The James G HART Foundation makes a small number of very large grants, concentrating support in media/arts with a clear interest in women’s film and in higher education. A substantial share of giving flows to a philanthropic intermediary (a donor-advised fund), suggesting some grants are routed or advised through third parties. The foundation tends to fund a few repeat recipients rather than many small organizations.
Concentrated giving: a handful of large grants (three organizations account for the total), repeat funding to the same recipients, and use of a philanthropic intermediary rather than many small community grants.
The James G Hart Foundation’s recent giving shows a clear pattern: large general-fund grants to a small set of repeat recipients, with especially visible support for women’s film and university programs. Women Make Movies received $170,000 in 2024 after a $125,000 grant in 2023, while Tulane University received $100,000 in both 2023 and 2024. Those repeated awards suggest the foundation favors ongoing relationships rather than one-off gifts. The portfolio also reaches into public-interest media and human rights, alongside arts and education. Wisconsin Public Radio, the Committee to Protect Journalists, Human Rights Watch, and the International Rescue Committee all appear among recent grantees, and the grants are generally labeled for general support. A substantial grant to Goldman Sachs Philanthropy Fund indicates that some giving is routed through a philanthropic intermediary. Overall, the foundation appears to support institutions across several fields, but with an especially strong throughline in women-centered documentary film and higher education.
Women’s film is one of the foundation’s clearest focus areas. Women Make Movies received $170,000 in 2024 for general fund support, following a $125,000 general fund grant in 2023, pointing to repeated backing for women-focused documentary film work. Higher education is another recurring area. Tulane University received $100,000 in 2023 and another $100,000 in 2024, both as general fund grants. The foundation also supported Bennington College and Brown University with $6,000 grants in 2024, showing a broader but smaller academic footprint. Public-interest media and journalism appear in several grants as well. Wisconsin Public Radio received $30,000 in 2024 and $25,000 in 2023, while the Committee to Protect Journalists, Frontline Journalism Fund, and WGBH Educational Foundation also received support. Arts and culture show up through Old Town School of Folk Music and Kartemquin Educational Films.
Grant sizes cluster at the low end, even though the foundation also makes a few large awards: p25 is $1,000, median is $2,000, and p75 is $5,125. The recent list shows repeated support for the same organizations across multiple years, including several recipients with two grants on file. It is a regular funder rather than a donor-advised fund, and it does not fund individuals or make program-related investments. The available grants are recorded as general fund support, which aligns with the foundation’s flexible giving style.
$858K
$14.3M
$1.1M
$979K
Most grants fall between $1K and $5K, with a median of $2K.
25th Percentile
$1K
Median
$2K
75th Percentile
$5K
About 18% of grants go to recipients in NY.
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Notable grantees: Women Make Movies, Tulane University, Goldman Sachs Philanthropy Fund
Giving is national, with all recorded recipient-country grants landing in the United States. Illinois is the top state by grant count, and 18% of grants go to recipients in the foundation’s headquarters state. Recent recipient cities include New York, New Orleans, Chicago, Washington, Boston, Madison, Milwaukee, and DeKalb. The geographic spread reaches beyond the Midwest while still showing a noticeable Illinois presence through Chicago and other in-state recipients.
Recent grants point to women’s documentary film, higher education, public-interest journalism, media, and human rights. Women Make Movies, Tulane University, Wisconsin Public Radio, the Committee to Protect Journalists, Human Rights Watch, and the International Rescue Committee all appear in the grant list.
Yes. Several organizations received grants in more than one year, including Women Make Movies, Tulane University, Wisconsin Public Radio, the Committee to Protect Journalists, the International Rescue Committee, Human Rights Watch, and US Campaign for Palestinian Rights.
The grant-size distribution is modest for most awards: p25 is $1,000, median is $2,000, and p75 is $5,125. The recent list also includes a few much larger grants, which means the foundation combines small recurring awards with occasional sizable gifts.
Illinois is the top state by grant count, and 18% of grants go to recipients in Illinois. Recent Illinois recipients include Chicago, DeKalb, and Milwaukee-area institutions, while the overall geographic scope is national.
