Gwendolyn Sontheim Meyer is a billionaire philanthropist who has contributed over $12 million to Democratic-leaning campaigns and organizations including the 2024 presidential campaign of Vice President Kamala Harris and the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee (DNCC). ¹

She is an heir to the Cargill Corporation food-production fortune. ^{2 3}

Background

Gwendolyn Sontheim Meyer is a billionaire philanthropist and the great granddaughter of W.W. Cargill, who in 1865 founded the food-production conglomerate Cargill Corporation. As of October 2024, Cargill is estimated to be the largest private company in the United States with an estimated revenue of $114 to $160 billion. The Cargill family retains 80 percent of the company’s ownership; Sontheim Meyer controls 8 percent of Cargill through her inheritance. As of October 2024, her estimated net worth was $5.1 billion. ^{2 3}

Activities

Political Donations

According to Federal Election Commission (FEC) records, as of October 2024, Gwendolyn Sontheim Meyer has donated roughly $12,134,932.35 to national political campaigns and political committees including Super PACs. ¹

During the 2024 election cycle, Sontheim Meyer donated over $2.5 million, making her the 13th largest donor of the cycle as of October 2024. ⁴ She donated $1.8 million to a Super PAC supporting the presidential campaign for Vice President Kamala Harris for president. She also contributed almost $600,000 to a Super PAC supporting the reelection campaign of U.S. Representative Hakeem Jeffries (D-NY) and another $250,000 to the Fight Like Hell National Super PAC run by Michigan Governor Gretchen Whitmer (D). ^{1 5}

Between 2019 to 2024, Sontheim Meyer donated almost $800,000 to the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee (DCCC). ¹ In addition, she donated roughly $1.8 million to the DNC Services Corp., the corporate entity handling funds for the Democratic National Committee. ¹

From 2019 to 2022, Sontheim Meyer donated $3.4 million to the Democratic Grassroots Victory Fund. ¹

From 2019 to 2021, Sontheim Meyer donated almost $600,000 to a Super PAC supporting the reelection campaign for U.S. Rep. Nancy Pelosi (D-CA). ¹

In 2022, Sontheim Meyer contributed $100,000 to the Democratic Attorneys General Association People’s Lawyer Project. ⁶

In 2021, Sontheim Meyer donated $10,000 to the Lincoln Project.  ⁷

In 2024, Sontheim Meyer donated $1 million to pro-abortion advocacy groups in Oklahoma. ⁸

During the 2022 election cycle, she donated $350,000 to the Democratic Party of Wisconsin, making her the 18th largest donor in the state at the time. ⁹ She also donated $450,000 to the Democratic-Farmer-Labor Party of Minnesota. ¹⁰

Environmental Activism

In February 2022, E&E News obtained public records through the Freedom of Information Act showing that Gwendolyn Sontheim Meyer met with Biden administration Environmental Protection Agency administrator Michael Regan to oppose Pebble Mine, a proposed copper and gold project in Alaska’s Bristol Bay region. In a public statement, Sontheim Meyer claimed she was opposed to the Pebble Mine and advocated support for local Native tribes within the region. ¹¹

Other Philanthropy

As of 2024, Gwendolyn Sontheim Meyer is the director of food-bank administration group Aqualia International Foundation. ¹¹ She also founded community group Feeding San Diego in 2007, holding the position of board chair as of 2024. ^{11 12} She has previously donated grants to advocacy group Lucky Duck Foundation. ¹³

1.  “Federal Election Commission Search: Sontheim Meyer.” Federal Election Commission. Accessed October 16, 2024. https://www.fec.gov/data/receipts/individual-contributions/?contributor_name=Gwendolyn+Sontheim.
2. “Gwendolyn Sontheim Meyer.” Forbes. Accessed October 16, 2024. https://www.forbes.com/profile/gwendolyn-sontheim-meyer/.
3. “Cargill Stock Price and Symbol.” Bullish Bears. October 4, 2024. Accessed October 16, 2024. https://bullishbears.com/cargill-stock-price/.
4. “Who Are the Biggest Donors.” Open Secrets. Accessed October 16, 2024. https://www.opensecrets.org/elections-overview/biggest-donors?cycle=2024&view=jfc.
5. Saul, Derek. “Kamala Harris Has More Billionaires Prominently Backing Her Than Trump—Tyler Perry, Bill Ackman Weigh In (Update).” Forbes. October 16, 2024. Accessed October 16, 2024. https://www.forbes.com/sites/dereksaul/2024/10/16/kamala-harris-has-more-billionaires-prominently-backing-her-than-trump-tyler-perry-bill-ackman-weigh-in-update/.
6. “$100,000 from Gwendolyn Sontheim Meyer to DAGA People’s Lawyer Project on September 30, 2022.” ProPublica. Accessed October 16, 2024. https://projects.propublica.org/527-explorer/contributions/46006030.
7. “Billionaire Lincoln Project Donors Silent Amid John Weaver Scandal, Financial Controversy.” Newsweek. February 17, 2021. Accessed October 16, 2024. https://www.newsweek.com/billionaire-lincoln-project-donors-silent-amid-john-weaver-scandal-financial-controversy-1569908.
8. Moseley-Morris, Kelcie. “With abortion on the 2024 ballot, campaigns could see millions in funding from familiar players.” Kansas Reflector. January 7, 2024. Accessed October 16, 2024. https://kansasreflector.com/2024/01/07/with-abortion-on-the-2024-ballot-campaigns-could-see-millions-in-funding-from-familiar-players/.
9. “Who were the 50 largest campaign donors to Wisconsin political parties in 2022?.” PBS Wisconsin. January 5, 2023. Accessed October 16, 2024. https://pbswisconsin.org/news-item/who-were-the-50-largest-campaign-donors-to-wisconsin-political-parties-in-2022/.
10. Glahn, Bill. “Minnesota For Sale: Forbes 400 edition.” April 27, 2023. Accessed October 16, 2024. https://www.americanexperiment.org/minnesota-for-sale-forbes-400-edition/.
11. Bogardus, Kevin; Holzman, Jael. “Inside Regan’s meeting with an anti-Pebble mine billionaire.” E&E News. February 3, 2022. Accessed October 16, 2024. https://www.eenews.net/articles/inside-regans-meeting-with-an-anti-pebble-mine-billionaire/.
12. Rosemberg, Jasmin. “Feeding San Diego Founder Gwendolyn Sontheim on its 15th Anniversary and Tackling Hunger.” Modern Luxury San Diego. November 1, 2022. Accessed October 16, 2024. https://mlsandiegomag.com/feeding-san-diego-sontheim.
13. “Fight Hunger and Homelessness.” Lucky Duck Foundation. Accessed October 16, 2024. https://www.luckyduckfoundation.org/news/fight-hunger-and-homelessness.