The Hearthland Foundation
The Hearthland Foundation is a private foundation founded in 2019 by Kate Capshaw and Steven Spielberg that makes grants, co-creates projects, and facilitates collaborations to advance a shared democracy, generative national narratives, and a culture of accompaniment in the U.S.
Source: Website · Mar 2026
Ideal Applicant
Mid-to-large nonprofits or projects with clear alignment to civic engagement, narrative/storytelling, bridging divides, arts and culture, journalism, youth, or environment that can operate at regional or national scale and are visible to funders or intermediaries.
Good Fit
- • Clear programmatic alignment with shared democracy, narrative, bridging divides, or arts and culture work.
- • Evidence of national or multi-state impact or capacity to scale.
- • Public visibility or partnerships that make the organization discoverable to fund staff or advisors.
- • Capacity to manage larger grant sizes (many grants are six-figure or larger).
- • Existing relationships with advisors, intermediaries, or past grantees.
Geography
The latest year shows grants to organizations in 26 states with the largest state accounting for about 22% of dollars, indicating a broadly national footprint rather than a single-state focus.
Recipient Variety
In 2024 the foundation funded 80 distinct recipients across a wide set of purposes (arts, civic engagement, environment, journalism, youth, etc.), and multi-year records show dozens of different grantees rather than a tiny closed circle.
New Applicants
The foundation explicitly accepts proposals by invitation only, which reduces unsolicited entry, but observed giving includes many new grantees (53 new recipients in 2024 and high new-recipient rates in prior years), so newcomers are funded—likely via proactive outreach, introductions, or scouting rather than open applications. Direct evidence that an unfamiliar applicant can win funding by cold-submitting is not available.
Source: Zeffy Agent · Mar 2026
