What do you do? 

The Hearthland Foundation makes grants to nonprofits, co-designs projects, and invests creative capital to help build a more just, equitable, and connected America. Learn more about our mission and areas of focus here. Or read about our grantee partners here.

What do you fund?

The Hearthland Foundation supports 501(c)(3) nonprofits that are working at the intersection of our three areas of focus: 1) building a shared democracy, 2) telling an honest and generative American narrative, and 3) fostering a culture of accompaniment. Most often this looks like funding groups that are national in scope, although we do provide some locally targeted support, especially in our hometowns of Los Angeles and New York. We are not currently funding projects working outside of the United States and its territories.

Are you accepting new grant applications?

Since we are in the early stages of learning and launching the Foundation, we are currently accepting proposals by invitation only. We also know the energy that it takes to submit applications and want to be respectful of your time. We will update this page if and when this changes. 

Do you make grants to individuals?

We do not. Only organizations with 501(c)(3) status and organizations that have secured fiscal sponsors are eligible to receive funding from The Hearthland Foundation.

Do you fund general operating expenses?

Yes, we do. Hearthland funds both general operating expenses and expenses related to specific programs.

What size grants do you typically award?

Grants awarded by Hearthland range in size based on need and a variety of other factors. 

Does the Foundation award multi-year funding?

We do. We know how important multi-year funding can be to sustain the critical work of our grantee partners and are proud to be long-term funders for many of our grantees.

How do I learn more about what you have funded?

Our Grants Archive is a great place to start.

Is the Grants Archive complete?

While the Grants Archive features many of our strategic grants, it is not comprehensive of all charitable donations and does not include payments that will be made in future years as part of multi-year commitments.

Where do the funds come from?

Support for the nonprofit projects featured on this website is provided by Kate Capshaw and Steven Spielberg through a 501(c)(3) private foundation currently known as The Hearthland Foundation, The Hearthland Foundation donor-advised fund, or personal donations.  We refer to this support more generally throughout the website as coming from “Hearthland.”

I have a script/story idea I want to pass on to Steven Spielberg or Amblin. Can I send it your way?

Hearthland is unable to accept any materials related to Steven Spielberg’s work as a director and producer, even for topics that may be related to Hearthland’s grantmaking.

Do the Shoah Foundation and Righteous Persons Foundation still exist?

Yes. The USC Shoah Foundation - The Institute for Visual History and Education, which Steven Spielberg founded to videotape and preserve interviews with survivors and other witnesses of the Holocaust and other genocides, marked its 25^th anniversary in 2019. The institute, an independent 501(c)(3) nonprofit based at the University of Southern California, currently houses nearly 55,000 audiovisual testimonies conducted in 65 countries and in 43 languages.

As for Righteous Persons Foundation, those who are familiar with RPF’s work will likely notice that its values and mission resonate deeply with Hearthland. In addition, RPF and Hearthland share a number of staff. However, RPF remains an independent foundation. You can learn more about RPF’s work here.

I have a question that isn’t answered here.

Feel free to contact us via e-mail at info@hearthlandfoundation.org.