Hearthland Foundation

Background

The Hearthland Foundation was founded in 1985 in California by film director Steven Spielberg under the name Wunderkinder Foundation. By In 2019, Spielberg and his wife, Kate Capshaw rebranded the foundation as the Hearthland Foundation with the Wunderkinder Foundation’s assets and operations being absorbed into the new organization under the same taxpayer identification number. ^{3  4  5}

The Hearthland Foundation’s three areas of focus when donating grants are “building a shared democracy,” “telling an honest and generative narrative about this country,” and “fostering a culture of accompaniment.” ⁴ Spielberg is also associated with the Righteous Persons Foundation, a separate grantmaking foundation he co-founded with Capshaw in 1995. ^{4 6}

Leadership

Film director Steven Spielberg and his wife Kate Capshaw are the co-founders of the Hearthland Foundation and, according to its 2024 tax filings, are listed as directors of the organization. ⁷

According to its 2024 tax filing, Michael Rutman was listed as the president and director of the Hearthland Foundation, starting in the role as of December 31, 2024. Prior to this Rutman was listed as the group’s chief financial officer (CFO). Gerald Breslauer was the previous president through December 31. ⁷

Tammy Anderson was listed as CFO of the organization through December 31, previously serving as Secretary of the board. Megahn Christiansen is listed as board secretary as of December 31, 2024. ⁷

Financials

According to its 2024 990 tax filings, the Hearthland Foundation reported a revenue of $96,796,367, expenses of $32,894,921, and net assets of $512,748,444. ⁸ Of its total revenue, $80,153,631, or approximately 83 percent, consisted of contributions. Kate Capshaw and Steven Spielberg contributed $80 million of that total, with an additional $153,631 contributed by Amblin Entertainment Inc., their production company. Of total expenses, $26,709,000 was disbursed as grants. ^{9  10}

Funding

According to its 2024 tax filings, the Hearthland Foundation disbursed $26,709,000 in grants to approximately 70 organizations, with an additional $21,325,000 approved for future payment, according to the foundation’s 2024 nonprofit tax return. ¹¹

The largest single paid grant, $2 million, went to Children’s Hospital of Los Angeles. The American Exchange Project, a domestic exchange program for high school graduates, received two grants totaling $2 million, categorized by the foundation as “bridging divides.” The Barack Obama Foundation received $1 million, labeled civic engagement, and was also approved for a second $1 million grant. The Studio Museum in Harlem received $1.7 million for arts and culture, with a further $3.3 million approved for future payment. ^{11  12  13}

Other grant recipients included the Tides Center, the Hopewell Fund, the Windward Fund, WorkMoney Foundation, the Equal Justice Initiative, and the March for Our Lives Foundation. ¹¹