Recent grants are listed as general fund support, which points to flexible, unrestricted giving. The foundation is classified as a regular funder, not a donor-advised fund, and it does not fund individuals or make program-related investments.
2026
Source: IRS Form 990-PF, fiscal year 2026.
Most recent grants reported to the IRS.
| Recipient | Location | Amount | Year | Purpose |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| WOMEN MAKE MOVIES | NEW YORK, NY | $225,000 | 2026 | GENERAL FUND |
| TULANE UNIVERSITY | NEW ORLEANS, LA | $100,000 | 2026 | GENERAL FUND |
| COMMITTEE TO PROTECT JOURNALISTS | NEW YORK, NY | $75,000 | 2026 | GENERAL FUND |
| OLD TOWN SCHOOL OF FOLK MUSIC | CHICAGO, IL | $60,000 | 2026 | GENERAL FUND |
| FRONTLINE JOURNALISM FUND | BOSTON, MA | $60,000 | 2026 | GENERAL FUND |
| INSTITUTE FOR MUSIC & NEUROLOGIC FUNCTION | BRONX, NY | $50,000 | 2026 | GENERAL FUND |
| US CAMPAIGN FOR PALESTINIAN RIGHTS | WASHINGTON, DC | $25,000 | 2026 | GENERAL FUND |
| PROJECT ON GOVERNMENT OVERSIGHT | WASHINGTON, DC | $25,000 | 2026 | GENERAL FUND |
| INTERNATIONAL RESCUE COMMITTEE | NEW YORK, NY | $20,000 | 2026 | GENERAL FUND |
| WUWM MILWAUKEE PUBLIC RADIO | MILWAUKEE, WI | $17,500 | 2026 | GENERAL FUND |
| HUMAN RIGHTS WATCH | NEW YORK, NY | $15,000 | 2026 | GENERAL FUND |
| AMNESTY INTERNATIONAL | NEW YORK, NY | $15,000 | 2026 | GENERAL FUND |
| AMERICAN NEAR EAST REFUGEE AID | WASHINGTON, DC | $12,500 | 2026 | GENERAL FUND |
| NORTHERN PUBLIC RADIO | DEKALB, IL | $10,000 | 2026 | GENERAL FUND |
| KARTEMQUIN EDUCATIONAL FILMS | CHICAGO, IL | $7,500 | 2026 | GENERAL FUND |
| BENNINGTON COLLEGE | BENNINGTON, VT | $7,000 | 2026 | GENERAL FUND |
| CENTER FOR CONSTITUTIONAL RIGHTS | NEW YORK, NY | $5,000 | 2026 | GENERAL FUND |
| WHYY | PHILADELPHIA, PA | $5,000 | 2026 | GENERAL FUND |
| ENVIRONMENTAL LAW & POLICY CENTER | CHICAGO, IL | $5,000 | 2026 | GENERAL FUND |
| EARTHJUSTICE | SAN FRANCISCO, CA | $5,000 | 2026 | GENERAL FUND |
| RESPIRATORY HEALTH ASSOCIATION | CHICAGO, IL | $5,000 | 2026 | GENERAL FUND |
| WDCB PUBLIC RADIO | GLEN ELLYN, IL | $5,000 | 2026 | GENERAL FUND |
| INVEST FOR KIDS | CHICAGO, IL | $5,000 | 2026 | GENERAL FUND |
| BRENNAN CENTER FOR JUSTICE | WASHINGTON, DC | $5,000 | 2026 | GENERAL FUND |
| BROWN UNIVERSITY | PROVIDENCE, RI | $5,000 | 2026 | GENERAL FUND |
| WAMU 885 | WASHINGTON, DC | $5,000 | 2026 | GENERAL FUND |
| THE PEOPLES MUSIC SCHOOL | CHICAGO, IL | $4,000 | 2026 | GENERAL FUND |
| WISCONSIN DEMOCRACY CAMPAIGN | MADISON, WI | $3,500 | 2026 | GENERAL FUND |
