OVERVIEW: Steven Spielberg and Kate Capshaw’s Hearthland Foundation supports arts and culture, with focus areas that include democracy, journalism, social justice, storytelling and narrative change. According to its website, Hearthland’s three focus areas are “building a shared democracy, telling an honest narrative about this country, and fostering a culture of accompaniment.”
IP TAKE: Rebranded from Spielberg and Capshaw’s long-existing Wunderkinder Foundation, the creation of Hearthland in 2019 was prompted by the couple’s growing concern about political divisions and the health of democracy in the United States. Hearthland supports many national organizations, along with a “home community” grantmaking program for New York, Los Angeles, and St. Louis. Hearthland takes a proactive approach to grantmaking and prioritizes collaboration with like-minded organizations. It welcomes contact at the information provided below. Grantmaking has increased somewhat in recent years, likely a consequence of Spielberg and Capshaw’s increased wealth—the couple are among a small cohort of Hollywood billionaires. All funding occurs through a racial equity and social justice lens. Since the foundation is in the “early stages of learning and launching,” it currently accepts proposals by invitation only.
Steven Spielberg is also associated with the Righteous Persons Foundation.
PROFILE: Founded in 2019 by Kate Capshaw and Steven Spielberg, the Hearthland Foundation — previously known as the Wunderkinder Foundation — has been rebranded from its original form, which the family created in 1985. The Hearthland Foundation is on a mission to support “Justice. Equity. Connection. One creative act at a time.”
Kate Capshaw is an acclaimed American artist, while Spielberg is a film director, screenwriter and producer. Spielberg won the Academy Award for Best Director for Schindler’s List and for Saving Private Ryan. Among his box office record breaking films are Jaws, E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial and Jurassic Park. Time listed him as one of the “100 Most Important People of the Century.”
The Hearthland Foundation maintains a low-profile, like its funding predecessor, but operates a website. Grantmaking, reflected as strategies rather than focus areas, include:
Building a shared democracy
Telling an honest and generative narrative about the U.S.
Fostering a culture of accompaniment
Grants for Arts and Culture
While not a dedicated grantmaking program, Hearthland’s arts and culture grantmaking works “With (the) belief in the power of art, storytelling, and working together for the common good, we make grants and co-create projects that help build a shared democracy, tell an honest and generative narrative about this country, and foster a culture of accompaniment.”
- Arts and culture grantees include the Academy of American Poets, Artists at Work, the Center for Art and Advocacy, the Hammer Museum in Los Angeles, Firelight Media, Friends of the Brentwood Art Center, Geffen Playhouse, On Being Project and the Smithsonian, among others
Grants for Racial Justice, Civic Engagement, Journalism and Democracy
Hearthland’s racial justice grants intersect with criminal justice reform and democracy work. The foundation made a $1 million grant to the American Exchange Project to “bridge divides.” It has also supported Color of Change Eduction Fund, the Free Election Fund, When We All Vote, Foundation for Social Impact, the Equal Justice Initiative, Storycorps, Rockefeller Philanthropy, and has given to the Obama Foundation for civic engagement.
- Hearthland supports abortion rights and gun violence prevention organizations as part of its interest in civic engagement and social justice. Grantees include the March For Our Lives Foundation and the National Network of Abortion Funds.
- In alignment with the foundation’s emphasis on storytelling across giving interests, Hearthland also makes grants for journalism, including to the Solutions Journalism Network, Report for America, and the Maynard Institute.
Grants for Education
The Hearthland Foundation’s grants for education appear to invest in education from early childhood education to higher education.
- Without a dedicated education program, we make conclusions from recent 990 filings, which reveal education grants to the Eleanor Whitmore Early Childhood Center, Freedom Reads, and the University of Southern California.
Grants for Jewish Causes
Like the previous Wunderkinder Foundation, Hearthland’s grants for Jewish causes center on Spielberg’s Righteous Persons Foundation.
Important Grant Details:
According to its tax filings, the Hearthland Foundation awarded around $15 million in grants in a recent year. Hearthland’s grants typically range from $25,000 to $500,000.
The foundation names several grantee partners.
Grantmaking appears to prioritize the greater Los Angeles, the New York metropolitan and St. Louis areas, although Hearthland also supports national organizations and organizations in other regions of the U.S.
The foundation has a small operating staff.
Grantmaking FAQs show that the foundation does not accept unsolicited applications.
- The Hearthland Foundation can be reached at info@hearthlandfoundation.org or (310) 481-3513.
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