The Hutchins Family Foundation is a left-of-center grantmaking organization founded by private equity billionaire Glenn H. Hutchins and his wife, Debbie. The foundation has ties to far-left organizations such as the Democratic Party establishment-aligned think tank Center for American Progress and the Barack Obama Foundation. The organization focuses on issues related to education, health, and public policy. ^{1 2}

Funded Ventures

The Hutchins Family Foundation funded the creation of the Hutchins Center for African and African American Research Center at Harvard University. The Center houses a fellowship program that seeks research fellows to promote the Center’s left-leaning stance on issues such as race in higher education and race related adversity.

The Chronic Fatigue Initiative is a research institute funded by the Hutchins Family Foundation with the mission of studying the causes and effects of Chronic Fatigue Syndrome.

The Hutchins Center on Fiscal and Monetary Policy is a policy center housed at the center-left Brookings Institution, a think tank located in Washington D.C.

Funding

The Hutchins Family Foundation held total assets of $41,899,988 in 2017. All contributions to the Foundation came from Glenn Hutchins and related trusts. Total contributions to the private foundation in the same year added up to more than $9.5 million. ³

The Hutchins Family Foundation is a major donor for the Center for American Progress (CAP), a far-left-leaning policy organization. The Foundation donated $1.5 million in 2017, $1 million in 2016, $1 million in 2015, and millions of dollars in years prior. Glenn Hutchins is a member of the CAP board of directors. ⁴

The Hutchins Family Foundation has multiple connection to the Obama Foundation. The Obama Foundation received $4,000,000 from the Hutchins Family Foundation in 2017 and $1,000,000 in 2016. Glenn Hutchins currently sits on the board of the Obama Foundation. ⁵

The Hutchins Family Foundation has made numerous multi-million-dollar donations to the Brookings Institution since Glenn Hutchins’ founding of the Hutchins Center on Fiscal and Monetary Policy including $2,140,000 in 2017. ⁶

Leadership

Glenn H. Hutchins is a graduate of Harvard University Law School and holds degrees from Harvard’s Law and Business schools. He made his fortune through his founding and management of Silver Lake Partners, a private equity firm worth over $39 billion. ⁷

Aside from his business endeavors, Hutchins is highly active in American politics serving in multiple positions on the left for a number of years. He currently serves as a board member for the Obama Foundation and the Center for American Progress. He worked as a special advisor on economic and healthcare policy for President Bill Clinton. ⁸ Hutchins has made large donations to Democratic candidates and has donated more than $70,000 to the Democratic National Committee since 2004, $50,000 to Hillary Action Fund in 2016, and many more. ¹⁰

Scott A. Carlson is executive director of the Hutchins Family Foundation. He also serves as the executive director of the Chronic Fatigue Initiative, and the senior advisor for Tide Mill LLC, an investment portfolio associated with the Hutchins family. The Hutchins Foundation paid him $285,000 in 2017 according to IRS returns. ^{11 12}

Debbie Hutchins, wife of Glenn Hutchins, is a member of the board of directors of the Hutchins Family Foundation. She serves as the president and secretary of the organization.

Sarah W. Overbay is the managing director of the Hutchins Family Foundation and North Island, the “family office” of the Hutchins Family.

1. “About.” Hutchins Family Foundation. Accessed May 27, 2019. http://hutchinsfamilyfoundation.org/about.
2. IRS Return of Organization Exempt from Income Tax: Hutchins Family Foundation. Part XV: Grants and Contributions Paid During the Year or Approved for Future Payment.
3. IRS Return of Organization Exempt from Income Tax: Hutchins Family Foundation. Schedule B, Part I: Contributors.
4. IRS Return of Organization Exempt from Income Tax: Hutchins Family Foundation. Part XV: Grants and Contributions Paid During the Year or Approved for Future Payment.
5. IRS Return of Organization Exempt from Income Tax: Hutchins Family Foundation. Part XV: Grants and Contributions Paid During the Year or Approved for Future Payment.
6. IRS Return of Organization Exempt from Income Tax: Hutchins Family Foundation. Part XV: Grants and Contributions Paid During the Year or Approved for Future Payment.
7. Gottfried, Miriam, and Dawn Lim. “Silver Lake, Silicon Valley Deal Pioneer, Plays Unaccustomed Role: Predator.” The Wall Street Journal. December 15, 2017. Accessed June 05, 2019. https://www.wsj.com/articles/silver-lake-silicon-valley-deal-pioneer-plays-unaccustomed-role-predator-1513342800.
8. “Federal Reserve Bank of NY Profiles: Glenn Hutchins.” FRBNY. Accessed May 27, 2019. https://www.newyorkfed.org/aboutthefed/orgchart/board/hutchins.
10. FEC Form 3X: Schedule A, Itemized Receipts. Line C: Hutchins, Glenn Hogan. http://docquery.fec.gov/cgi-bin/fecimg/?201612169040612064.[/note] ⁹ FEC Individual Contributions Database: Hutchins, Glenn Hogan. http://docquery.fec.gov/cgi-bin/qindcont/CT/545088.10/2/22640.
11. IRS Return of Organization Exempt from Income Tax: Hutchins Family Foundation. Part VIII.
12. “User Profile: Scott Carlson.” LinkedIn. Accessed May 28, 2019. https://www.linkedin.com/in/scottcarlsoncalyxmgt/.