| FUND FOR INVESTIGATIVE JOURNALISM | WASHINGTON, DC | $3,500 | 2026 | GENERAL FUND |
| WBUR 909 | BOSTON, MA | $3,500 | 2026 | GENERAL FUND |
| RESIST | BOSTON, MA | $3,500 | 2026 | GENERAL FUND |
| WHEATLAND MUSIC ORGANIZATION | REMUS, MI | $3,000 | 2026 | GENERAL FUND |
| AMERICAN CIVIL LIBERTIES UNION FND | CHICAGO, IL | $3,000 | 2026 | GENERAL FUND |
| BLOCK CLUB CHICAGO | CHICAGO, IL | $2,500 | 2026 | GENERAL FUND |
| RIVER ALLIANCE OF WISCONSIN | MADISON, WI | $2,500 | 2026 | GENERAL FUND |
| SONG OF THE MOUNTAINS | MARION, VA | $2,500 | 2026 | GENERAL FUND |
| PUBLIC CITIZENS FOUNDATION | WASHINGTON, DC | $2,500 | 2026 | GENERAL FUND |
| DRUG POLICY ALLIANCE | NEW YORK, NY | $2,500 | 2026 | GENERAL FUND |
| WORLD BICYLCE RELIEF | CHICAGO, IL | $2,500 | 2026 | GENERAL FUND |
| ALDO LEOPOLD FOUNDATON | BARABOO, WI | $2,500 | 2026 | GENERAL FUND |
| FREE PRESS | FLORENCE, MA | $2,500 | 2026 | GENERAL FUND |
| TANENBAUM CENTER FOR INTER-RELIGIOUS UNDERSTANDING | NEW YORK, NY | $2,000 | 2026 | GENERAL FUND |
| ACTIVE TRANSPORTATION ALLIANCE | CHICAGO, IL | $2,000 | 2026 | GENERAL FUND |
| OXFAM AMERICA | BOSTON, MA | $2,000 | 2026 | GENERAL FUND |
| USA FOR UNHCR | WASHINGTON, DC | $2,000 | 2026 | GENERAL FUND |
| CARNEGIE COUNCIL | NEW YORK, NY | $2,000 | 2026 | GENERAL FUND |
| NONVIOLENT PEACEFORCE | MINNEAPOLIS, MN | $1,500 | 2026 | GENERAL FUND |
| NEW YORK PUBLIC RADIO | NEW YORK, NY | $1,500 | 2026 | GENERAL FUND |
| AMERICAN FRIENDS SERVICE COMMITTEE | PHILIDELPHIA, PA | $1,500 | 2026 | GENERAL FUND |
| WISCONSIN CANOE HERITAGE MUSEUM | SPOONER, WI | $1,500 | 2026 | GENERAL FUND |
TULANE UNIVERSITY
$100,000GENERAL FUND
FRONTLINE JOURNALISM FUND
$60,000GENERAL FUND
INSTITUTE FOR MUSIC & NEUROLOGIC FUNCTION
GENERAL FUND
WUWM MILWAUKEE PUBLIC RADIO
$17,500GENERAL FUND
HUMAN RIGHTS WATCH
$15,000GENERAL FUND
AMNESTY INTERNATIONAL
$15,000GENERAL FUND
BENNINGTON COLLEGE
$7,000GENERAL FUND
WDCB PUBLIC RADIO
$5,000GENERAL FUND
BROWN UNIVERSITY
$5,000GENERAL FUND
WBUR 909
$3,500GENERAL FUND
WHEATLAND MUSIC ORGANIZATION
$3,000GENERAL FUND
AMERICAN CIVIL LIBERTIES UNION FND
$3,000GENERAL FUND
BLOCK CLUB CHICAGO
$2,500GENERAL FUND
SONG OF THE MOUNTAINS
$2,500GENERAL FUND
PUBLIC CITIZENS FOUNDATION
$2,500GENERAL FUND
WORLD BICYLCE RELIEF
$2,500GENERAL FUND
ALDO LEOPOLD FOUNDATON
$2,500GENERAL FUND
NEW YORK PUBLIC RADIO
$1,500GENERAL FUND
AMERICAN FRIENDS SERVICE COMMITTEE
$1,500GENERAL FUND
WISCONSIN CANOE HERITAGE MUSEUM
$1,500GENERAL FUND