out in qualifying distributions.
Research compiled by Grantable AI from public sources. Last updated October 2026.
Mission & Focus Areas
The foundation’s mission is to help build a shared democracy, tell an honest and generative narrative about the country, and foster a culture of accompaniment. It supports 501(c)(3) nonprofits working across those three areas, most often organizations with national scope. It also funds general operating expenses and program expenses, and makes multi-year grants.
Examples of supported work include the Studio Museum in Harlem, which describes itself as a contemporary art museum focused on artists of African descent and work influenced by African culture; Firelight Media, which supports documentary media by and about communities of color; and Eternal Seeds, which serves New Orleans artists and focuses on education and preserving Black history and culture. Other grantees describe work in environmental restoration, solutions journalism, social healing, and economic justice.
Grantmaking
In 2024, the foundation awarded 91 grants totaling $26,709,000. Grants ranged from $1,000 to $2,000,000, with a median grant of $225,000.
Among its largest 2024 grants were $2,000,000 to Children’s Hospital of Los Angeles for health; $1,675,000 to the Studio Museum in Harlem for arts, culture, and media; and $1,250,000 to American Exchange Project for bridging divides. Other awards included $1,000,000 each to Eternal Seeds, Re:wild, and the Barack Obama Foundation, and $750,000 to GroundTruth Project.
Leadership & Key People
Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings
The 2024 filing lists Kate Capshaw Spielberg, Steven Spielberg, and Kristie Macosko Krieger as directors. Gerald Breslauer was listed as president and director through December 31; Michael Rutman as CFO through December 31 and director; and Tammy Anderson as secretary through December 31 and director. As of December 31, Michael Rutman was listed as president and director, Tammy Anderson as CFO and director, and Meghan Christiansen as secretary.
The Hearthland Foundation is led by Gerald Breslauer, President & Director on every filing since 2020; none of the 7 officers listed in 2024 report compensation.
Officers on the 2024 filing
Gerald Breslauer
President & Director
On filings since 2020
0.5 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Michael Rutman
CFO, Director, President & Director
CFO → CFO, Director, President & Director, 2024
On filings since 2020
0.5 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Kate Capshaw Spielberg
Director
On filings since 2020
0.5 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Kristie Macosko Krieger
Director
On filings since 2020
0.5 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Steven Spielberg
Director
On filings since 2020
0.5 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Tammy Anderson
Secretary, Director, CFO & Director
Secretary & Director → Secretary, Director, CFO & Director, 2024
On filings since 2020
0.5 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Meghan Christiansen
Secretary
New on the 2024 filing
0.5 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Data from IRS Form 990 filings, 2020–2024. "On filings since" is the earliest filing we hold that lists the person; hours are average hours per week as reported.
Frequently asked questions about The Hearthland Foundation
How much does The Hearthland Foundation give each year?
The Hearthland Foundation gave $26.7M across 91 grants in 2024, according to its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. In 2023 it gave $11.3M across 38 grants.
What is The Hearthland Foundation's typical grant size?
The Hearthland Foundation's median grant in 2024 was $225,000, and its average grant was $293,505, across 91 grants on its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. Organizations receiving their first grant from The Hearthland Foundation that year got $334K on average.
Where does The Hearthland Foundation give grants?
The Hearthland Foundation's top state is California, with 22% of the grant dollars itemized on its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. The next largest states were New York (21%) and Massachusetts (12%). The most frequent recipient cities were New York, NY (13 grants), Los Angeles, CA (13 grants), Washington, DC (7 grants) and San Francisco, CA (6 grants).
Does The Hearthland Foundation give general operating support?
Not in 2024: none of the 91 grants with a stated purpose on The Hearthland Foundation's 2024 IRS Form 990-PF were described as general or operating support. Recurring purposes include "Civic Engagement" (20 grants), "Arts, Culture & Media" (17 grants) and "Youth" (12 grants).
Who are The Hearthland Foundation's largest grantees?
The Hearthland Foundation's largest 2024 grantees include American Exchange Project Inc ($2,000,000 across 2 grants), Childrens Hospital of Los Angeles ($2,000,000) and The Studio Museum in Harlem ($1,675,000), according to its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. Together they received 21% of its itemized 2024 grant dollars.
How large is The Hearthland Foundation?
The Hearthland Foundation reported $512.8M in total assets on its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. It paid out $29.3M in qualifying distributions that year, against a required minimum of $27.0M (roughly 5% of its investment assets).
What does The Hearthland Foundation fund?
The foundation’s mission is to help build a shared democracy, tell an honest and generative narrative about the country, and foster a culture of accompaniment. It supports 501(c)(3) nonprofits working across those three areas, most often organizations with national scope. See mission & focus areas ↑
How do I apply for a grant from The Hearthland Foundation?
The foundation does not accept unsolicited requests for funds and makes contributions only to preselected charitable organizations. Eligibility and process details are in the grantmaking section of this profile. See how to apply ↑
What is The Hearthland Foundation's EIN?
The Hearthland Foundation's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 95-4016320. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2020–2024.
Does The Hearthland Foundation accept unsolicited proposals?
No, according to Grantable's research on the foundation's published guidelines. See how to apply ↑
Data last updated October 2026. Sourced from IRS Form 990-PF filings. Research dossier generated October 2026.
Data update history
(1)
When this profile's IRS filing data changed on Grantable
- IRS filings on file for fiscal years 2020–2024
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Cite this profile
Grantable. (2026). The Hearthland Foundation funder profile. GrantGraph. Retrieved October 17, 2026, from https://grantable.co/funders/the-hearthland-foundation-morg_2205d6c935704779bf70b5a5e45ca1f6
BibTeX
@misc{grantable_954016320_2026,
author = {{Grantable}},
title = {{The Hearthland Foundation funder profile}},
howpublished = {GrantGraph},
year = {2026},
url = {https://grantable.co/funders/the-hearthland-foundation-morg_2205d6c935704779bf70b5a5e45ca1f6},
note = {Accessed 2026-10-17. Data licensed CC BY 4.0}
}The figures on this page are open data under CC BY 4.0: reuse them with credit to Grantable and a link. Download the data.
Figures come from The Hearthland Foundation's IRS filings (methodology). AI-written summaries, news items and logos are not covered by the open licence. Spot an error? Email hello@grantable.co.
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