Non-profit

Heartland Initiative

Location:

Michigan City, IN

Tax ID:

47-1138215

Tax-Exempt Status:

501(c)(3)

Budget (2017):

Revenue: $202,848
Expenses: $316,804
Assets: $156,017

Formation:

2014

Contact InfluenceWatch with suggested edits or tips for additional profiles.

The Heartland Initiative, Inc. is an advocacy group that focuses on human rights in areas of international armed conflicts. The organization is based in Indiana.

Background

Heartland Initiative teamed with the Investor Alliance for Human Rights for an Issue Briefing on Conflict and Security in the Context of Information, Communication and Technology. The report states that technology can undermine human rights when used by unscrupulous governments engaged in conflict “surveil, detain, and/or censor individuals or groups, wage cyber-attacks on civilian infrastructure, ‘weaponize information’ and provide a platform for ‘hate speech,’ unlawfully seize property to develop ICT infrastructure, or the sourcing of materials from conflict-affected areas.” It also warned about “fake news” and “deep fake” disinformation campaigns on the Internet. 1

The report talks about the governments of Syria, Russia, Myanmar, Iraq and of Israel. It refers to the disputed West Bank and Gaza Strip as “occupied land” in the same paragraph that it mentions Russia and Crimea. 2

Despite being a human rights group, the organization opposes the U.S. State Department’s Unalienable Rights Commission, established to protect human rights reflected by the Declaration of Independence and the U.S. Constitution. It signed onto a letter, among 150 mostly liberal groups such as the American Civil Liberties Union and the Center for American Progress, to Secretary of State Mike Pompeo asking that the commission be shut down. 3

Leadership

Sam Jones is the president. He previously served as the associate director of the human rights Program at The Carter Center. This job included work in the Democratic Republic of Congo. Jones previously managed community development programs in Iraq and Jordan. He also led assessment missions to Israel, and evaluated the Palestinian territories, to Lebanon, and Afghanistan for Counterpart International. Jones also served in the American Near East Refugee Aid in the Gaza Strip. 4

Jones spoke in 2015 to the pro-Palestinian Samuel Dewitt Proctor Conference, the organizations that includes Christian pastors. 5 Jones spoke at a panel about his experience working with Palestinians at Covenant Presybiterian Church in Charlotte, North Carolina that was titled, “Where do Christians Come From?” 6

Rich Stazinski is the executive director and co-founder of the Heartland Initiative. Stazinski previously worked for the Telos Group, the Save Darfur Coalition, Citizens for Global Solutions, the Stanley Foundation, Max Planck Institute for Economics, and the Human Resource Investment Council for the State of Indiana. He was previously a campaign manager for U.S. Rep. Peter J. Visclosky (D-IN). 7

References

  1. Investor Alliance for Human Rights for an Issue Briefing on Conflict and Security in the Context of Information, Communication and Technology. September 2019. Accessed November 9, 2019.  https://www.heartland-initiative.org/wp-content/uploads/2019/09/ICT-Salient-Issue-Brief-Conflict-and_Security.pdf
  2. Investor Alliance for Human Rights for an Issue Briefing on Conflict and Security in the Context of Information, Communication and Technology. September 2019. Accessed November 9, 2019.  https://www.heartland-initiative.org/wp-content/uploads/2019/09/ICT-Salient-Issue-Brief-Conflict-and_Security.pdf
  3. Coalition Letter to Secretary of State Mike Pompeo. July 23, 2019. Accessed November 9, 2019. https://www.humanrightsfirst.org/sites/default/files/Unalienable-Rights-Commission-NGO-Ltr.pdf
  4. About Us. Heartland Initiative. Accessed November 9, 2019. https://www.heartland-initiative.org/about-us/
  5. Williams, Don. “Walking Where Jesus Walked Led to the Proctor Conferences.” Kairos USA. March 15, 2015. Accessed November 18, 2019. https://kairosusa.org/walking-where-jesus-walked-led-to-the-proctor-conference/
  6. “Where Do Christians Come From?” Covenant Presbyterian Church. Accessed November 19, 2019. https://www.covenantpresby.org/where-do-christians-come-from
  7. About Us. Heartland Initiative. Accessed November 9, 2019. https://www.heartland-initiative.org/about-us/
  See an error? Let us know!

Nonprofit Information

  • Accounting Period: December - November
  • Tax Exemption Received: November 1, 2014

  • Available Filings

    Period Form Type Total revenue Total functional expenses Total assets (EOY) Total liabilities (EOY) Unrelated business income? Total contributions Program service revenue Investment income Comp. of current officers, directors, etc. Form 990
    2017 Dec Form 990 $202,848 $316,804 $156,017 $2,580 N $0 $185,672 $1,291 $0 PDF
    2016 Dec Form 990 $389,990 $321,305 $267,893 $500 N $0 $375,000 $1,673 $0
    2015 Dec Form 990 $558,989 $401,907 $200,648 $1,940 N $0 $547,552 $777 $0 PDF
    2014 Dec Form 990EZ $100,053 $58,426 $41,627 $0 $0 $0 $0 $0 PDF

    Heartland Initiative

    PO BOX 369
    Michigan City, IN 46361-0369